Beginner's Hatch-A-Long

[Richard j]

I set 25 guinea eggs and 4 peafowl eggs on Sat. 6-1-13.I have 20 some odd turkeys hatching on 6-15. I have hatched 51 turkeys, 18 geese, and 98 bobwhites and 10 guineas so far this year. Oh I also have 20 tenessee red quail in.

 

[tslaven]

Today is supposed to be the 21st for my first attempt at incubating. I don't see any movement and I haven't been able to candle successfully (haven't tried since the "lockdown" began). It seems like you have done this quite a bit. Do yours always hold true to the 21 day mark?

I should add that a week ago we accidentally dropped an egg while trying to candle it. There was a black chick inside that was fairly well-formed. So, I know that I started out with at least that one fertile. These were eggs from my own chickens. I know I had too high of a humidity level..but I would still think I would see some movement sometime soon.

 

[Alaskan]

Do you know at about where your temps were? If your incubator was a bit on the low end, then they might not start to hatch yet, give them an extra day or two.

 

[MtnFamilyFarm]

Amanda if you haven't already thought of this check out some of your local gun stores if they will let you put an ad on their bulletin board. Many of those who are nervously stocking up on ammo could/should be interested in stocking up on chickens if they have not run any before. I was told it was bad but when at Walmart I saw for myself how bare the ammo and gun shelf was bare. You could very possible make quite a few sales to the same people. The Army/Navy Surplus stores would be another source for the same target market.

Thanks for the great ideas Penny Hen! Hadn't thought of that but makes a lot of sense! Will be checking with them so I will have my poster or index card ready!

Amanda

 

[My peeps]

Day 19 on our first attempt at hatching eggs and I'm soooooo impatient. I'm worse than the kids at Christmas! I'm already browsing eggs on eBay too. The hubby is going to kill me! Lol

 

[Angelak]

Good luck my peeps,i know the wait will drive u insane...lol.

 

[SalinasChicken]

Day 18 of my first incubation ever! Eggs went into lockdown this morning and I already have several rocking quite a bit! One has been moving non-stop! I almost expect it to pip any minute! My face has been glued to the window..... this is going to be a long couple days! The anticipation is killing me!!

 

[Stevens21]

My first hatch didn't work very well, my humidity was too high and I noticed a few just quite growing. I just got a egg turner and started a batch yesterday. Temps are steady at 99.5 humidity is 50% on a still air incubator so crossing my fingers. My kids, niece and nephews were upset they didn't get to see the chicks hatching =(

 

[ivyrash]

I

Day 19 on our first attempt at hatching eggs and I'm soooooo impatient. I'm worse than the kids at Christmas! I'm already browsing eggs on eBay too. The hubby is going to kill me! Lol

I know what you mean, I was looking at more eggs before mine had hatched but I didn't have a very good hatch rate from my shipped eggs so started trying to find some closer to home.

 

[wolfandfinch]

Well we are on day 21 and have no pips. The temp went down to 98 after lockdown and because it was a weekend I couldn't get into the school to check on it I hope I haven't killed them and they're just slow. On day 18 that hadn't grown enough to black out the *entire* egg soay be they're just a day or two behind? Maybe my thermometer is off? Ugh finding this stressful. Could that kind of degree shift from 3pm Friday to 7am Monday kill the chicks?