6th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2015 Hatch-A-Long

[blackgoat]

I can't believe how much fun I'm having with this Hatch-a-long. I thought I was excited for my first time incubating (this is only my second) , but this is so much more fun! It's so great to share in the experience with so many other people!

Is it terrible of me that it has been only day 1, and I'm already looking forward to the Easter Hatch-a-long?

 

[blackgoat]

Hello to all Hatch A Holics, I couldn't join in hatching, so I will be on the CHEERING sidelines!

If anyone is hatching just for the fun of it, like you might have too many chicks already - if that's possible.
I'm looking for EE, OE, BCM, Americauna and Welsummer chicks.

YAY! A cheering section! I love it! WOOT!

 

[Peep_Show]

@ccnbuck

Beeeeautiful chick!

That's like Christmas early!

 

[AshaBlu]

I would like to join the hatch along. I just got 18 eggs today to put in the incubator.

 

[FuzzyHens]

My eggs are here!!! I picked them up from the PO earlier today and they have been resting at home while I went back to work.

I candled to see if I could determine what was going on with the air sacks...is this the darker spot on the big end of the egg? I just want to make sure I was understanding what I was seeing.

The dark spot moved in a couple of them, so I have turned off the automatic turning feature for the first 24 hours. Does that make sense?

 

[ronott1]

I can't believe how much fun I'm having with this Hatch-a-long. I thought I was excited for my first time incubating (this is only my second) , but this is so much more fun! It's so great to share in the experience with so many other people!

Is it terrible of me that it has been only day 1, and I'm already looking forward to the Easter Hatch-a-long?

Hatch a longs are very fun!

 

[Roan]

My eggs are here!!! I picked them up from the PO earlier today and they have been resting at home while I went back to work.

I candled to see if I could determine what was going on with the air sacks...is this the darker spot on the big end of the egg? I just want to make sure I was understanding what I was seeing.

The dark spot moved in a couple of them, so I have turned off the automatic turning feature for the first 24 hours. Does that make sense?

For shipped eggs, you should not turn them at all for 24 hours (I believe it's 24) so that the air sack as a chance to settle. Often times, (from what I've read in here), the air sack will disconnect and thus needs to settle at the top (big end) and and get itself righted.

PM Ronott1 with the total eggs you're setting and with the city and state you've had them delivered from and the city and state you live in for two of the contests. Check the 1st page for all of the contests, some guidelines for incubating and an incubation worksheet that you can download to help you keep things sorted. Good luck and welcome aboard!!!

 

[blackgoat]

My eggs are here!!! I picked them up from the PO earlier today and they have been resting at home while I went back to work.

I candled to see if I could determine what was going on with the air sacks...is this the darker spot on the big end of the egg? I just want to make sure I was understanding what I was seeing.

The dark spot moved in a couple of them, so I have turned off the automatic turning feature for the first 24 hours. Does that make sense?

Hurray! Glad you got your eggs in the nick of time! The air cell should be on the big end. Getting air cells to reattach is very difficult. I've never been able to successfully do it. (I say that like I've done it a bunch, but on the 12 or so eggs I've gotten with detached air cells, none hatched) But, there might be hope! I just found out about the "carton method", which I haven't tried, but looks like a good idea. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/925672/using-the-egg-cartoon-methods-with-shipped-eggs

 

[SilkieSensation]

Okay so putting my LG 'bator in a box isn't the best idea then so I won't take the chance.  What about draping a shirt over the 'bator to keep the too much heat from escaping, especially in the cold evenings?  That should still allow for airflow, right?

I tried covering mine & that was how I ended up with the spikes that killed everything. I found it was much better to let the daytime or peak temp hit about 102-103 & not even worry about the drops. The only thing I noticed was, depending on how low & how long the drops were, it could throw hatch day behind by 2-5 days.

Oh dear... Fb.. You guys!! That took ME a second. And that's not usual!

 I came up with way to many options...now I just wondering what everyone else came up with lol

Around here, fb typically stands for a "partner" that you only have for 1 reason...lol

 

[chicken pickin]

So as I have already said I wanted to hatch because I have been itching for chicks but I held on to my will power and decided not too, my plan was to wait until early Spring. Well my Silkie may have other plans for me, as she is looking a little broody. She has been on the nest since yesterday on one little Silkie egg. I think I might slip a few more Silkie eggs under her so I can join the hatch. I will PM Ron if I do.