Christmas 2014 Hatch-a-Long (12-25-14)

[Lamancha]

Yes, all barnyard mutts. My rooster is a big giant Splash Orpington, and my hens are RIR, Leghorn, Buff Orp, and Australorp. I just candled and tossed 4 clears. 20 little baby chickies in there dancing around. I can't wait. All I want to do is sit by the incubator.

Does anyone here hatch without a hygrometer? I don't have one and last time I just guessed with humidity. Almost all the chicks from my first hatch made it all the way to lockdown, just never pipped. I'm sure it was a humidity issue.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

Yes, all barnyard mutts. My rooster is a big giant Splash Orpington, and my hens are RIR, Leghorn, Buff Orp, and Australorp. I just candled and tossed 4 clears. 20 little baby chickies in there dancing around. I can't wait. All I want to do is sit by the incubator.

Does anyone here hatch without a hygrometer? I don't have one and last time I just guessed with humidity. Almost all the chicks from my first hatch made it all the way to lockdown, just never pipped. I'm sure it was a humidity issue.

I'm dry hatching, so no Hygrometer here. But I will be watching the humidity during Lockdown.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Yes, all barnyard mutts.  My rooster is a big giant Splash Orpington, and my hens are RIR, Leghorn, Buff Orp, and Australorp.  I just candled and tossed 4 clears.  20 little baby chickies in there dancing around.  I can't wait.  All I want to do is sit by the incubator. 

Does anyone here hatch without a hygrometer?  I don't have one and last time I just guessed with humidity.  Almost all the chicks from my first hatch made it all the way to lockdown, just never pipped.  I'm sure it was a humidity issue.

Nope, I don't use a hygrometer. Although I might get one. We will see

 

[Lamancha]

I'm dry hatching, so no Hygrometer here. But I will be watching the humidity during Lockdown.

maybe I should go buy one. Last time I think I went overboard with the sponges and water because I could barely see through the incubator windows with all of the condensation. The chicks also wouldn't dry out. Even after 24 hours in the incubator they looked like they just hatched.

 

[Lamancha]

Wow! My first hatch was a disaster and despite reading up ahead of time, I got no chicks.

I'm using a little giant still air also. Welcome and good luck!

Thanks. I'm sure we will get it this time around.

 

[gogetter]

Thank you


Four. The other chicks didn't make it out of the eggs, bacteria issues. So I forsure won't touch my Christmas eggs till day 18! Although, the eggs weren't the best quality either way, not helping against bacteria.

Good to see your hatch going well

I think they are sex-linked. Two roos and two pullets possibly.

I am determined to have a +80% hatch rate this time around! With 24 eggs, I want at least 18 to hatch. What's everyone else's goals? Anyone think they have what it takes for a 100% hatch rate?

So cute! Thanks for the picture!!!

Honestly, I'll be happy if I get 2 living chicks out of the 20+ eggs that are still in there! If I don't get any, I may give up on this incubator. I got it used and it seems to have a lot of temperature fluctuations. Plus with colorado being so dry, I have to keep adding water. I tried calibrating my thermometers using the ice water method, and I tried calibrating my hygrometera using the salt method, and they all continue to show different temperatures and humidity reasons. At this point, I'm averaging them and hoping for the best!

 

[gogetter]

Don't worry everyone, I have a hygromter for each of you... and I'm not kidding. I have 4 in my single incubator right now! And 6 thermometers! It's not that in an overachiever... They all seem to be finicky, so I'm going with an average. I tried dry hatching last time and had all three chicks "shrink wrapped," dead in shell but I live in Colorado and we have no natural humidity.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

Don't worry everyone, I have a hygromter for each of you... and I'm not kidding. I have 4 in my single incubator right now! And 6 thermometers! It's not that in an overachiever... They all seem to be finicky, so I'm going with an average. I tried dry hatching last time and had all three chicks "shrink wrapped," dead in shell

but I live in Colorado and we have no natural humidity.

Wow, that is a lot, unfortunately I can't put very much in there right now. But if I could I would probably do the same.

I'm going to had some water during lockdown. Hoping that doesn't happen.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

40 of 42 alive, and two unsure!

 

[The Colonel]

Set 41 eggs at 8pm December 2nd, due to infertility in some eggs I'm now down to 19 strong thriving babies due on Cristmas eve. And 1 Silkie egg due to hatch on New Years under my little broody mama Silkie outside.