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

[Aphrael]

I've had them go about 36 hours from internal pip to external pip & then another 2 whole days to finish hatching.

Okay, thanks much for the info. That makes me feel a bit less anxious. I'll leave it for now to do its own thing then.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have learned to let my eggs hatch on their own & only help if they pip the wrong end or begin to shrink wrap. That goes for all breeds & species.

 

[carriebain]

How can you tell if they are shrink wrapped?

 

[ronott1]

How can you tell if they are shrink wrapped?

They do not zip if the membrane is stuck to them. You can't really tell until they hatch.

It is a sign of Humidity and temperature problems during incubation.

 

[Gardeningmama]

I have learned to let my eggs hatch on their own & only help if they pip the wrong end or begin to shrink wrap. That goes for all breeds & species.

Silkie, I envy you that discipline. I have a hard time not helping out when I think something's going wrong. Many times I have helped only to have those chicks culled by my dear DH within a few days. Every time I tell myself I'm not helping anymore, and then....I DO! It is not fun to cull a chick, ugh!

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have learned to let my eggs hatch on their own

[COLOR=800080]Silkie, I envy you that discipline. I have a hard time not helping out when I think something's going wrong. Many times I have helped only to have those chicks culled by my dear DH within a few days. Every time I tell myself I'm not helping anymore, and then....I DO! It is not fun to cull a chick, ugh!  [/COLOR]

I ended up losing a lot when I first started out because I tried to help & they weren't ready. I have noticed that any I have to help who weren't shrink wrapped or pipped the wrong end usually end up dying within a day or 2 because the reason they couldn't get out was because there was something wrong with them.

 

[FeyRaine]

I ended up losing a lot when I first started out because I tried to help & they weren't ready. I have noticed that any I have to help who weren't shrink wrapped or pipped the wrong end usually end up dying within a day or 2 because the reason they couldn't get out was because there was something wrong with them.

2x

& Hi Silkie, I'm back for this Hatchalong, after my miserable first time ever w/ a not so great DIY bator last year, I've set & hatched about 400 eggs or so over 2013 and upgraded to a used LG w/ turner that I got some 100% hatches from in late spring!

My challenge now is I believe half of my problems last NYDH were the way our house heatpump works, so I've still got to get past the challenge of incubation w/ the heat on, but otherwise I've gotten waaaay better w/ the process, & at smacking my own hand away from the urge to "help", not saying I haven't done it or won't but I'm way better at when to do so, & very realistic that less than 1 out of 3 that gets "help" ends up living past day 5, no matter how ok or not they appear when "helped out"...

 

[SilkieSensation]

Hi Fey! My NYD hatch was really bad last year too. I was in the middle of moving & had to unplug the bator & make a 2 hr drive with it in my cold car. There also wasn't any heat in the new house for a week after the move. This year the bator will make the move empty & be set once stabilized at the new house. We find out tomorrow if we get the first choice house or have to choose from the other 4.

 

[Arielle]

Ron,

Ran across this-- good info for anyone new to hatching ducks-- that is if anyone is hatching ducks this go round.

http://www.duckhealth.com/hatcduck.html

 

[chicken pickin]

Hey Arielle

are you joining us in the hatch?