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

[chickengirl1193]

and I'll get pics up soon. it's hard to get good ones without flash. I got some cute ones tho

 

[scotter]

I have 12 to go still and I just did a quick candle and I think I have a couple of Quitters. At least I have 19 in the hatcher.

 

[abmaddox1981]

[COLOR=800080]I just had to share this with you all. I had 3 Dorking eggs that never pipped, so when everyone else had hatched I candled. 2 had already died, and 1 was alive. I opened one that was already gone, and saw that blood vessels were absorbed, and feet were right at the aircell no internal pip. I knew the one that was alive was in trouble. Filed a small hole on aircell end and same thing, no internal pip, feet right there. I was so upset because I knew death was imminent. I got on the assist article of Sally's and after reading and re-reading knew if I could find the head there was a chance. So, I eggtopsied the one that had died in the same position, and practiced pulling the head out. I went to the live egg and did the same. There was a little blood(from the membrane), but the head came right out, chick took a big breath, and is breathing steadily now. It will take all night for the yolk to absorb, but the shot the chick has now is better than what was going to happen. Now I PRAY!![/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]Update tomorrow![/COLOR]

I had the same issue! I have 2 sitting in my bator, waiting to see how it goes.

 

[Cynthia12]

You got a great hatch rate for shipped eggs!

Hey kara..there you are, lol...love your colored eggs!

 

[Cynthia12]

Out of 31 in lock down.....

8 hatched
8 pipped

Now the problem I am having is that two of them are stuck by the umbilical cord to the shell. Do I snip these off or what do I do?

No snipping! Pull the shell away carefully from the chick. If, the yolk is all absorbed.

 

[goodb]

2 are zipping!

<applause>

 

[ronott1]

5 of the 8 eggs have hatched. The other 3 eggs have pipped

So far I have two pure blue wheaten Ameraucana chicks and 3 Olive Egger chicks out of my golden cuckoo Marans rooster.

I am going to buy me a new incubator after this! I think it really had to do with my incubator and thermometer why only 2 out of 7 lived to lock down and only 1 lived to hatch. I have 4 more due tomorrow at the latest, I am not holding hope for them either.

Under $500 and with a turner what would you guys suggest? I was looking at a Brinsea.... but am to new to know for sure. Suggestions??

Genesis 1588 is a very good Styrofoam incubator. Brinsea Octagon 20 advance is nice and holds about 25 large fowl eggs. It is Pricey though. Rcom is nice too.

 

[kara1015]

Hey kara..there you are, lol...love your colored eggs! 

Thanks!

 

[ronott1]

I woke up at 6 am (East Coast), and had 2 pips...which would have made it 3 am your time. Another pipped at 8 am. No progress since. I hope they zip before 24 hours!!!! Mine are Barred Rock or Commercial Black (BR hatchery cross) fertilized by a BR cockerel.

The shells are REALLY hard...I gotta smack 'em pretty hard to crack them open. I hope that's not the issue, I'd probably have to intervene.

I think my temp and humidity is right...temp is reading 98 and 99, humidity fluctuates between 62% and 65%.

The chicks have an egg tooth for breaking the shell. Unless it is broken or missing, they can get out of any shell. It is better to have a hard shell too(indicates healthy hens).

I am so Thankful and happy that I have these 5, but I still have almost 2 dozen I'm waiting on, most notably my Dorking eggs, that being said I really wanted some more Jersey Giant and Heritage RIR's. another clutch of silkie's are in there too.

Just remember how long last night was, seemingly with no hope and now today little fuzz buts.

(breathe) ................ did I kill them? did the shipping kill them? Where are they?

O.K. enough of the drama queen till later.

Get on @FOGELLY s list for HRIRs. He packs and ships very nicely.

Bad news

I've lost all but already hatched #47 & now being assisted to hatch #15

The 4 others that were alive showing movement when I went to LD all shipped all died:

2 internal pips through viens (bloody beaks) <--blaming shipped air cell for bad positioning

2 internal pips but apparently could not move enough to external pip

these last 2 I blame on a combo of wonky shipped air cells plus a sudden drop in humidity that messed up my LD (house heat pump & big change of weather argh).

So since #15 has been internal piped for 48 hrs & external pipped w/ no signs of ever zipping and a worrisome lack of peeping I started assisting about 2 hrs ago.
In small stages we have progressed to still sitting in the bottom of the shell, taking a nap as if after having down its own zip, I'm hoping this will allow #15 to rally some vigor and finish hatching...

I'd really like this one CL or BAM from the shipped eggs to make it, esp. as #47 needs a buddy. My next batch of eggs is not due for a week. (& I added water to that bator this am, I normally dry hatch but the house heater was on so much last night I felt water will be required hope I'm not too late w/ those...the amt of increase in air cell size on the dead eggs in the past 48 hrs was rather alarming esp. given they are in w/ water in the bottom well plus a dish w/ water & sponge)

Everyone cross your fingers for #15 pls.

ok.... @ronott1 I FINALLY GOT A GOOD PIC OF HER BEAK. she wiggles too much. LOL

is this what your chick looked like when she grew out of her slipped beak?

Mine had a much worse beak than that. There is a good chance yours will be fine!

 

[JDchicks]

Another pip (#4)

After the last two disaster batches of hatches, this is making me so ecstatic.

Going to be another long night. Grrr...have to go to work tomorrow.