February Hatch-A-Long

[kyeschicks]

I finally got some eggs and set them in 12 hours later. Not rotating for a couple days. 26 total and still pending on about 20 more on monday! The NR360 is full, but the incuview still has space for the other 20. Exciting!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Do you hand-turn? I heard it isn't good to do staggered hatches with automatic turners for the safety of the chicks, which I guess makes sense. Anything else you do special? *Hopes to replace dud eggs in future*

I use 2 incubators. One as an incubator and the second one as a hatcher.
Only tried it once in December but I was actually hatching chicks throughout the whole month. Every couple of days there would be another chick hatching!
This time I’m trying to group them better so there’s three or four at a time.
I currently have 22 eggs total distributed in both incubators after pulling the nine and then adding back some more.I suspect more will be infertile, giving me more wiggle room. I mark each egg with the date set and keep good records to keep track of them.
First set (6) due to hatch February 13th. If I need to I could just stop turning at day 14. We’ll see how it goes!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It was only day 3 for my batch yesterday but I peeked at them last night Looks like at least 4 are developing, maybe 5, but I'll hold off on full judgement until day 7 at least.

 

[juliasflock]

I just have to say I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to get a 360. It’s amazing! The way it holds exact temp is super impressive. My Hovabator had a 3* swing when cycling, but averaged where is needed to. I haven’t seen my extra thermometer change temp at all with the 360.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I use 2 incubators. One as an incubator and the second one as a hatcher.
Only tried it once in December but I was actually hatching chicks throughout the whole month. Every couple of days there would be another chick hatching!
This time I’m trying to group them better so there’s three or four at a time.
I currently have 22 eggs total distributed in both incubators after pulling the nine and then adding back some more.I suspect more will be infertile, giving me more wiggle room. I mark each egg with the date set and keep good records to keep track of them.
First set (6) due to hatch February 13th. If I need to I could just stop turning at day 14. We’ll see how it goes!

I strongly recommend against staggered hatches, unless you have 2 incubators. The loss isn't worth it.
Make sure temperature, humidity, and air flow is on your check list for your incubator. Eggs need to breathe while incubating.

Sounds like a great excuse for another incubator! Thanks for the leverage!

 

[PioneerChicks]

I just set the eggs! I'm not sure if the turner is working right, so I'll check in a little while. I'll hand-turn if I have too.

I have 14 silkie eggs, 6 bantam orp/silkie mix eggs, and I think four mystery eggs that are possibly OEGB/silkie mixes.

Then my awesome friends gave me some more eggs. 4 mysteries, 1 blue egg from an unknown layer, 2 silkie mixes, and 3 that I forgot what they are called, but they are all black like Ayam Cermanies, or however you spell that

Hatch day is the 20th

ETA: the black birds are called Sumatras

 

[Tonyroo]

I just set the eggs! I'm not sure if the turner is working right, so I'll check in a little while. I'll hand-turn if I have too.

I have 14 silkie eggs, 6 bantam orp/silkie mix eggs, and I think four mystery eggs that are possibly OEGB/silkie mixes.

Then my awesome friends gave me some more eggs. 4 mysteries, 1 blue egg from an unknown layer, 2 silkie mixes, and 3 that I forgot what they are called, but they are all black like Ayam Cermanies, or however you spell that

Hatch day is the 20th

Do you have room for the birds if you get a 100% hatch rate? That seems like a lot of chickens.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Do you have room for the birds if you get a 100% hatch rate? That seems like a lot of chickens.

I doubt I will get 100%, but if I do I can find housing. And I can always rehome them.

 

[gimmie birdies]

My eggs (day 2) are in 2 diff incubators. Because my shipped eggs were fertile they went into the incubator I want to use to hatch. The other incubator, is keeping my chickens eggs going till I find out who is fertile, then they will be moved to the incubator with the shipped eggs. They should all be hatching the same day.

 

[Tonyroo]

Btw I'm loving my winter chick hatch, there developing so well and a surprise. There about a month old and some are developing a nice head crest which I wasn't expecting. Even my experimental GL Wyandotte cross has a crest. Hoping they all turn out to be pullets.