Any first timer want to start with me? Eggs go in 4/1. ;)

[smokeater413]

we put 24 in a lg today........ here goes nothing!

 

[ams3651]

i havent touched the 8 I set under my hen on the 2nd. Maybe check the end of the week. This is my first time so I will have to read up on what to look for. I had 5 fresh laid that I took out of the nest box and put under her and 3 I had in the house from the day before. So I hope that was ok.

 

[Kim_NC]

Now on Day 2...whew, gonna be a long wait I see.

The most fun DH & I had in quite awhile was back in early Nov. We had a first-time broody with 6 eggs. It was Day 20 (or so I thought) and we decided to candle the eggs one last time.

I reached under her and pulled out an egg. Immediately I could feel it vibrating slightly in my hand. I told DH, "there's a chick moving in there!" And then, "Listen!" I held the egg close to our ears...peep! peep! Even DH's eyes lit up. (He enjoys the chickens but doesn't get excited about them like I do.) I quickly slipped the egg back under the broody. She hatched them all by the next day.

We'll probably be like children peering in the 'bator windows at hatch time.

 

[crazymom]

Quote:
That is so neat! I would love to have an experience like that myself....

 

[Smokin Silkies]

I am on Day 10 now and I have not candled since day 7. At that time I only saw 2 moving around in there.

Wasn't looking so good and now I am afraid to look again. My temp and humidity have been fairly consistent up until yesterday. My humidity wants to go all whacko now!

I was keeping it between 30-40% and now it keeps wanting to drop below 30% down to 22%. When I add a small rag/sponge it doesn't do much, so I add another small one and it skyrockets to over 40%. I am having a hard time keeping in accurate now. All my water wells have been filled since day one to keep levels between 30-40%. Driving me crazy!!!

 

[crazymom]

Just thinking.....

I am not sure how much it matters if you keep it at 30-40% humidity. I read that I need to keep it at 50-55% and 65% the last 3 days. It seems that everyone and every article has a different opinion of the optimum temp and humidity. I have no idea who is right.

Just think-how well can a chicken regulate the humidity when sitting on her eggs? I am sure that it depends on factors outside the chicken's control- rain, heat, etc.

This is what I tell myself when stuff goes out of whack.

 

[Smokin Silkies]

Yeah true, I have read so many different numbers that I wasn't sure. Then I found a few people who breed as a living and said 30-40% for first 18 days, then 45-55% last 3 days with temp at 101*. So I just decided to go with what they say. I don't think there is a right or wrong way (well you know what I mean)...just a way that works with the individual. But I just think it depends on where you live too. How humid the area already is, etc. Like you said, Im sure a hen can't be 100% accurate all the time with her temps and humidity. Plus with her getting off to eat, drink, etc. every day. If this don't work out for me, next time I will try the numbers a little differently. I also had these shipped so some damage may have been caused from shipment. I am going to candle tonight, although I reeeeeally don't want to....

 

[e from NC]

Finally candled (day 7 for me):
3 out of 4 EE eggs are fertile
2 out of 2 silkie x Dinosaur Chicken eggs are fertile
2 out of 4 Dinosaur Chicken x rest-of-the-flock are fertile
Overall, 70%. Things are looking good!

Dinosaur Chicken is my only rooster so far; he is a silver-laced wyandotte/black sex link cross. He is absolutely enormous, which makes his fondness for the tiny silkie, as well as his success at mating with her, kind of funny. Most of the other hens are silver laced wyandottes or the aforementioned wyandotte/sex link cross; the EEs were purchased from a local farmer.
Just another 2 weeks to go...

 

[Smokin Silkies]

On Day 11 now and I saw movement in only 2 the other day...now I don't see any. Maybe they are sleeping. Last night I noticed my automatic egg turner isn't turning....I don't think. I know it was working before but the last couple days, Im unsure. After I knew it was working for the first week, I kinda didn't pay attention

Maybe its just the timing that I look at it? It happens to be in the same spot? Or its just not turning at all...so today I am checking every hour if that for movement. It moves so slow, so I can't stand there and watch it. It takes 4 hrs for a complete turn. Anybody ever had this problem before and what did you do? I hope the eggs are alright if they weren't turned the last few days

I unplugged the turner and plugged it back in this morning so hopefully it just needed 'restarted'? I hope everything is alright. I spent alot of money on these eggs, and this is my first hatch. I should've got some eggs from a local farm and tried with them first...but I didn't want them kind of chickens

I hope everythings alright, I am so worried I damaged them, because of my carelessness of not paying attention.....assuming the egg turner will continue to work properly! I'm so mad at myself!

 

[xpButtercup]

Oh, crap.

My temp had fallen to 98 (before opening to turn eggs) last night so I (yeah, yeah) tweaked the knob before I went to bed.

Temp spiked to 103.

Hope all is well ... waiting until the 14th to candle again unless something looks or smells wrong before that.