7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

[ronott1]

I'm hatching Silkies, and like you, my rooster started going after the hens a few weeks before they laid their first egg. I have 4 hens and 1 roo. We got our first egg about 3 weeks ago. We've been getting 1 or 2 eggs a day. I'm hoping a few of them are fertile!!! Good luck with yours!

Watch the air cells. Silkies often want more humidity.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

speaking about Thermo/hygros on the other thread as well so I will also share since its here as well...

if your gonna buy a new one, its worth it to spend a buck or two more and get one that has a high/low reading......... especially when using styrofoam bators because those boogers sure can have some flux in temps on your... and its always best to run them for several days before you set to be sure you have them located in an area that is free from temp swings, from drafts, lighting etc....

doing so gives you time to figure out a place to put your bator and fix the issue or put some heat sinks in it, like stones or hot water bottles. its always best to run a full bator of eggs though... SET ALL EGGS!!

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm hatching Silkies, and like you, my rooster started going after the hens a few weeks before they laid their first egg.  I have 4 hens and 1 roo.  We got our first egg about 3 weeks ago.  We've been getting 1 or 2 eggs a day.  I'm hoping a few of them are fertile!!!  Good luck with yours!

I have silkies too! And same here, just started getting eggs last month. Yesterday and today I didn't get any eggs, but some days I get 1 or 2. I only have 3 girls laying right now. What incubator do you have? Yes, it's true, silkies do better with a little higher humidity. My best hatch was with shipped silkie eggs and I used 45-50% humidity. But it's different for each person, so keep an eye on those air cells. (Imo I would shoot for at least 40%).

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Watch the air cells. Silkies often want more humidity.

Really? Hmmm...alrighty then, I'll have to watch that. Thanks for that info! I was looking at my eggs and I noticed I have a smaller cream? colored egg.

The OEGB lays off white. I don't know who this egg belongs too. I have a larger light brown egg but I believe it's from an EE pullet. Silkie X's are next in line for age. It'll be a surprise chick!

I also got a HUMONGOUS egg from my EE. I assume a double yolker. I'm going to candle it. I "know" you're not "supposed" to use the "big" eggs, but I'm gonna try it. I already have a double yolker in the bator that appears to be developing. This egg make the other one look small. (ouch for the hen)

Has anyone accomplished incubating double yolk eggs?

 

[ronott1]

Really? Hmmm...alrighty then, I'll have to watch that. Thanks for that info! I was looking at my eggs and I noticed I have a smaller cream? colored egg.

The OEGB lays off white. I don't know who this egg belongs too. I have a larger light brown egg but I believe it's from an EE pullet. Silkie X's are next in line for age. It'll be a surprise chick!

I also got a HUMONGOUS egg from my EE. I assume a double yolker. I'm going to candle it. I "know" you're not "supposed" to use the "big" eggs, but I'm gonna try it. I already have a double yolker in the bator that appears to be developing. This egg make the other one look small. (ouch for the hen)

Has anyone accomplished incubating double yolk eggs?

Your Welcome!

The EE egg may just be a big egg. All eggs will hatch though. Big eggs can have problems but toss them in anyway!

Dorking eggs like more humidity usually too. The best thing is to always watch the air cells.

 

[CGilbert]

Here's mine that I'll be setting once I stabilize the humidity.

The quail eggs will be in a few days

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Your Welcome!

The EE egg may just be a big egg. All eggs will hatch though. Big eggs can have problems but toss them in anyway!

Dorking eggs like more humidity usually too. The best thing is to always watch the air cells.

Ok...I just had to candle it. It has two yolks. Should be interesting?

I just brought my clean eggs in from the porch to acclimatize. I'm gonna try your method with the diluted bleach. At the end of my hatching run this summer/fall, I did spritz my incubator with rubbing alcohol and a couple of eggs I had to wash. The one egg hatched...but I'm not sure I'd recommend using the alcohol. The majority of eggs I had set were dirty eggs. I just didn't have much to lose when I did it.

 

[bamadude]

Really? Hmmm...alrighty then, I'll have to watch that. Thanks for that info!  I was looking at my eggs and I noticed I have a smaller cream? colored egg.  


The OEGB lays off white. I don't know who this egg belongs too. I have a larger light brown egg but I believe it's from an EE pullet. Silkie X's are next in line for age. It'll be a surprise chick!  


I also got a HUMONGOUS egg from my EE. I assume a double yolker. I'm going to candle it.  I "know" you're not "supposed" to use the "big" eggs, but I'm gonna try it. I already have a double yolker in the bator that appears to be developing. This egg make the other one look small. (ouch for the hen)

Has anyone accomplished incubating double yolk eggs?

I have read about people incubating double yolkers. I would rather buy a powerball ticket. Much better odds

 

[Cynthia12]

And I wish that I didn't have chicken eggs that I could put in. It's so tempting!

Ok, you know the rule by now...it can be taken this way too, besides..it is time to....


SET ALL THE EGGS!

 

[Cynthia12]

Am I allowed to set eggs early?

I did!