5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[chicken pickin]

LOL Im definitely not one of "them" lol hence the move to derry

 

[Gardeningmama]

Quote:
Mixes are awesome. Most of my girls are purebred, and my few mixes are heartier and out lay all of them.

So who is done Christmas shopping, and who like me, likes going at the last minute. I'm over half way, but still love the last minute rush

Not done, but DH just did 2 hours driving for a much begged for dirtbike for DS. I am going to have one happy boy Christmas morning!

We have a winner!

The winning post was by tadbole98 on pot 2314. The prize is a dozen Mystery eggs from msladyhawke.

I will set up one more of these contests.

Cheers!

This thread moves faaaast! I can't imagine what it's going to be like when the hatch actually gets started!

Oh Yeah, It's gonna get CRAZY......

Quote: It is funny, but true. I think less knowledge can be a plus. I swear the less I "knew" with hatching the better I did. Knowledge can make you overthink, be nervous and second guess yourself. I wish I could go back to what I didn't know

6. Random Post contest II
Prize: 1 dozen Mystery eggs donated by @Chicken Picken

Open to hatch a long members except Hatch a long administrators. A post number has been selected. The first hatch a long member to post on or after the number is the winner! A backup post number has been selected to be awarded if the winner declines the prize.

Thank you Chicken picken!

Good luck everyone!

You're the man, Ron!!

OK - small update from me and my hatch.

I set these beautiful eggs under my broody 3rd December. They were posted on an overnight express service from Lilys Creek Araucanas in Queensland.
All were perfect, no damage at all - great packing.


And here they are today - day 8 (1st time I have caught Nell off the nest and 1st opportunity for me to remove the 2 infertile ones originally left under Nell to ensure she stayed broody until the fertile eggs arrived)


As you can see only 11 there

. I caught both my adult hens literally with egg on their faces a few days back - I had hoped they had eaten one of the infertile eggs. But never mind, Nell still on the 11 eggs so all is good.

That is the most beautiful nest I've ever seen!!

 

[mstricer]

Quote:

Love the first time hatchers

 

[chickengirl1193]

That first hatch is nerve wracking

yeah it really is... and its only going to get worse lol

If you go to the top of the page and click on the"Learning Center" under "Hatching eggs and Raising Chicks" it has an article on the "Dry Incubation Method."

I keep my humidity at 42% day 1 through day 19 and up it to 65% for hatch. I have had great results with these settings.

okay thank you, what kind of incubator do you have?

 

[Penny Hen]

Yes it is vitamin C. Vitamin C can be in an acidic form (ascorbic acid) or an alkaline form (sodium ascorbate)
You're not messed up.

As they explain it, the acidity of the vitamin C bath for 2 minutes, breaks down some of the cuticle on the egg, helping evaporation from the egg but also increased oxygen intake.
Vitamin C also alleviates stress and that seems to help the embryos grow faster and have greater survivability.

No not grow faster. It slows down the late development so that the internal heat caused by the chemical metabolic processes of growing don't overheat itself like a car radiator and crack it's block. Too fast of growth and the chick can die of heat it generates itself. That was also the reason that cooling to 75˚ on day 16 for 6 hours helps with the hatchability because it keeps the last burst of growth (which generates heat) from killing the chick.

 

[roostercluck]

Just got done catching up from just this morning on my phone because the Internet is out. I can't imagine what it will be like tomorrow!

 

[Myfourladies]

How ingenious

Ron is right wouldn't want anyone sad

These girlies know of the chances.... in fact my 9 year old asked what we would do if hers didn't hatch. Everyone is prepared, but we could all hope for 100% hatch!!

 

[Threedog]

Wow, this is one fast moving thread! Can only imagine when we actually have eggs hatching lol. This will be my first incubator hatch. My Doomsday 'bator is going to be a pain the neck to work with due to cramped space, but it will comfortably fit a full dozen mixed-breed eggs!

 

[coldupnorth]

Looks like I will be out this year - this cold snap has made it impossible to get eggs to incubate. Too many -20*F+ nights and negative to near 0* days. The girls are refusing to lay (I don't blame them) and the ones that have, I've found frozen. No TJs here and the whole food co-op didn't have anything. I will set the 2 or 3 eggs that I do have just because I can. Glad there is so much global warming going on!

I walked outside to feed the kittens this morning and thought that it felt warmer and then I looked at the thermometer and it was -11*F. Must be acclimating! Ugh

 

[mstricer]

Quote: I'm hoping for 100% hatch for you too

Looks like I will be out this year - this cold snap has made it impossible to get eggs to incubate. Too many -20*F+ nights and negative to near 0* days. The girls are refusing to lay (I don't blame them) and the ones that have, I've found frozen. No TJs here and the whole food co-op didn't have anything. I will set the 2 or 3 eggs that I do have just because I can. Glad there is so much global warming going on!

I walked outside to feed the kittens this morning and thought that it felt warmer and then I looked at the thermometer and it was -11*F. Must be acclimating! Ugh

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