April Hatch Thread--Come Join Us!

[mjanderson437]

Candled tonight...out of 26 OEGB, only 1 infertile and 2 blood rings. Everyone else dancing away in there!

Of the 6 mallard eggs I pulled from the nest before the neighbors dog finished eating them, they seem ready to hatch any day. I could see movement near the air cell but no internal pips yet. Can't be much longer though. They might make it to April.

 

[MadamContrary]

Day 7 candling over here and we are down 2 for blood rings, 1 questionable porous egg, and 8 well developed embryos with lots of viens and good looking air sacks. So hopeful that we get at lest 3 hens out of this batch. Excited about the next batch arriving on Tuesday or Wednesday. Potential staggard hatch... May just build another incubator...

 

[Bitterroot]

I'll have to check out the farm innovator I guess. I don't wanna give up. Part of the stress is due to one of my egg orders still hasn't arrived, while the other 4 orders have already started. Not happy with that ebay seller. He didn't ship them til the day I was actually supposed to receive them.

I feel your frustration. I won an ebay auction preorder back in December for some turkey eggs from a user here on this forum, and haven't heard a word outta the guy. Listing (which is now gone because it's been 90 days) said his hens start laying in March. Sent a PM here - no reply. Trying to be patient, but I feel like I'm being blown off ... I hope your eggs show up soon.

Ok... sooooo.... I need help/advice

I do not want to hatch in my brinsea incubator..... What can I do!!!!????

I currently have have 4 thermostats! Yup neurotic! However everyone says something different. I have the cheap one that came with it. Reading 106. Yikes! A brand new thermo/hygrometer. Reading 100. A meat thermo reading 98. And expensive meat monitor with a probe. Reading 102. Hmm. I've put 3 of them in ice water and all read 32. So they gotta be close to accurate. My only thought is that the darn still are is probably that inconsistent/blotchy inside. I'm going back to sitting on my hands. !

Still air does tend to layer. Sounds like you're good, though.


Did a little candling tonight, half the eggs, and pulled 3. One was clear, one had a blood ring, and the third was a seeper I was in denial about. *sigh* It was also clear. Saw several dancing chicks, and the few I was unsure about still had a nice red glow to the inside so I'm leaving them be. I'll candle the other half tomorrow and see where those are at.

I've pretty much decided to from now on to use my herp incubator for the first 18 days. I can get a turner in there if I don't feel like turning by hand. I just feel so much more confident in my herpstat thermostats. I'll transfer the eggs on day 18 to the hovabator to hatch.

(Oh and a big WELCOME to the newbies.

)

 

[MadamContrary]

I currently have have 4 thermostats! Yup neurotic! However everyone says something different. I have the cheap one that came with it. Reading 106. Yikes! A brand new thermo/hygrometer. Reading 100. A meat thermo reading 98. And expensive meat monitor with a probe. Reading 102. Hmm. I've put 3 of them in ice water and all read 32. So they gotta be close to accurate. My only thought is that the darn still are is probably that inconsistent/blotchy inside. I'm going back to sitting on my hands. !

I am so with you on that one! I'm working with the farm innovations still air $45 shipped from amazon. What I saved in cash I pay with stress. I have 3 thermometers and two hygrometers. And a multitude of different readings from them. I just keep ratating egg placements to off set any issues due to heat varience. I'm cautiously optimistic after candling tonight though! (8 of 14 may just hatch) Good luck!!!

 

[Brookhavens]

i'd like to join this incubating and hatching party! last night at 12:20 i plugged in my incubator and egg turner added water for humidity and the set 30 button quail eggs in the turner. they should hatch April 13th. i'm receiving 30+ more tomorrow or saturday and after they settle for 12 hours or so i place them in the bator with the others and they should hatch the 14th or 15th depending on which day they arrive

I set 23 Button quail eggs last night too. We are gonna be hatching buddies.

 

[Serenity Lane]

Being a first timer, I'm hopeful but nervous.. I'm worried I don't know something I should. Well, I'm sure there's a LOT that I don't know but I'm hoping to learn as much as possible and have some of my eggs hatch. So far, to me, it looks like at least half are developing. What worries me are the "maybe" eggs. When should they be given up on? None of the eggs smell but some don't show much either. If anyone wouldn't mind, I started a thread and posted my candling pictures tonight. The pictures came out ok but the veins are much more obvious in person. I'd love for more experienced people to check them out and let me know their opinions.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/760285/first-timer-candling-thoughts#post_10801355

 

[Brookhavens]

I would wait until day 10 to be sure about any of them. By then you will know for sure which are growing.

 

[hokankai]

I just replied to your thread. You need to candle on the blunt end, where the air cell is, to get a better idea of what's going on. However by day 7 and 10 you should definitely be seeing embryos and/or veins.

 

[LBKS]

Hello everyone

Doing my first hatch (set the eggs in the incubator very early this morning) and am excited to join you all! Ordered an assortment while I waited on the birds I really want - I guess chicken math starts early these days! Ended up being 26 eggs total: 8 Brown Leghorns, 6 Aconas, 6 Blue Orphingtons, and 6 Golden Lakenvelders. I'm excited!

If I end up with too many from my hatches then I have a few friends who have chickens already who are happy to adopt some more

In fact, they may have egged me on to up that total a bit...

I spent the last week fiddling with the incubators to make sure they were set to the right temperature, that the temp/humidity gauges I had were calibrated right, and generally being hit by the chicken crazies. I guess my candling light isn't strong enough to tell about how bad off the air sacks might have been, but no cracks that could find (even looking while candling). Hoping things go well so I can check them again on Monday! Sorry, I'm all over the place this morning with excitement

 

[jphendrix]

A week apart might be hard to pull, cause she will leave the egg to go w the other ones. You could try to place it after it hatches and is walking around good, but she might reject it, so have a brooder ready in case.

I didn't specify. There will be about a week between the eggs in the incubator hatching and her eggs hatching. The eggs under her were placed the same day.