Anyone set eggs this weekend?

[marie_martin]

Congrats on your new babies. Here are the few that I got to hatch this time. The pics are not great. Hard to get them in that booder box. But here they are. The one Salmon Faverolle that was almost dead this morning is doing much better. Keep your fingers crossed. I have three silkies but not sure on what they are yet. Could be cuckoo, black frizzle, black, or blue sizzle. Will have to wait and see. Was hard to keep track after they were out of the shell and then we lost several. I hope these make it.

Good luck to the rest of you.

Marie

 

[susan]

Marie - Your chicks are darling! Such little fuzzballs!

We've got six hatched, with quite a few pipped. One is working on it pretty loudly right now, but the others are kind of still... but I'll try to be patient and remember that they aren't really due until Friday.

Thanks for all the kind words and support!

I hope this isn't a duplicate post - the computer just ate the last one I typed!

 

[mandolinmama]

Susan, you're cracking me up! Your post says 3:25 am. Were you really up playing chicken mama at that hour? lol! I probably will too.

I had a little scare this morning. When I woke up and went to the bator, it was only reading 98.4 in there. Do you think they're okay? I have no idea how long they were like that. My humidity was up over 70 and now it's only 66. I can't get the glass to fog up like some of your mentioned. I've got two wash clothes in there just soaking wet.

Cute babies Marie!

 

[susan]

Oh yes, I was up, staring at the cracks on the eggs, trying to will them into hatching! You'd think at my age I wouldn't be behaving like that... creeping around the house and peering in that little window with a flashlight, so I don't wake up my hubby.

I can't get my windows to fog either... I'm wondering if you could channel a humidifier into the bator somehow? I think it would be easier on the peeps if it were more humid, but don't really know what else to do.

I heard that as the chicks get ready to hatch that their own bodies start to generate heat. I don't think I'd worry too much about the temperature dip this late in the hatch, but I know it's a heart-pounder to find.

I have two more hatched now (total 8), and two more fighting for it. I might look for my humidifier thing and see if I could do something useful with it...

-- Susan

 

[skeeter9]

You guys are killing me with all your pips and peeps and pics!!!

I've been out of town at the Fair helping my daughter with her FFA stuff, so I haven't seen my eggs in 2 days!!!!!

When I get home tonight I will probably stare at them for a very long time. They're not actually due until Sat pm, but surely they will hatch while I am home???? I have to leave again tomorrow and won't be home until Sunday - what rotten timing!!!

This is so exciting!! Congratulations everyone, and best of luck with the rest of your hatches. I may not get to check in again until Sunday.

Got to get my behind back to work, or I won't get to go home tonight!!!!

Lori

 

[mandolinmama]

Hey, I looked into the bator and noticed that one of the eggs had busted open and yolk was spilled out. So, I took it out and finished opening it and the chick looked developed but of course was dead. I know that when candleing there were two eggs in the bunch that had pretty big air cells. Do you guys think that could have been the problem?
Also, when do I take the plugs out of the air holes?
Help me out guys, i'm freaking out!!!!

 

[susan]

Just an update:

Fourteen (of 36) have hatched, and I lost one of those to an unhealed umbilical. The rest seem to be doing well. I've got them sharing a separated brooder with some chicks from "Mypetchicken.com" that were delivered on Tuesday (they can see each other, but don't have complete contact).

Donna - I wondered about the air plugs too - I hatched last time without them (per the instructions), and had an awful time with humidity being too low (most of the chicks couldn't break out of the membranes), so left them in this time. I'm hoping that the little holes will be enough circulation. If anyone has a better answer, I'd love to know it. As it is, I think I have two chicks stuck in their shells - I'm still hoping for them, but it doesn't look good.

-- Susan

 

[mandolinmama]

Susan, I posted another question on byc about the vent holes. Someone answered me on it and said that you can leave them in and remove them when the humidity gets too high and the windows fog up and start to drip on the eggs.
I had taken mine out and started blowing air in to the holes. Yes, I know. Trust me it had to be a weird sight. lol! Like I was giving cpr to a bunch of eggs!

Anyhow, I think i'll put at least one back in and watch the humidity. I do have one of the 3 wet wash rags in there under one of the vent holes, so when I add water through the hole, I try and add pretty warm water so it'll evaporate in to the air in there better. It really seems to bring up my humidity pretty good when I do that.
I've only got 14 eggs left in there now that we lost the one today. I just hope that I get one or two at least out of all of this.

 

[skeeter9]

We have peeps and pips!!!! We're so excited!!! We have several eggs peeping and I think there are 3 with pips. I can see one rocking a little bit. We can only get the humidity up to about 75-76% - hope that is high enough.

Hurry up little ones, momma has to leave at the crack of dawn in the morning!!!

Congrats, Susan. Sounds like you're getting a good hatch!!

Donna Sue, don't give up yet. Surely some of your eggs will hatch!!

Lori

 

[mandolinmama]

Lori that's great news!! Yours came a tad early didn't they? I was wondering, can you hear the peeping even before they pip? If so is it loud enough to hear outside the bator?
I'm just looking for any sign on life. My hubby thinks i'm nuts because i'm not going to our nephews graduation or graduation BBQ. I just can't imagine not being here!!
I can only get my humidity up to 65-ish. I really want to make sure that if anyone gets shrink wraped that i'm here to put a drop or two of water on the membrane.
My temps have always remained on the lower end of the norm, so mine might be a little later than others.
Please God just let a few hatch!!
At the begining of this deal I had no idea i'd be like this!! Now that it's "hatch day" i'm like an anxious father in the waiting room listening at the door for the sound of a baby.

It's just all such a miracle!!