August Hatch-A-Long!

[jnjmanning]

I posted this on another forum last night. Sorry gals I meant to be telling YOU! They couldn't answer my questions,(of course). Can you help me?
8-19-13 I got up this morning hoping I could get back from work in time to see my eggs hatch. Tomorrow is the 21st day, but I thought one might hatch late this afternoon. As I was getting ready for work I heard a loud peep! So loud it couldn't be inside an egg! Sure enough one little chick was stumbling around in the incubator, and another was trying to hatch out! At 4:30 a.m. the second one was out! At 4:45 another one had broken out, and three more were zipping! I had to go on to work, but my husband called we when he got home at 3:00 in the afternoon, and told me I had 8 chicks running around in the 'bator and another egg was just starting to peck! It is 9:14 pm and the one egg is still moving as the others have gone to sleep for the night. I had 10 eggs, so I have 80% hatch rate so far! Much better than I ever hoped for my first hatch!
I have a question: Do you start counting your incubator days when the eggs are put in the incubator, or when they were layed? You see, I collected 4 eggs, on a Sunday, then had to go out of town, so we kept these in a cooler as near 55% as we could, until I returned. The next day my DH added 3 more eggs to the cooler. On the third day, (Tues) I got home and added 3 more eggs that I collected that day, put all of them in the incubator and started it. (10 eggs total.)
I started my counting on the day I started the incubator. Tomorrow is the 21st day, yet all but 2 eggs have already hatched. This makes me wonder if the 2 that haven't hatched are from the last 3 collected eggs, (meaning one of them is 3 days premature! Anyone have an opinion on this?
Oh, I have another question: I know a brooding hen doesn't lay eggs, but do they lay one the day after they start brooding, or do they stop the day they start setting? Just wondering how many eggs are under my hen that started setting, 1 or 2. we have given her one other egg a day from another hen, for the past 3 days. Do you think they will hatch one a day after her first one...on day 22, 23 and 24? or all on the same day?
This is sooo interesting! I had never seen an egg hatch or new born chicks until today!
<9:53 pm~Going to check and see how the zipping one is doing. maybe I can see one hatch...Nope. Still just a tinny peck showing. The other chicks are bumping and stumbling around him. If he isn't out tomorrow should I help him, or give him another day or two?(Back to my
counting question.) humm>
7:38 am He still hasn't hatched. I think I need to assist, so he can get more oxygen. Sterile gloves,"Surgery time." any comments welcomed.
Thank you for the team support! Hope you eggs are all hatching soon too!

First of all, are they bantam eggs? They sometimes hatch around days 19 & 20, mine do. If you set your eggs on a Sunday, then hatch day is 3 Sundays from there. Some for no reason will wait till days 22, 23 and 24 to hatch. A lot has to do with the hen who laid the egg, if you have a still air it could have incubated in a cooler spot.

 

[epmchickens]

I got my first blue egg today and it is taking everything in me to not go running and stick it in the incubator with my spetember babies! It'll only be 3 days behind but I have 35 eggs in there already lol.

 

[ChickenFox]

I got my first blue egg today and it is taking everything in me to not go running and stick it in the incubator with my spetember babies! It'll only be 3 days behind but I have 35 eggs in there already lol.

lol I put my EE's second egg in the bator when I saw the first was fertile. It's set to hatch in sept also. I was going to put her next couple eggs in too but it's been a week now and she hasn't laid anymore.

Guess it's too late to add more....or is it....

 

[MyNewHobby]

Day 7 of incubation has finally arrived!!! I was so excited to check on my little babies this morning and am happy to report that 7 out of 9 eggs are veining and moving beautifully. 1 was clear and the last has veining but I don't see any movement.

I've never ordered shipped eggs and have read a lot of horror stories that had me quite worried. Not to mention, this is my first batch of chicken eggs!!!! I've only had one hatch prior.....my husband brought home 17 Muscovy duck eggs he rescued from a nest that was being destroyed. Only 7 were good and they had been incubated for quite some time. They hatched 10 days later with a very badly made homemade incubator....we didn't know what we were doing. They are now 14 months old and thriving beautifully!!!

Day 14 of incubation has finally arrived!!! Now I'm really becoming impatient, can't wait!!! Anyway, I still have 7 out of 9 growing beautifully....I can even see feather's, YES, I"M EXCITED!!!! The 8th egg began to develop but had a blood ring at day 10 and had to toss. AND THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!!!!

 

[epmchickens]

lol I put my EE's second egg in the bator when I saw the first was fertile. It's set to hatch in sept also. I was going to put her next couple eggs in too but it's been a week now and she hasn't laid anymore.

Guess it's too late to add more....or is it....

Haha. You sound just like me lol. 'No no I can't! Well.....I could....". My husband would be greatly displeased lol. Buy it might just crawl into the incubator on its own. They do that you know lol

 

[chickydee64]

Wow, that is so interesting Chickadee64! I'm so thankful to have all of you here to help!!!!!
As you may have read, I stepped out for less than 5 mins, and the little peeper was already out! Just popped out, still wet and resting, but made it! this one is the only one that took the full 21 days. I have a lot of early-birds, LOL. There is so much I am learning, and loving every min. of it. Just one more egg to go.

Sneaky little devils aren't they.......

 

[familypendragon]

I have no idea WHY, but my hatcher suddenly dipped down and was reading 96 yesterday. I changed all batteries, confirmed it was NOT the thermometer/hygrometers. Carefully adjusted the bator and got the temp up to 101 (still air) measured at the top of the egg (side laying). It was fine all day yesterday and then this morning I got up and the hatcher said 107!! I opened it to cool it down and adjusted the temp. All day long its bouncing between 98 and 104 - can not get it to stabilize. Finally just decided to candle and only see movement in 2 of the 6 eggs still Nothing was changed!!! A/C setting the same, positions all the same, dials the same. WHY??? Ugh

ETA: today is day 19

 

[nicole63021]

Well, looks like the total is 7 out of 13. Heard #8 this morning, but just checked on it (had to work, home for lunch) and saw something strange in the air cell. Chipped into the top of the air cell and it looks like it hit a vessel. Little pool of blood near the poor baby's beak. Still, a pretty good hatch. Familypendragon, so sorry for all the problems you are having, to everyone doing well and hatching up a storm, congrats!

 

[dvoice]

Day 18 has finally arrived. Went into lockdown 7 hrs early. With all my heating probs not sure if I might get some early or late. Humidity at 63%? I started at 50% for the first week but then lowered to 35-40% for the last 10 days. Started with 96 eggs, over 20 infertiles and the rest didn't develop right. only 19 of the 60 yr pure RIR left out of 48. Thats wher I had the most clears.Here's praying Friday brings a good hatch.. BTW when ppl figure their hatch rate is that from how many eggs they started with or how many go into lockdown?

 

[DeeTee]

I am starting my first hatch tomorrow. I have 15 eggs and should have about 5 more ready for tomorrow.
I borrowed a still-air hovabator from a coworker to give it a shot...