December Hatch:Who is going to have Christmas babies?

[mountainwhisper]

Quote:
Did you candle your eggs at any point? Don Schrider a big deal in chickens with the ALBC says he candles only once at day 10. If all is well then he figures things will be ok.


December hatch? Getting ready to set 36-37. Hopeful EE's , Brwn leg. and DEl, and friz's I know it's cold but want some ready to lay in spring instead of fall. Though fall may not be a bad thing since that's when they drop off and newbies seem to carry on.

MW, hope things get good tomorrow. If not and you need some infor on incubation I got some from Practical Poultry mag and can e-mail it to you. It's a good article.

Wish everyone happy healthy chicks

Rancher

I did candle them all the way up until the day 18 lockdown. I saw movement up until that point. I thought I had done everything that I should but this is taking too long according to most sources, it doesn't look good. I'm hoping the few I have will be the exception. My hubby says he thinks it is because I used a home made incubator, and maybe some because of our eggs having been shipped eggs. He also said if I cry he doesn't want me to do this ever again lol. I can't say I blame him since I generally am not a cryer. It's hard not to even get one pip though.. That and my type A personality doesn't do well with accepting less than ideal. The logical side of me tells me though that sometimes things happen that are unforseen. I'm trying to be optimistic. I've put so much time into this..

I would love the article though, any info to keep this from happening again would be great. In the meantime, I'm still hoping for a day 23 or 24 hatch. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[Tanichca]

Lockdown tomorrow!!!!!!

 

[colowyo0809]

OMG OMG OMG!!!! Blessed Goddess I have a rocking quail egg! OMGOMGOMG!!!!

I keep going into the spare room to just look! This is so freaking eggciting!! (yes, i went there!

)

 

[Tanichca]

Quote:

good luck!!!

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Did you candle your eggs at any point? Don Schrider a big deal in chickens with the ALBC says he candles only once at day 10. If all is well then he figures things will be ok.


December hatch? Getting ready to set 36-37. Hopeful EE's , Brwn leg. and DEl, and friz's I know it's cold but want some ready to lay in spring instead of fall. Though fall may not be a bad thing since that's when they drop off and newbies seem to carry on.

MW, hope things get good tomorrow. If not and you need some infor on incubation I got some from Practical Poultry mag and can e-mail it to you. It's a good article.

Wish everyone happy healthy chicks

Rancher

I did candle them all the way up until the day 18 lockdown. I saw movement up until that point. I thought I had done everything that I should but this is taking too long according to most sources, it doesn't look good. I'm hoping the few I have will be the exception. My hubby says he thinks it is because I used a home made incubator, and maybe some because of our eggs having been shipped eggs. He also said if I cry he doesn't want me to do this ever again lol. I can't say I blame him since I generally am not a cryer. It's hard not to even get one pip though.. That and my type A personality doesn't do well with accepting less than ideal. The logical side of me tells me though that sometimes things happen that are unforseen. I'm trying to be optimistic. I've put so much time into this..

I would love the article though, any info to keep this from happening again would be great. In the meantime, I'm still hoping for a day 23 or 24 hatch. Good luck with your hatch.

Your homemade incu means nothing. Each needs to work out a system that works for them. Lots of thngs can affect a hatch not the least of which is shipping. I've seen some nasty shipped eggs. Unless you really know the person you can't always know when the eggs were collected and stored. The health of the hen and her age can affect the hatchability of the egg too.

One thing you can not do? Never give up, never surrender. Keep trying.

Rancher

 

[mountainwhisper]

Thank you rancher for your words of encouragement

I have happy news to report. I can't figure out how to post the pics on here but I'll email it if someone wants a pic and try to get it on my BYC page. Today is day 23 almost 24. My loving husband just spent 7hrs hatching out the two frizzle eggs. The chicks are beautiful! but they are tired and weak, and were pretzels inside their shells.... way too huge seemingly since they couldn't even shift their heads from side to side in there. I worry that I may have waited too late, but they are chirping and wiggling around. We also had one of the bigger brown eggs start chirping today and pip on his own

We expect that one to hatch some time tonight. I know intervening is controversial... but in this case I'm glad we did.

I have two babies to show for it!

 

[Tala]

Day 14: Overslept and didn't turn my eggs before work this morning. Re-candled tonight and my "questionable" one from last time is definitely a quitter. Still have 10 eggs cookin. Temps are hovering pretty steady 101-102 center of the bator (still air LG) which is about what I held for my first hatch and it went quite well. Definite movement in all 10 remaining eggs

Lockdown is next Tuesday!!!!

 

[Tanichca]

Lockdown begins tonight!
Y'know, i swear im going crazy but i thought that i saw an egg move this morning when i looked in.

for you, Tala!

 

[lichick28]

Good luck to all the holiday hatches

 

[speckledhen]

Nugget, my Buff Orp, is on six eggs due Dec. 25. She has raised babies twice before and the last one, she didn't ever chase him away, so there sat Nugget with her then 14 week old son, Roosevelt, on the roost every night. When I rehomed Roosevelt, poor Nuggs didn't have a peer group any longer, so I felt she'd go broody again to raise her up a new best friend. Just didn't think it would be in December! Nugget is really in her element when she's hatching and raising babies.

Here is our pretty gold Nugget. She has four Delaware eggs and one Delaware x blue barred EE cross underneath her.