APRIL FOOLS HATCH, give or take a day.....who's in ??
- Thread starter emjay
- Start date
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good work!
good work!
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I set mine on March 10 at 9 AM, but my temps have been running 1/2 to 1 degree low the entire time so I'm prepared for a 22+ day incubation. No pips or sound this morning...I'm just hanging in there! Hoping for something later today...
I set mine on March 10 at 9 AM, but my temps have been running 1/2 to 1 degree low the entire time so I'm prepared for a 22+ day incubation. No pips or sound this morning...I'm just hanging in there! Hoping for something later today...
Great news Coex!
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I set mine on March 10 at 9 AM, but my temps have been running 1/2 to 1 degree low the entire time so I'm prepared for a 22+ day incubation. No pips or sound this morning...I'm just hanging in there! Hoping for something later today...
I know the feeling!!!
I set mine on March 10 at 9 AM, but my temps have been running 1/2 to 1 degree low the entire time so I'm prepared for a 22+ day incubation. No pips or sound this morning...I'm just hanging in there! Hoping for something later today...
I know the feeling!!!
Now how long is it ok to leave it in the bator while waiting on the others to emerge? like I said this IS my first time im leanin on all you pros out there. I read all this stuff before......... but I have slept since then.
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I think it depends some on your incubator type...how quickly it regains heat. I know you wait until chick is dry and fluffy...and you shouldn't do it if any are "zipping". I only have 8 in my incubator so if/when they start hatching I will follow that...don't plan on leaving any in more than 3 hours but I can't remember what I've read either (except what I have stated above).
I think it depends some on your incubator type...how quickly it regains heat. I know you wait until chick is dry and fluffy...and you shouldn't do it if any are "zipping". I only have 8 in my incubator so if/when they start hatching I will follow that...don't plan on leaving any in more than 3 hours but I can't remember what I've read either (except what I have stated above).
I am trying to follow dry hatch guide, it says lockdown day 18, raise humidity, do not open incubator for any reason to day 23.
link- https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
link- https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, OPEN THE INCUBATOR FOR 5 FULL DAYS.
Hate to shout at you but this last 5 days will make or break your hatch. I get a little aggravated when people will go through all the previous steps and then it gets down to the moment, and they can't resist opening the incubator. Every time you open the incubator, you release valuable moisture out of the incubator and allow dry air in. This is what causes chicks to stick to their shell membranes. All you will have to do is lose a few chicks to this and you will change your habits. This means don't open the incubator until day 23. I do recommend that on day 20, you place the last vent plug back into the bator. This will allow the moisture to stay inside the bator for the last day and while the chicks are hatching. When the first chick hatches, you will notice that the windows in the foam incubators will form a lot of condensation of them. If this condensation is covering nearly the entire window, remove the vent plug that covers the hole with the metal in it and turn it upside down and place it directly over the hole you just took it out of. This will allow a little bit of moisture to escape. In an hour or so, you will be able to see inside the window again. If it doesn't dry the window a little, then slide it away from the hole just a tiny bit. Then check it again in about 1 hour.
On day 23 the chicks will be ready to take out of the incubator and placed in the brooder area. Make sure you have water ready and chick starter in low feeders ready for them in the brooder box. When you take a chick out of the incubator, dunk his beak in the water and make sure he gets a drink. Do this for all of them.
Hate to shout at you but this last 5 days will make or break your hatch. I get a little aggravated when people will go through all the previous steps and then it gets down to the moment, and they can't resist opening the incubator. Every time you open the incubator, you release valuable moisture out of the incubator and allow dry air in. This is what causes chicks to stick to their shell membranes. All you will have to do is lose a few chicks to this and you will change your habits. This means don't open the incubator until day 23. I do recommend that on day 20, you place the last vent plug back into the bator. This will allow the moisture to stay inside the bator for the last day and while the chicks are hatching. When the first chick hatches, you will notice that the windows in the foam incubators will form a lot of condensation of them. If this condensation is covering nearly the entire window, remove the vent plug that covers the hole with the metal in it and turn it upside down and place it directly over the hole you just took it out of. This will allow a little bit of moisture to escape. In an hour or so, you will be able to see inside the window again. If it doesn't dry the window a little, then slide it away from the hole just a tiny bit. Then check it again in about 1 hour.
On day 23 the chicks will be ready to take out of the incubator and placed in the brooder area. Make sure you have water ready and chick starter in low feeders ready for them in the brooder box. When you take a chick out of the incubator, dunk his beak in the water and make sure he gets a drink. Do this for all of them.
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You'll find varying opinions on this. It really does depend on your incubator. I have a small homemade wooden bator that doesn't lose heat and humidity easily, and "lockdown" for me is really not locked down at all -- I open it several times a day to re-wet the sponges I use for humidity, and I pull chicks out all the time when I'm hatching. For me, once they're dry (not necessarily fluffy, that can take days) they can come out, and whether there are other eggs pipped or zipped at the time doesn't make a difference. I just open the door, snatch out the chick, shut the door and plunk the chick down in the brooder -- my humidity might fall a few % but it's never caused any problems.
In my case, because I hatch on the very small floor of the bator on a teatowel (no egg cartons or fancy non-skid surfaces or anything here!), I really have to get the active chicks out. Once they get their legs under them they start playing soccer with the other eggs and that, IMHO, is more dangerous than a 2-second door opening.
Here's a pic from one of last year's hatches -- you can see a bunch of them in there drying off, and you can see what I mean about no room to move without batting the others around...!
You'll find varying opinions on this. It really does depend on your incubator. I have a small homemade wooden bator that doesn't lose heat and humidity easily, and "lockdown" for me is really not locked down at all -- I open it several times a day to re-wet the sponges I use for humidity, and I pull chicks out all the time when I'm hatching. For me, once they're dry (not necessarily fluffy, that can take days) they can come out, and whether there are other eggs pipped or zipped at the time doesn't make a difference. I just open the door, snatch out the chick, shut the door and plunk the chick down in the brooder -- my humidity might fall a few % but it's never caused any problems.
In my case, because I hatch on the very small floor of the bator on a teatowel (no egg cartons or fancy non-skid surfaces or anything here!), I really have to get the active chicks out. Once they get their legs under them they start playing soccer with the other eggs and that, IMHO, is more dangerous than a 2-second door opening.
Here's a pic from one of last year's hatches -- you can see a bunch of them in there drying off, and you can see what I mean about no room to move without batting the others around...!
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