Anybody else on LOCKDOWN?? Hatch day Aug. 5th!

[chickiemomma4]

Hi Guys!

I am new to the board. I had my first successful hatch start last night. My hatch date should have been the 6th, but last night I turned on the light in my bator room and heard pipping. I have now had 4 babies pip and pop right out with now problem at all. I am trying the dry hatch method since I live near the coast of NC. Yesterday I upped the humidity getting ready in lockdown and dern if they didn't start hatching yesterday evening. I can't beleive how fast they pipped and zipped and looked at momma. My question is I don't see anymore signs of pipping yet. Do I just sit on my hands and wave at the ones I've got? They look great. Not to dry, not to wet.......Just Right. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[2txmedics]

I kept mine at ranges of 51% to 54%, I now raised it this morning it was at 77%, too high I think nobody is replying to my post asking...so I dropped it by taking out the moist towel and now its 74%

When i candled my eggs I could see the chick moving around, then like the book stated, some look solid with movement...so still waiting.

I did take out 3 RIRs that were solid and had stuck to the turner...one had some ooze on it...

 

[NashChic]

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Congrats!! Congrats!!!

I hope I have that kind of luck. As far as taking the new peeps out... I've heard people say that they open the bator quickly and remove the chicks once they are dry and fluffy (many say they have someone standing by to mist the remaining eggs with warm water while it's open to prevent drying). I've heard MOST say that the yoke they've absorbed will be plenty to sustain them until the others hatch (up to 2-3 days), and they argue it's not worth risking the rest of the hatch just to remove the peeps. This is my first time, so I can't say anything from experience, but I plan to keep the bator closed as long as possible. It's GOT to be hard to see those little fuzzbutts running around in there and not take them out and love them up! Let us know what you do and how the other eggs turn out!! Congrats, Congrats again!!!!

 

[NashChic]

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By the way...

 

[NashChic]

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I know some areas of Texas are extremely humid, while others are dry. I'm not familiar with Manvel. What's the humidity like there?

I chose to put my incubator in our unfinished basement, because the temps are more constant (and there are no animals down there to knock things around). I have a hygrometer inside the bator and in the room. Room humidity stays in the mid 60s. Since we're pretty humid, and I was worried about drowned peeps, so I'm trying to follow "dry hatch" guidelines. I added small amounts of water the bator ever few days and I weighed the eggs 4 times (days 1,7,14,18) to get a weight-loss of 11-14% by day 18. The weight-loss indicates if the humidity is good. Too much weight-loss=low humidity... too little weight-loss=high humidity. I ended up with an average weight-loss of 13.21%. Hopefully that's okay. To get that I kept the humidity around 35-40% and would let it drop down in the 20s for a few hours before adding water. Now as far as the hatch days... It's a total crapshoot! I'm shooting for low 60s and we'll see how that works. If I have problems, I'll know what to adjust in the next batch. I haven't really been able to get a concrete answer from anyone either. I guess it's one of those things that you have to figure out what works for your bator, climate, etc. via trial and error. I'm hoping I don't have to endure the errors

I wish I could tell you "I do this and that and it works," but this is my first time and I might be killing them all. We'll see in the next couple of days

 

[2txmedics]

Mine are also not in an area where we live in....we have what we call the "shop" next door...use to be a small apt...has small living/kitchen area..bath room, bedroom...and a room that was in the process of being added on...2yrs ago...lol, never finished but we used it as a hurricane room when Ike came...our bunker as we called it.

the a/c is off over there so the room is a solid stay on temp. Manvel is outside of Houston Texas...so south...lol we have temps today of 102, heat index 106...humidity runs about 80 give or take on days....

just checked my eggs....sitting at 74%...my first so I guess I'll see. never heard about weighing an egg!!!! hmmmm

 

[chickiemomma4]

Quote:
Congrats!! Congrats!!!

I hope I have that kind of luck. As far as taking the new peeps out... I've heard people say that they open the bator quickly and remove the chicks once they are dry and fluffy (many say they have someone standing by to mist the remaining eggs with warm water while it's open to prevent drying). I've heard MOST say that the yoke they've absorbed will be plenty to sustain them until the others hatch (up to 2-3 days), and they argue it's not worth risking the rest of the hatch just to remove the peeps. This is my first time, so I can't say anything from experience, but I plan to keep the bator closed as long as possible. It's GOT to be hard to see those little fuzzbutts running around in there and not take them out and love them up! Let us know what you do and how the other eggs turn out!! Congrats, Congrats again!!!!

Thanks so much NashChic! I am so excited. I talk to them and they look up through the window at me like WHO ARE YOU? I smile and tell them "Hi....I'm your chickie momma". Thanks for the welcome too.......I have been reading here everyday trying to learn all the great chickie stuff.

 

[chickiemomma4]

Hey out there......anyone else in lockdown and hatching chickies right now? I have been hatching since night before last. I have 9 now and they still keep coming. I have been feeding the little rascals with a straw through the plug whole. I ground it real fine and drop it into one of the cardboard egg carton indentions. They have been drinking drops of water off of my plastic tube I use to raise the temperature when needed. How long can a hatch go on? I refuse to open the bator right now. Everything is going so smooth. What a relief!

 

[NashChic]

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Congrats! Congrats! I woke up to one baby this morning and one more at 2:15pm. 2 more pips, 2 still waiting! Yay!

 

[2txmedics]

Oh gosh, I just checked mine...nothing!!!! not a movement, not a sound!!!! no tiny pecks on the shell...Im getting impatient!!!!! Do they ever come before the due date? ...*pacing*...waiting*....Im gone on the 7th, which is when there due...Im gone from around 9am til roughly 1130am sooner if I can help it...

CAN I BREAK THE LOCKDOWN....TO SEE IF I CAN HEAR A PIP???? *fingers crossed*....Im sitting at 99 temp, 69%....just a peek...a little listen?....