December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[PD-Riverman]

Has anyone has a good hatch? It seems like no one got even half of their eggs that went into lockdown to hatch, including me

Sorry about everyone's hatches. Good luck everyone else with December hatches still

I have a load hatching----about 50 eggs, They are due today(15th)---when I looked in last night over 1/2 of them were hatched---running around---most still wet. They are yellow buff orp, speckled sussex and silkies.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

I have a load hatching----about 50 eggs, They are due today(15th)---when I looked in last night over 1/2 of them were hatched---running around---most still wet. They are yellow buff orp, speckled sussex and silkies.

Oh wow. Do you vaccinate against Mareks?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Oh wow. Do you vaccinate against Mareks?

Not at this time but I am thinking about getting into doing that. I just started doing this hatching as a hobby a few months back----Have hatched about 1600+ so far---I do sell most of them. I was planning to quit for a month or 2(cold weather) which is why I had a smaller load this week(I hatch a load every week usually)---But the ones I sold at the Auction sold better(higher price) this weekend than any time before. So I put some more eggs in the incubator again.

 

[Iko127]

I still havn't had a chance to catch up with all the post but from what I have, I see some are having trouble as I am. Really a bummer. I'm so confused right now as to what my problem is. We live in a trailer so its a little harder with the temp fluctuations we have here in florida. I'm thinking I have several issues..lol My thermometers I know are off for some reason and not sure which one to go by but if I don't worry about the humidity number and go by the eggs, my humidity has been high, in which I dry incubate until lock down so I don't have a way to reduce it. I think my other problem in the one bator I use, I have had the temp to low. I'm going to buy another thermometer and see what I can do. I guess at least some are still hatching. This last group is hatching late which I'm sure is from low temps. I had one hatch yesterday and 2 that are pipped and hoping they actually hatch today. I'm trying to sit on my hands and be patient but I want to help them so bad. I just like to know they can breathe, but going to give them a little longer and after the two hatch if no more pips then I will candle and make holes. So much fun I did manage to take 2 pics of the others that hatched but I didn't get good pics and they already sold. I will be better with the next group! Good luck to all!!



this is the one that had just hatched yesterday

 

[KDob521]

How adorable!! Congrats on your hatches

 

[ochochicas]

If you are using shipped eggs that can also contribute to low hatch rates. I hatched 7 our of 8 (under a broody) but my eggs came from my farm and didn't have to travel. Did most of you get shipped eggs? If you add up careless package handling and low winter temps during transit, I'm surprised the eggs can hatch at all. I hope everyone has better luck with their next hatch!

 

[Renee572]

If you are using shipped eggs that can also contribute to low hatch rates.  I hatched 7 our of 8 (under a broody) but my eggs came from my farm and didn't have to travel.  Did most of you get shipped eggs?  If you add up careless package handling and low winter temps during transit, I'm surprised the eggs can hatch at all.  I hope everyone has better luck with their next hatch!

nope mine were local eggs, only had to travel about 5 to 10 minutes! :/

 

[Debs55]

well today is day 25 so I guess no more will be hatching but we will candle the eggs tonight before we throw them out and clean the incubator. I think once again my problem was humidity. We took the parts out of incubator one and made another similar to the one I am using now so I am going to play around with the humidity today and see how high I can get it. I feel terrible knowing that those chicks probably didn't hatch because they were stuck in their shells. Time to make things better before the next eggs get here

total hatch for incubator 2:
6 splash, 7 sizzle, 4 of my own silkies and 8 marans eggs were set
5 sizzle, 3 splash, 2 of my own, and 4 marans made it to lock down
4 sizzle (1 died after pipping), 0 spash, 1 of my own (the other died after zipping) and 2 marans hatched

 

[Renee572]

well today is day 25 so I guess no more will be hatching but we will candle the eggs tonight before we throw them out and clean the incubator. I think once again my problem was humidity. We took the parts out of incubator one and made another similar to the one I am using now so I am going to play around with the humidity today and see how high I can get it. I feel terrible knowing that those chicks probably didn't hatch because they were stuck in their shells. Time to make things better before the next eggs get here

total hatch for incubator 2:
6 splash, 7 sizzle, 4 of my own silkies and 8 marans eggs were set
5 sizzle, 3 splash, 2 of my own, and 4 marans made it to lock down
4 sizzle (1 died after pipping), 0 spash, 1 of my own (the other died after zipping) and 2 marans hatched

so sorry you didn't get all yours to hatch. Looks like we both had the same issue. I felt so bad opening my eggs and seeing the membranes so stuck to the chicks. I had one the pipped internally and the membrane was so stuck to it that while I was opening it up I was actually pulling the hairs off with the membrane poor little guys had no chance of getting out.

 

[aidensmomma]

I had a good hatch, only 3 or 4 that did not develop completely. It seems like everyone had problems with humidity at lock down from what I'm reading...I am not an expert by any means and there are a thousand opinions on these forums, but I think humidity at lock down is quite important. The best thing I ever did was buy a warm air humidifier from the drugstore. This was my first winter hatch and the weather in No. Central Florida certainly kept me on my toes, but after a few nights I figured out how to adjust each day. I know the experts say to set the temp and then leave it, but I'm thinking that winter hatches require a little tweeking on a daily basis. I had to turn my incubator temp up at night and lower it in the morning. The humidity was fine throughout and I only had to turn it on low a few times to keep the humidity between 35% and 45%. Once I hit lock down I cranked the humidifier and it was between 65% and 75% until finish. The temp did not waver as much but still required one adjustment after a particularly cold night. I don't know if that will help the Florida folks who are relatively new to hatching or winter hatching, but that is what worked very well for me. I love this forum and all the info from other people, but also remind myself that some things I have to follow my gut on (such as tweeking the temp each day)
I think that since I only hatch for myself, sometimes for friends, I will keep to hatching in the spring or hopefully to a broody this coming spring!