Day 18 - lockdown!

[Nicaragua]

Oh and ps : I think you should turn the eggs every day a couple of times even when they are in storage. But get someone to confirm that for you.
Humidity wise 35% worked fine for me, no water added until lockdown actually. A good rule is that by lockdown your egg should be 1/3rd air, there are methods to check the good development via actually weighing the eggs each week until then.

 

[LittleMaiden]

The two you have are so gorgeous! Sorry to hear about the other ones

 

[ScottyGill]

Aw sweet chicks. I set 12 eggs and only got 3 but made so many mistakes. I’m incubating again and hoping for a few more to add to them (while researching integration) maybe you’ll understand. I want a chance to do it right. 2 beautiful wee ones had to be culled after doing all we could. I've been reassured that wasn't likely to be my incubator. I found where I am it needs no water at all and humidity is between 35-50 naturally. Will candle tonight, day 7/8 and see how the air sac is doing, I meant to weigh them and forgot but I'm going to go with drawing in pencil where the air sac is.

 

[Erba]

I'm back in the saddle with 11 eggs in the new incubator! I put them in yesterday and added two today that were very fresh.
My Learning curve:
None of my eggs are older than 5 days this time, I think this was the main problem.
Have written all the weights on each egg
Humidity is 45%
I kept turning the collected eggs, something I didn't do last time. Its a wonder I got even 2 chicks.

I think I've got myself a speckled Sussex, which is really bizzare if you saw the parents. Must be some throw back from the grandparents or something. They are growing so fast, like they have doubled in size. They are eating their chick feed now and they like the cottage cheese I've been giving them. The dog is loving the entertainment, could stare at them all day if I let him.

 

[Erba]

Nothing happening yet. Talk about chicken brain, I had a dream, they all hatched and were a totally different breed!..lol

 

[Nicaragua]

No worries there, it's only day 20, and saying that chicks hatch at day 21 is a general rule, not always an absolute truth.
Plus, some breeds are supposed to be earlier or later than others, but here I had the Marans (who often hatch at day 23) crack the egg and zoom out on day 18, and the bantam cochins who are supposed to be early birds hatch on days 21-22.

What breeds do you have?

 

[Erba]

One of the hens, I think is some kind of Light Sussex cross, she is a bit on the small side, and the other is true to type Light Sussex. The rooster is Light Sussex, but I got him cheap because he has a bit of yellowing around the neck feathers, but I think he looks very stylish and handsome.

 

[Nicaragua]

Oh wow! Very pretty boy indeed!
Any movement in the egg-zone?

 

[ScottyGill]

My leg bars pipped on day 20 and arrived day 21. This time last week I was a basket case. How are yours doing

 

[Erba]

No sign yet, but day 21 is not over yet....
Needless to say, this waiting is driving me nuts! lol