April 2020 Hatch-A-Long! All are welcome!

[UThobbyfarmer]

View attachment 2074969

Today is day 18... lockdown... I have an eager baby in there.... now I have to wait until this baby is out to get the rest ready.... crazy little thing

WOW! Day 18 is super early!

I've had bantams hatch on day 19. Personally never a large fowl that early but I have heard of it. My first guess would maybe it was stored somewhere warm or partially incubated by a hen before collection. Got a bit of a jump on development however that happened. Also double check the dates. It can be really easy to error one day in either direction.

Whatever the case I love seeing a nice zip like that! So satisfying when they just pop out like they should. Can't wait to see the rest of your hatch.

 

[2102Simm]

I'm really behind on reading everyone's hatches. I hope all is going well for everyone's littles. Its day 19 so lockdown began last night. Of our original 38 we're down to 18. Despite my husband's best efforts I'm not confident with this hatch either. I know it's still early to say that but I just don't have a good feeling about them. Alot has to do with the incubator being inconsistent on temperature and humidity. So I'm fingers crossed for everything at this point.

 

[CindyinSD]

I'm really behind on reading everyone's hatches. I hope all is going well for everyone's littles. Its day 19 so lockdown began last night. Of our original 38 we're down to 18. Despite my husband's best efforts I'm not confident with this hatch either. I know it's still early to say that but I just don't have a good feeling about them. Alot has to do with the incubator being inconsistent on temperature and humidity. So I'm fingers crossed for everything at this point.

I've been struggling with my incubators' consistency, too. I did end up with all my (shipped) Brahmas hatching. The Silkies didn't do as well, but I did get 4 of 12. I think they may be a bit more delicate, though. Perhaps the Brahmas are tougher and better able to withstand the ups & downs?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

6 out of 10 BBS Marans eggs now have external pips! The last few days have been less than enjoyable due to life circumstances and I'm feeling exceptionally impatient with these Marans today so I can enjoy the little fluff balls.

 

[2102Simm]

Perhaps the Brahmas are tougher and better able to withstand the ups & downs?

It's possible. I know a couple of other folks have mentioned certain breeds have a better hatch rate than others. I personally don't have enough knowledge to do more than venture a guess that your Brahams & Silkies could be the same.

My incubator is old, as in possibly older than me and my mother in law (who I'm borrowing it from) hasn't had much good to say about it. So I already feel like I'm working with a handicap and then my lack of experience in incubating is just killing whatever chance I've got.

 

[Tbjenkins2007]

WOW! Day 18 is super early!

It’s happened to me once before but I thought it was early enough this morning to get them transitioned. Only thing I can think of is that I got it from one of my hens she may have sat on it for a day or so before hand. It happens

I've had bantams hatch on day 19. Personally never a large fowl that early but I have heard of it. My first guess would maybe it was stored somewhere warm or partially incubated by a hen before collection. Got a bit of a jump on development however that happened. Also double check the dates. It can be really easy to error one day in either direction.

Whatever the case I love seeing a nice zip like that! So satisfying when they just pop out like they should. Can't wait to see the rest of your hatch.

yea I’m guessing it was under a hen for a day or two, I’m pretty good at getting them every day but I may have missed that one

 

[CluckNDoodle]

It's possible. I know a couple of other folks have mentioned certain breeds have a better hatch rate than others. I personally don't have enough knowledge to do more than venture a guess that your Brahams & Silkies could be the same.

My incubator is old, as in possibly older than me and my mother in law (who I'm borrowing it from) hasn't had much good to say about it. So I already feel like I'm working with a handicap and then my lack of experience in incubating is just killing whatever chance I've got.

When dealing with old/finicky incubators it's helpful to have a few extra thermometers so you can monitor the temperature variations in there. Rotating your eggs around the incubator once or twice a day to make up for temperature variations is also really helpful.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

It’s happened to me once before but I thought it was early enough this morning to get them transitioned. Only thing I can think of is that I got it from one of my hens she may have sat on it for a day or so before hand. It happens

yea I’m guessing it was under a hen for a day or two, I’m pretty good at getting them every day but I may have missed that one

I have too, it's just early, lol! I candle my eggs before I set them in the incubator because sometimes there are issues that are easier to see when they're illuminated. I actually had an egg that was developing from the crazy summer heat here in Georgia. Days worth of incubation. It actually hatched on day 16.

 

[Tbjenkins2007]

I have too, it's just early, lol! I candle my eggs before I set them in the incubator because sometimes there are issues that are easier to see when they're illuminated. I actually had an egg that was developing from the crazy summer heat here in Georgia. Days worth of incubation. It actually hatched on day 16.

View attachment 2075342View attachment 2075343

I candle mine too. It’s hard to tell if there’s stuff going on 3 days in...

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Ok here’s a full Marans hatch update. 4 hatched yesterday and 2 more hatched overnight. I figured that was the end of it. Especially since I have such bad luck with shipped eggs I was super happy with 6. Once I moved them out, I rolled all the eggs that were left over to see if I missed any pips. I found one that had pipped and died and another that had pipped and was still alive! It really fought all day and finally just made it out with a tiny bit of help with the zip because it kind of busted the side of the egg open instead of zipping and was stuck. So now I’m at 7! Decided to investigate on the rest because I want to set eggs in this bator so no point letting dead eggs just sit in there. 2 I saw no movement on at all upon candling so I opened up the air cells and of course both are still alive in there. Not quite ready to come out. Neither have pipped internally. One I can see the beak and the other I can’t. Wondering if I should very carefully try to cut the membrane over the beak between veins. 2 eggs I literally felt movement in when I picked them up so I just put safety holes in those. And the last egg I didn’t see movement in but my daughter needed me so I just put a safety hole in it for now. So far I’m loving the chicks that have hatched. 5 are perfect with feathered legs, 1 is clean legged and 1 has webbed/fused outer toes. This is my second Marans hatched out this year with foot deformities. I called the first one because it had other issues as well, but this one I’ll keep but not breed. It seems to be getting around fine. Pic of my incubator situation below, as well as the weird little feet!