Beginner's Hatch-A-Long

[ivyrash]

First batch in the incubator. Today is day 21 and they're starting to hatch.

That's awesome! What kind do you have?

 

[gbounds2007]

Barred Rock, and some BR/RIR,BR/BA mixed(mutts). I just hope they all hatch out.

 

[wolfandfinch]

Thanks all! I'll try a LED flashlight then, hope it works.

I have another question. My eggs are in an automatic egg turner which is working well. Do i take them out of that on day 17 or 18 for lockdown? I can't imagine how the chick s will do if they hatch with it in there.... What do you all do?

I have the hovobator (the yellow one) that has the eggs up down rather than on their sides. Yes, I've got the skinny ends down

thanks!

 

[Mamahumecky]

Thanks all! I'll try a LED flashlight then, hope it works.

I have another question. My eggs are in an automatic egg turner which is working well. Do i take them out of that on day 17 or 18 for lockdown? I can't imagine how the chick s will do if they hatch with it in there.... What do you all do?

I have the hovobator (the yellow one) that has the eggs up down rather than on their sides. Yes, I've got the skinny ends down

thanks!

i took mine out on day 18. al but 7 hatched yesterday...and i hope some more hatch today.

 

[DavidKerk]

This is just not my year. First, a bantam chick dies because of buildup on her vent, then I have to put down a chick with some serious leg problems, and yesterday I go to check on my chicks and I look and there's only five chicks ( I have 6). I think, "I'll just check the sump pump for fun"...guess were I found the chick. It was literally a maze to get to the pump and then on top of that the chick would have to fall in. I have been blessed in the previous years and these are my first chicks to ever die. Oh well, there's always next year.

I don't mean to depress any first timers! This rarely happens all on the same year!

 

[onfurtherreview]

I've been going on and on about it over at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/776178/first-hatch-mystery-eggs/20#post_11262138 ever since I set the eggs, but I've had four hatch so far in my homemade incubator - the first hatched last night, #2 hatched sometime between 3 and 5:30 this morning, and the other two within twenty minutes of each other around 6AM.

 

[DavidKerk]

I've been going on and on about it over at https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/776178/first-hatch-mystery-eggs/20#post_11262138 ever since I set the eggs, but I've had four hatch so far in my homemade incubator - the first hatched last night, #2 hatched sometime between 3 and 5:30 this morning, and the other two within twenty minutes of each other around 6AM.

Great! I don't think I'd be able to make an incubator!

 

[wolfandfinch]

i took mine out on day 18. al but 7 hatched yesterday...and i hope some more hatch today.

Great, thanks so much! I'll have to take it out on Day 17 because it's locked in the school over the weekend and I can't access it.

 

[Mamahumecky]

all done! set 34 22 hatched. had to assist 2. the third died while i was trying to get to it ti help. it was malpositioned head at the pointy end. i was trying to go slow but wasn't quick enough,.

8 barnyard mix all hatched
8 of 12 ameraucanas hatched
6 of 14 cochins hatched.

we achieved a 69% hatch rate not too shabby for first timers i guess. i am sad about the eggs that didn't make it. but it's good.

 

[Alaskan]

all done! set 34 22 hatched. had to assist 2. the third died while i was trying to get to it ti help. it was malpositioned head at the pointy end. i was trying to go slow but wasn't quick enough,.

8 barnyard mix all hatched
8 of 12 ameraucanas hatched
6 of 14 cochins hatched.

we achieved a 69% hatch rate not too shabby for first timers i guess. i am sad about the eggs that didn't make it. but it's good.

 

Yep, I hate the losses..... But congrats! Sounds like a good flock!


Me....(if you'll haven't noticed my 'issues'). I got up four times last night to check the temp in my incubator. .
Put the eggs in late afternoon yesterday.

SO excited! 22 eggs! Two olive eggers, one blue that will hatch an olive egger, and the rest black copper Marans!