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

[Gardeningmama]

This a good humidity guys? My temp is 99.5 so thats good. Its so hard to keep humidity when its so cold out!!!

Forgive me for forgetting, but what day are you on in incubation. Did you set with the majority of us on the 11th?

 

[chicken pickin]

I just did my day 16 candling and had 3 Sikie quiters, 1 possible OE quiter, and 1 Marans clear

So my total as of today is
16 Silkies - started with 32
2 OE - started with 3
2 Marans - started with 3

set day - total of 32 egg

day 16 - total of 20 eggs

 

[Gardeningmama]

Quote:
Here is my limited input. My last hatch, I incubated at lower temps throughout, BUT also had serious humidity issues too! It was a mess, many chicks had to be assisted, and about half did not hatch at all. Eggtopsy showed some glued in there, some had internally pipped and made it no further, some externally and quit, some hadn't absorbed the yolks, some had. I think my disaster was a combo of the low temps, and painfully low humidity. I'm not trying to scare you, that was just how it happened for me.

 

[Wunjo]

Video is up now on youtube and the link is in my previous post and here:

 

[ronott1]

Video is up now on youtube and the link is in previous post and here:

I just finished Dinner--It was Friday night Tacos!

There is not much you can do now but see how they hatch and on what day. There is nice development in the eggs so you may not be as far off as you think.

If the temperature was too low, the will hatch late so I would not put them into lockdown until day 19 unless you see pips. Watch them for sticking and egg goo.

My guess is that the temp was not as low as you think.

 

[Wunjo]

I just finished Dinner--It was Friday night Tacos!

There is not much you can do now but see how they hatch and on what day. There is nice development in the eggs so you may not be as far off as you think.

If the temperature was too low, the will hatch late so I would not put them into lockdown until day 19 unless you see pips. Watch them for sticking and egg goo.

My guess is that the temp was not as low as you think.

Mmmmmm tacos I love tacos....... now I'm hungry.

I thought development looked ok but the thermometer said otherwise. Not sure If I should go ahead and crank it up or leave it. Was thinking about doing lockdown a day late.

 

[FeyRaine]

Still didn't get an answer. I made a video of one of my egg candles. I am hoping someone can tell me if the development was way to slow and if all my chicks will die.

Or if they are fine and not mess with the temp. My thermometers are cheap one's and as I have found out are probably not accurate. I have now noted that I need to go 4 degrees higher next time. They have been incubating at this temp from the start. I will put the link for the video here and on another post as soon as it is done uploading. Our internet provider has a very slow upload speed and it will be another hour before it is complete on youtube.

Most likely you'll have some hatch late. When I had the same issue (running way too low temps due to bad thermometerS) I had some pretty sad hatch rates, and they were always late, one egg was actually 4 DAYS late, I was in the process of tossing eggs to clean out the bator when I heard the 4 Day late egg peep at me!! I rushed to get it all back together/heat on/etc and that egg did hatch, the chick was ok, not super vigorous the first couple days, but not got stronger and did fine. So you might get some hatchers, but you do need to give them extra time (I think there is a chart somewhere about lower temp / more hrs until hatch avgs. seams like someone referenced it last year...??) Anyway, there is still some hope for your eggs :/

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Okay thanks

if watermelons are out of season get a pumpkin!
I just got a bag of grower and it's 16% so I was going to get medicated starter in a small bag for the first week or so, should i not get medicated? the only starter i can get is dumor

If you are going to use medicated, it would be best to feed when they have the best chance of being exposed to the protozoa.
Medicated feed contains amprolium or a similar thiamine blocker. It really isn't a true medication. In most cases, I still don't see a need for it with proper management. That's just me though.

I use medicated, because I'm a thrifty spender. Seriously, that's my only reason why. There's no health-related reason, in my opinion, to feed medicated...they aren't exposed to cocci until they are outside.

A 50 lb bag of medicated starter is $15.50 at my local Southern States. A 25 lb bag of non-medicated is $9.00 (they don't sell it in 50 lb bags). So if I buy 2 of the non-medicated, it would be $18.00. I save $2.50 by buying the medicated.

Stupid reason, I know...but with a brand new house, I need to pinch pennies wherever and whenever I can

No, that's just good math.

okay thank you guys! I guess I can get non medicated and get corrid if necessary. what percent protein should they have in the beginning?

Most starter/grower is about 18 %. I like something more for the first few weeks. I was using too high of protein years ago, something like 27 %.
I think they benefit from protein in the neighborhood of between 18 and 24% for the first 5 weeks. A lot depends on if they are going to be or are genetically broilers, layers or DP birds.
Growing birds can make use of a lot more protein than maturing birds.

Oh crap, ya'll! My wonderful mother bought me an ecoglow 50 chick brooder for Christmas and I was so excited! I kept a huge box that presents were shipped in and was *planning* on using it as my brooder box (I used giant cardboard boxes last year for my chicks and it worked out great). I just finished setting the box up...and the ecoglow takes up so much room! It's as wide as the box, but I read you should make sure there is room all around the ecoglow to prevent chicks from getting stuck, so I have to put it in lengthwise...and it takes up about 2/3 of the box!! Is that going to cut it?? If not, I don't know what I'm going to do! Suggestions??

Put it somewhere with more space, like the garage.

Nice Christmas present.

 

[bantambury]

Forgive me for forgetting, but what day are you on in incubation. Did you set with the majority of us on the 11th?

Yes ma'am I did! I set on the 11th!

Lockdown for me is on the 29th. Today is 16 for me.


My incubator instructions say to keep humidity percentage around 50 to 60%
Should my temps be ok?

 

[chicken pickin]

Yes ma'am I did! I set on the 11th!

Lockdown for me is on the 29th. Today is 16 for me.


My incubator instructions say to keep humidity percentage around 50 to 60%
Should my temps be ok?

Hmmm 50-60% is what humidity is usually at during lockdown. I think day 1-18 humidity is closer to 30-40%. Have you checked the size of the air cells during candling? how do they look?