April will be here before I know it & "hatchers" from March's hatch-a-long are already planning & setting their new hatches due in April. So here we are, another month to come of egg collecting, candling, turning, temp & humidity monitoring of incubators or "broody" hen watching, peeping/chirping, pips, zipping, & ahhhhhh the hatch.
Once again like for March, I had no plan to incubate for April. But.......... plans have changed! So, I'm in for April too & expect to be incubating some more Bantam Faverolles eggs that I am lucky to have the opportunity to get. That's not all, a very sweet Partridge Silkie hen should be joining my flock next week to become the "official queen broody" & I hope to see her hatch out some of my favorite Bantam Blue Salmon Faverolles hens eggs.
Below, I've posted a list of the info that I've collected on incubating that has been helpful to me. More info will be added as it comes along.
So, don't let me have to do the hatches all alone, with nobody to talk to about it or to share with that gets a kick out of seeing a chickie emerge. My sweet hubby has already heard & seen it all before. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the different breeds that are hatching out there & sharing ideas with everyone. I have learned so much by seeing & hearing about what others do. Thanks everyone for sharing & keep those wonderful pictures coming, we all love them! Be sure to show what breed your chicks are with the pics too!
I'm still hanging out on the 'MARCH HATCH-A-LONG come join in' https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=297055&p=58 & will be checking in here to see what's happening. I've met so many nice & funny people here on the BYC & look forward to seeing you again for the hatch party.
If you're hatching or not, come on & join in for another month's hatch-a-long for April, we all enjoy the support ! Happy hatching everyone!!
--------------------------------------------------------
Here's some info that I've collected for myself that you may find interesting or helpful! This is being posted to share some guidelines. You will find what works best for you & your equipment as you learn from your own hatches.
--MY INFO --REGARDING INCUBATION--
-----------------------------------
*When is day 1 (see #69 & #70) http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res32-qa.html
*Calibrating your hygrometer (see # & read the calculation correction at the bottom) (see post #241)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=271098&p=25
*Power Outs - when your incubator goes off & temperature drops: If you have frequent "power outs" & want to be prepared you can put a sealed jar of water in the incubator ahead of time or a rock or two, they will help hold the heat for a while. This may also help the incubator recover the last temp quicker by holding heat, after opening for turning eggs, etc. But if you're caught off guard & need to keep the bator warm then cover with blankets & add an activated "pocket warmer" packet, a bottle of warm water with lid, or warm rocks; be sure to monitor the temp as not to get it too high.
*The dry incubation method (Day 1-17 & Day 18 "LOCKDOWN" to Day 21+ hatch day)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
(see post #3) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=113681&p=3
*My Candling, simple, includes description & pictures (see post #6)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3364955#p3364955
*Egg progression (see post #1)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876&p=1
*Hatchability Problem Analysis, this is not just for problems. (Description of daily embryo development, see Landmarks of Embryonic Development, Durring Incubation,
Days 14-18 to understand what leads to Day 18 "lockdown") (see pg. 11 - includes section on Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities in chicks)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204
*Air cell
http://www.poultryclub.org/VHIncubation.htm
*Emergency egg repair with wax (see post #68)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=68
*Egg carton hatching examples (see post #5)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/form/viewtopic.php?id=276491&p=5
*HOW TO STAY CALM & RELAXED WHEN WAITING FOR THEM TO HATCH
Still researching info on that! Let me know if you have any ideas!
I do know that they seem to hatch faster when I'm away or have fallen asleep, ha ha!
*My Hatch Progression, from pip, zip to hatch (se post #596)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=288983&p=60
*My Brooders, easy & quick to set up, no-build, easy to find materials, & easy to clean. (see post #800)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3924713#p3924713
*Need to sex your chicks. (hatchery method at 2-4 days old) Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGYP3dUaVrQ&NR=1
*Treatments for Leg Problems in Chickens (& chicks)
http://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces
--ONE OF MY HATCHES--
------------------------------
*My Christmas 09 - Incubation of 6 viable eggs (save the favs/see pg.70, post #695)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=70
*My Christmas 09 - Hatched eggs, 6 chicks (save the favs/see pg. 80, post #798)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=80
MY "DRY INCUBATION" METHOD USED - That was very successful for me, but you will find out what works best for you & with your equipment.
