FEB HATCH-ALONG THREAD ...COME JOIN US.... EVERYONE!

[EthenNoah]

I just ordered some Cochin eggs off eBay can't wait to try again.

 

[Phoenix Farms]

We now have 5 babies! Two Phoenix, one Ameracauna and two black barnyard mixes. One has black legs and orange toes on both feet.

 

[gapeach717]

Leave the jar in there empty with the sponge. That way if you need to add you won't have to open the bator again.

CRAP! I took it out this morning and then had to go do coupons and groceries and been outside working in the yard all afternoon so far and I am just now getting back on! The humidity is still about the same with the vent holes uncovered. I never put the jar back in. Ugh....am I killing them right now? bc if I am I would rather take the chance on taking everything out again and re-doing it before I get too far into lockdown!

I love Polish Chicks. Here is one of my new babies.

oh my SQUEEEEE!! SO cute!!!

I just ordered some Cochin eggs off eBay can't wait to try again.

good luck Ethan!! I hope they all hatch perfect!!!

We now have 5 babies! Two Phoenix, one Ameracauna and two black barnyard mixes. One has black legs and orange toes on both feet.

YAY!!!

 

[Brookhavens]

CRAP! I took it out this morning and then had to go do coupons and groceries and been outside working in the yard all afternoon so far and I am just now getting back on! The humidity is still about the same with the vent holes uncovered. I never put the jar back in. Ugh....am I killing them right now? bc if I am I would rather take the chance on taking everything out again and re-doing it before I get too far into lockdown!

What is the humidity now? You want it in the mid 60's until they pip.

 

[hokankai]

I think you can take the mat out just fine. Last hatch I had some losing water very slowly so I didn't even lock down until one had pipped internally. It'll be fine

 

[Jungleexplorer]

CRAP! I took it out this morning and then had to go do coupons and groceries and been outside working in the yard all afternoon so far and I am just now getting back on! The humidity is still about the same with the vent holes uncovered. I never put the jar back in. Ugh....am I killing them right now? bc if I am I would rather take the chance on taking everything out again and re-doing it before I get too far into lockdown!

Personally, I think too much humidity is worse then too little. The little polish chick I posted the picture of hatched without any humidity. In fact, I missed it in the incubator (which has several different eggs from different days) and never moved it to the hatcher. I run my incubator (Genesis 1588) complete dry for the first 18 days and then move the eggs to a hatcher (just another Genesis 1588) that I keep at 40% humidity. I have hatched out 24 chicks this month like this and 150 chicks last year this way. So that little polish chicked hatched out in the incubator even though it was completely dry and was still being moved by the automatic turner. The point here is that, chicks are a lot tougher then we give them credit for and the worse thing we can do is mess around with the eggs too much.

The best way to tell how to run your lockdown is to candle the egg on day 18 and observe the size of the air pocket in the egg. If the air pocket looks too small you need to do a dry lockdown, it it is too large, use higher humidity during lockdown. There are many examples of what the air pocket should look like on day 18 and I am sure there are many people that can post pics to give you a visual idea of what to look for. I am in a hurry now or I would find them and post them. At this point, the ball is already rolling down the hill and there is not much you can do to change the outcome. Try to sit on your hands and be patient. I pray all goes well.

 

[Phoenix Farms]

We have no chicjens able to make this color but we have a BLUE and yellow chick that hatched!! He is the one with dark black legs with orange toes. Anyone know what coulda went on here? He hatched black but fluffed out blue.

 

[gapeach717]

What is the humidity now? You want it in the mid 60's until they pip.

I think you can take the mat out just fine. Last hatch I had some losing water very slowly so I didn't even lock down until one had pipped internally. It'll be fine

Personally, I think too much humidity is worse then too little. The little polish chick I posted the picture of hatched without any humidity. In fact, I missed it in the incubator (which has several different eggs from different days) and never moved it to the hatcher. I run my incubator (Genesis 1588) complete dry for the first 18 days and then move the eggs to a hatcher (just another Genesis 1588) that I keep at 40% humidity. I have hatched out 24 chicks this month like this and 150 chicks last year this way. So that little polish chicked hatched out in the incubator even though it was completely dry and was still being moved by the automatic turner. The point here is that, chicks are a lot tougher then we give them credit for and the worse thing we can do is mess around with the eggs too much.

The best way to tell how to run your lockdown is to candle the egg on day 18 and observe the size of the air pocket in the egg. If the air pocket looks too small you need to do a dry lockdown, it it is too large, use higher humidity during lockdown. There are many examples of what the air pocket should look like on day 18 and I am sure there are many people that can post pics to give you a visual idea of what to look for. I am in a hurry now or I would find them and post them. At this point, the ball is already rolling down the hill and there is not much you can do to change the outcome. Try to sit on your hands and be patient. I pray all goes well.

ok, I read these responses, jumped up, took the top off the incubator, all the eggs out onto my bed, threw away the now wet paper towels and chucked the mat, added back the jar with fresh warm water and put the tube in the jar from the outside. I loaded everything back up the way I had it but dry now, loaded the eggs back in (I SWEAR number 7 moved on its own....husband thinks i am crazy) and closed it back up....now we wait....I threw my hands up in the air and said "DONE!" and my husband who is laying in bed playing PS3 while I am flipping out laughs and says, "it's like you were a rodeo person tying up a calf...AND DONE!"....I said yeah, more like a rodeo clown at this point.....

I feel like I could throw up I am so nervous!!!

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Adam7]

ok, I read these responses, jumped up, took the top off the incubator, all the eggs out onto my bed, threw away the now wet paper towels and chucked the mat, added back the jar with fresh warm water and put the tube in the jar from the outside. I loaded everything back up the way I had it but dry now, loaded the eggs back in (I SWEAR number 7 moved on its own....husband thinks i am crazy) and closed it back up....now we wait....I threw my hands up in the air and said "DONE!" and my husband who is laying in bed playing PS3 while I am flipping out laughs and says, "it's like you were a rodeo person tying up a calf...AND DONE!"....I said yeah, more like a rodeo clown at this point..... I feel like I could throw up I am so nervous!!!

Thanks guys!!!

Nothing to be nervous about . As long as there were no external pips humidity is a non issue. They will be fine

 

[Phoenix Farms]

Just had a little Phoenix chick die.. It had made a huge hole in the shell and stayed in there for a long time. It finally came out but after about 5 mounted it started gasping and died. His bottom area was very pushed out.