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

[barn206]

Thanks! I said I would stop hatching until the virus chilled out but I may end up with peafowl eggs...sooooo. LOL!

SMH I just gave away 20 reds to a new starter about 3 weeks ago. I was so relieved to bring my feed bill down and have more time monitoring the ones I kept. Now I have 21 in the incubator “ going strong on day 3”

 

[clinfitt]

My first baby is hatched! It pipped earlier today and didn't hang out long there but now it's lonely waiting for the others. It's also WAY quieter than ANY other chick I've ever had hatch. I did notice a second egg with a small pip before coming to check messages. I am on day 20 today until tomorrow at noon. Hopefully lots of action tomorrow. It was also mine and my husband's anniversary today! He got me an incubator LOL so now I have two. It's warming up and settling in as we speak

 

[CluckNDoodle]

SMH I just gave away 20 reds to a new starter about 3 weeks ago. I was so relieved to bring my feed bill down and have more time monitoring the ones I kept. Now I have 21 in the incubator “ going strong on day 3”

I rehomed some of my girls to bring my numbers down from 20 hens to 12. I have broody hens every year so I let them raise some into my flock and always "try" to keep it around 15 total (grown hens, bitties don't count) but end up with 20... because I have a problem, lol!

We have a number of hens that are our pets and will live out their lives with us...that number increases ever year too. Lol, I just need to move so we can keep more.

 

[barn206]

I rehomed some of my girls to bring my numbers down from 20 hens to 12. I have broody hens every year so I let them raise some into my flock and always "try" to keep it around 15 total (grown hens, bitties don't count) but end up with 20... because I have a problem, lol!

We have a number of hens that are our pets and will live out their lives with us...that number increases ever year too. Lol, I just need to move so we can keep more.

I hear ya

qu; I’m thinking of candling in day 12. I doubt the eggs will explode in 12days. I don’t want to handle them at all but it’s a good idea or it could be a mess. Would I be ok with say 10-12 day check. I’m thinking it will be easier to see what I’m looking for which I’m really not sure of what I’ll see lol

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I hear ya

qu; I’m thinking of candling in day 12. I doubt the eggs will explode in 12days. I don’t want to handle them at all but it’s a good idea or it could be a mess. Would I be ok with say 10-12 day check. I’m thinking it will be easier to see what I’m looking for which I’m really not sure of what I’ll see lol

You should be able to see what's developing by day 10-12 for sure! Those are some of the best days to see really good movement in my experience. I just wash my hands well before handling the eggs and you should be just fine.

 

[barn206]

You should be able to see what's developing by day 10-12 for sure! Those are some of the best days to see really good movement in my experience. I just wash my hands well before handling the eggs and you should be just fine.

Thank you

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I hear ya

qu; I’m thinking of candling in day 12. I doubt the eggs will explode in 12days. I don’t want to handle them at all but it’s a good idea or it could be a mess. Would I be ok with say 10-12 day check. I’m thinking it will be easier to see what I’m looking for which I’m really not sure of what I’ll see lol

Here are some candling images from day 10 & 11 of a few breeds to give you an idea of what you may see.

 

[barn206]

Here are some candling images from day 10 & 11 of a few breeds to give you an idea of what you may see.

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This helps a lot.. I appreciate your effort
Thanks again CluckNDoodle

 

[Pyxis]

I candled again this evening and they were in the exact same position they had been in for over 24 hours with no movement, not even a tiny wiggle. So I made a safety hole and those turned into eggtopsies. The babies were definitely dead before I intervened. All three had not absorbed the yolk whatsoever, and I didn't notice any obvious deformities. One was definitely malpositioned but I think the other two looked okay. The first one I eggtopsied (malpo, no pictures because I didn't think to take any) didn't have any obvious moisture build up, but the membrane was a little tight - it may be worth noting that this egg had a severely saddled air cell. The membranes on the other two seemed fine, and there was liquid inside the egg behind the membrane, but I think this was the albumen?

My humidity stayed relatively stable throughout this process, around 50%, and I increased it to 60% for lockdown. I misted/cooled the eggs once a day starting at D8. Instead of misting AFTER (this is what I had I read to do) the cooling period (I did 10 min) I misted BEFORE the cooling period, as when I missed after cooling the humidity spiked to 99%+ (which I rectified as best I could immediately).

I will try to post pics of the eggtopsies beneath a spoiler in a separate post if I can get it to cooperate...I have been having bad luck uploading pics lately.

I'd try weighing the next batch of eggs you do to track the moisture loss, just to pin down the humidity and either verify that it was the problem, or eliminate it as the problem. The best humidity to use varies from place to place. For me, for example, if I did 50%, my chicks would definitely drown in the shell. 30% is where I need to be at.

 

[barn206]

I'd try weighing the next batch of eggs you do to track the moisture loss, just to pin down the humidity and either verify that it was the problem, or eliminate it as the problem. The best humidity to use varies from place to place. For me, for example, if I did 50%, my chicks would definitely drown in the shell. 30% is where I need to be at.

Hi Pyxis
Can I ask why ? I’m at 1500 feet above sea level and I’m curious having the humidity up to 52%? Just trying to figure this stuff out.. it’s new to me ..