The purpose of using this method is so chicks dont grow too large & not be able to turn during pip. Also, so they dont drown in the excess liquid in the air cell when they pip/break through the inner membrane, before pipping the outer shell; the excess liquid is caused by too high humidity. I use distilled water in my incubator for humidity, as I've seen my well water seem to go bad by the end of the 21 days (more possibility of bacteria, had a couple of hatches in the past that did not do well because of it).
*Days 1 thru 17: Temperature was 99.5 degrees F (this temp is for forced air incubators, measured at the level of the egg using a small thermometer that lays on top of the eggs/still air is around 101 F), Humidity was 40% to 42% (with a couple of drops to no lower than 25% for air cell growth, may not be necessary though). Eggs were propped up at an angle with wide end at top, but most people just lay them down sideways. Turned eggs 3 times a day (on my work days) & 5 times a day (on my weekends); 5 times is better & always turn an uneven # of x's a day.
*Day 18: "LOCKDOWN" starts. Stop turning eggs, put eggs into cardboard egg carton bottom with hole in each bottom for circulation, the carton keeps the air cell at the top & stops the hatched chicks from knocking around other eggs), keep temp at 99.5 F, bring humidity up to 55% for the durration, & do not open the incubator again until all chicks have hatched (opening it would drop the humidity too much for the other chicks in eggs & they could stick to shells & not get out). Be patient, as a few hatchs had some that took 24+ hrs from 1st pip to the last one hatched. I've come to attribute hatches that started on the same day with all eggs, then hatched at different times may have something to do with the breed of chick, hot & cold spots in the incubator (so I move the eggs around a few times in the bator when turning), etc.
--OTHER INFO--
-------------------
*Homemade Natural Chicken Dust Bath Recipe (external parasites, such as mites & lice) put 1 part of each of the following in a kitty litter tray & leave out (keep dry) for chickens: wood ash, sand, DE (diatomaceous earth), & road dust (dusty dirt). You can also use STALL DRY in place of the last 2 ingredients, DE & road dust. My chickens love to bathe in this mixture so much that every morning I see the main rooster standing in the tray calling his flock to join him for a bath. (I sprinkle a little STALL DRY or DE only in the bottom of each of my nest boxes too).
*Natural coop & nest box cleaning & external lice/mite control (See post #903) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4057137#p4057137
*Good veggies for chickens https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats
Once again like for March, I had no plan to incubate for April. But.......... plans have changed! So, I'm in for April too & expect to be incubating some more Bantam Faverolles eggs that I am lucky to have the opportunity to get. That's not all, a very sweet Partridge Silkie hen should be joining my flock next week to become the "official queen broody" & I hope to see her hatch out some of my favorite Bantam Blue Salmon Faverolles hens eggs.
Below, I've posted a list of the info that I've collected on incubating that has been helpful to me. More info will be added as it comes along.
So, don't let me have to do the hatches all alone, with nobody to talk to about it or to share with that gets a kick out of seeing a chickie emerge. My sweet hubby has already heard & seen it all before. I'm looking forward to seeing all of the different breeds that are hatching out there & sharing ideas with everyone. I have learned so much by seeing & hearing about what others do. Thanks everyone for sharing & keep those wonderful pictures coming, we all love them! Be sure to show what breed your chicks are with the pics too!
I'm still hanging out on the 'MARCH HATCH-A-LONG come join in' https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=297055&p=58 & will be checking in here to see what's happening. I've met so many nice & funny people here on the BYC & look forward to seeing you again for the hatch party.
If you're hatching or not, come on & join in for another month's hatch-a-long for April, we all enjoy the support ! Happy hatching everyone!!
--------------------------------------------------------
Here's some info that I've collected for myself that you may find interesting or helpful! This is being posted to share some guidelines. You will find what works best for you & your equipment as you learn from your own hatches.
--MY INFO --REGARDING INCUBATION--
-----------------------------------
*When is day 1 (see #69 & #70) http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res32-qa.html
*Calibrating your hygrometer (see # & read the calculation correction at the bottom) (see post #241)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=271098&p=25
*Power Outs - when your incubator goes off & temperature drops: If you have frequent "power outs" & want to be prepared you can put a sealed jar of water in the incubator ahead of time or a rock or two, they will help hold the heat for a while. This may also help the incubator recover the last temp quicker by holding heat, after opening for turning eggs, etc. But if you're caught off guard & need to keep the bator warm then cover with blankets & add an activated "pocket warmer" packet, a bottle of warm water with lid, or warm rocks; be sure to monitor the temp as not to get it too high.
