August Hatch-A-Long

[Sylviaanne]

I'm back in! I am trying my experiment of washing eggs in diluted bleach water and seeing if they will hatch for me. I have more duck eggs than we will eat so there are about 18 of them in the incubator and I had about 18 chicken eggs sitting on the table. I didn't plan on putting them in the incubator too, but I think maybe in the back of my mind maybe I did because I didn't put them in the fridge to be used and I kept rotating them so they wouldn't sit on one side or the other.

Since I don't want more ducks, I will probably sell them after they hatch. The chicks I will keep.

I do not know if I used enough bleach in the water but I did follow the protocol for very hot water. I bought a pair of gloves so I wouldn't burn my hands but they were stiff and cumbersome so I switched to a pair of rubber palm and fingers gardening gloves. I didn't actually get burned but the hot water did run over the rubber and into the back of the gloves. I managed not to drop and break any and I rinsed the eggs off and let them partially dry while I washed the other eggs. I put them in the incubator late afternoon the day before yesterday.

Today we went to a sell-swap-trade meet for chickens and small animals. On the way home my son called and said the electric went off. I don't know how long it was off but hopefully no more than 3 hours. I know it was running steady at 100 and when I checked it, it was 91. I posted on the Incubating & Hatching Eggs about it and was told that they should be ok. I hope so.

 

[calichicken]

I'm taking a break for a few...for sure they can hatch but I read a very good thread and they said you need to keep the humidity low...then I read another one saying that if you have large air sacs your humidity needs to be higher...I think I have both ...lol Not sure what to do but think I will just leave them be for now and recheck second group on day 10 and the first group on day 14 and just go with it...I will keep them in a carton for hatching if any make it to that point

I still have 9 bouncing chicks for now...they seem to like everything so far!

From what I understand...lower the humidity for small aircells...raise the humidity for larger air cells

Lowerig help liquid in egg evaporate....raisng helps reduce evaporation..but again learning here!

 

[Tazbeaux]

It's official! I am joining the August Hatch-A-Long! Today I set 12 non bearded Cream Brabanter eggs (like my avatar), and they joined 14 Buckeye eggs that I set on Thursday. Both batches are shipped eggs that arrived in great condition, only 1 detached air cell in the bunch. I am very hopeful about this batch and hope to be over-run with chicks in a few weeks.

 

[justoldbobo2]

I cracked an egg while turning tonight :/ I dropped an egg onto another egg and the one on the bottom got the worst of it. It didn't break the membrane, just put a spider web shaped crack in the shell. Its way too big to seal up. I'm just letting it go for now to see if it can still make it

I did that on one of my last hatches and LUCKY is stll doin great at three months old. Don't give up until it does

 

[calichicken]

It's official! I am joining the August Hatch-A-Long! Today I set 12 non bearded Cream Brabanter eggs (like my avatar), and they joined 14 Buckeye eggs that I set on Thursday. Both batches are shipped eggs that arrived in great condition, only 1 detached air cell in the bunch. I am very hopeful about this batch and hope to be over-run with chicks in a few weeks.

welcome

So great that they are in good condition being shipped eggs...that can get tricky sometimes! Good luck with your hatch

 

[Tazbeaux]

@ Calichicken

Thanks! It has been a supreme nightmare obtaining these eggs. Been trying since April. Both shipments are replacements, the original shipments were badly battered by the PO and the unbroken eggs didn't hatch. Then had to deal with the sellers having to file insurance claims, then keep after them to actually reship the eggs.

 

[calichicken]

@ Calichicken

Thanks! It has been a supreme nightmare obtaining these eggs. Been trying since April. Both shipments are replacements, the original shipments were badly battered by the PO and the unbroken eggs didn't hatch. Then had to deal with the sellers having to file insurance claims, then keep after them to actually reship the eggs.

aww...so glad you finally got them and they are in good shape to incubate! I am trying my first hatch with shipped bantam cochin eggs

They were packed REALLY well and I still had one break and 2 with detached air cells

So far I have 3 out of the 6 I received going well so fingers crossed they make it to hatch

 

[darkbluespace]

Thanks! It has been a supreme nightmare obtaining these eggs. Been trying since April. Both shipments are replacements, the original shipments were badly battered by the PO and the unbroken eggs didn't hatch. Then had to deal with the sellers having to file insurance claims, then keep after them to actually reship the eggs.

Well, some things just happen on their own schedule... wonderful that the replacements are in such good shape! Very cool looking birds! I can't wait to see what hatches : )

 

[Tazbeaux]

Well, some things just happen on their own schedule... wonderful that the replacements are in such good shape! Very cool looking birds! I can't wait to see what hatches : )

Thanks! Maybe the stars have aligned right for me to finally get my chicks Yes, I love the look of the Brabanters also. I will be sure to post pics when they start hatching.

 

[Tazbeaux]

aww...so glad you finally got them and they are in good shape to incubate! I am trying my first hatch with shipped bantam cochin eggs

They were packed REALLY well and I still had one break and 2 with detached air cells

So far I have 3 out of the 6 I received going well so fingers crossed they make it to hatch

Good luck with your hatch also! I actually had 4 cracked/broken eggs in the Buckeye batch, but the seller had included 6 extras. So I ended up with 2 extra good eggs. Also 1 of the cracked eggs looked like the membrane was intact, so I dripped some candle wax on it and giving it a shot.