*The dry incubation method (Day 1-17 & Day 18 "LOCKDOWN" to Day 21+ hatch day)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
(see post #3) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=113681&p=3
*My Candling, simple, includes description & pictures (see post #6)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3364955#p3364955
*Egg progression (see post #1)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876&p=1
*Hatchability Problem Analysis, this is not just for problems. (Description of daily embryo development, see Landmarks of Embryonic Development, Durring Incubation,
Days 14-18 to understand what leads to Day 18 "lockdown") (see pg. 11 - includes section on Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities in chicks)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204
*Air cell
http://www.poultryclub.org/VHIncubation.htm
*Emergency egg repair with wax (see post #68)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=68
*Egg carton hatching examples (see post #5)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/form/viewtopic.php?id=276491&p=5
*HOW TO STAY CALM & RELAXED WHEN WAITING FOR THEM TO HATCH
Still researching info on that! Let me know if you have any ideas!
I do know that they seem to hatch faster when I'm away or have fallen asleep, ha ha!
*My Hatch Progression, from pip, zip to hatch (se post #596)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=288983&p=60
*My Brooders, easy & quick to set up, no-build, easy to find materials, & easy to clean. (see post #800)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3924713#p3924713
*Need to sex your chicks. (hatchery method at 2-4 days old) Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGYP3dUaVrQ&NR=1
*Treatments for Leg Problems in Chickens (& chicks)
http://sites.google.com/a/larsencreek.com/chicken-orthopedics/leg-braces
--ONE OF MY HATCHES--
------------------------------
*My Christmas 09 - Incubation of 6 viable eggs (save the favs/see pg.70, post #695)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=70
*My Christmas 09 - Hatched eggs, 6 chicks (save the favs/see pg. 80, post #798)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=270500&p=80
MY "DRY INCUBATION" METHOD USED - That was very successful for me, but you will find out what works best for you & with your equipment.
The purpose of using this method is so chicks dont grow too large & not be able to turn during pip. Also, so they dont drown in the excess liquid in the air cell when they pip/break through the inner membrane, before pipping the outer shell; the excess liquid is caused by too high humidity. I use distilled water in my incubator for humidity, as I've seen my well water seem to go bad by the end of the 21 days (more possibility of bacteria, had a couple of hatches in the past that did not do well because of it).
*Days 1 thru 17: Temperature was 99.5 degrees F (this temp is for forced air incubators, measured at the level of the egg using a small thermometer that lays on top of the eggs/still air is around 101 F), Humidity was 40% to 42% (with a couple of drops to no lower than 25% for air cell growth, may not be necessary though). Eggs were propped up at an angle with wide end at top, but most people just lay them down sideways. Turned eggs 3 times a day (on my work days) & 5 times a day (on my weekends); 5 times is better & always turn an uneven # of x's a day.
*Day 18: "LOCKDOWN" starts. Stop turning eggs, put eggs into cardboard egg carton bottom with hole in each bottom for circulation, the carton keeps the air cell at the top & stops the hatched chicks from knocking around other eggs), keep temp at 99.5 F, bring humidity up to 55% for the durration, & do not open the incubator again until all chicks have hatched (opening it would drop the humidity too much for the other chicks in eggs & they could stick to shells & not get out). Be patient, as a few hatchs had some that took 24+ hrs from 1st pip to the last one hatched. I've come to attribute hatches that started on the same day with all eggs, then hatched at different times may have something to do with the breed of chick, hot & cold spots in the incubator (so I move the eggs around a few times in the bator when turning), etc.
--OTHER INFO--
-------------------
*Homemade Natural Chicken Dust Bath Recipe (external parasites, such as mites & lice) put 1 part of each of the following in a kitty litter tray & leave out (keep dry) for chickens: wood ash, sand, DE (diatomaceous earth), & road dust (dusty dirt). You can also use STALL DRY in place of the last 2 ingredients, DE & road dust. My chickens love to bathe in this mixture so much that every morning I see the main rooster standing in the tray calling his flock to join him for a bath. (I sprinkle a little STALL DRY or DE only in the bottom of each of my nest boxes too).
*Natural coop & nest box cleaning & external lice/mite control (See post #903) https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4057137#p4057137
*Good veggies for chickens https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats
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