first hatch didnt go se well :( some questions

[Loretta212]

so i barrowed an incubator from a family memeber and started with 2 dz silkie eggs. I wasnt given all the instructions and just fallowed what my uncle had to say which was a little "off" to say the least. i didnt even know to put water in the incubator. well so far i have one happy chick and one tried to hatch and died i have some other eggs that i can see veins in the air bubble. they were supposed to hatch yesterday. should i give them another day or just give up? I was also told its a little late in the year to be trying to hatch is that true?

 

[cpegram]

most people say the hatches are better in the spring idk this is my first year hatching....i did get better in the spring...but ... I still try. I usually give mine till day 24-25 just to be on the safe side...good luck

 

[Cherstin]

Oh no! Sorry about your first hatch not turning out so well. It sounds like you're learning, especially about the humidity. Do a search to see what eggs should look like on day 20 when you candle them. There are some beautiful photos available online. Your egg should be almost completely dark, as it should be full of chicken.

The only way you are going to learn is by doing your research...I highly recommend some of the sticky threads in this forum. Also, read up on the type of incubator you have to see how to use it correctly. When you do have a good hatch, it will all be worth it.

Good luck!

 

[Loretta212]

yeah i cant see thru the rest of the eggs i can see into the air bubble and see some veining it them as well i think i will give them a couple more days the silkie chick i have is oh so very cute and active

 

[comptonsgonecountry]

Quote:
I would give it another day. It won't hurt anything.

I incubated my first set of eggs last month. Needless to say, it did not go so well. I did hours of research and found that my humidity was way to high during incubation and to low during lockdown. I will be putting in some of my flocks eggs tonight and trying the "dry incubation" method. I wen't out to pets mart today and picked up two hygrometers. I'm crossing my fingers and toes for a good hatch this time around.

Best of luck with your hatch. And like Cherstin said, do some research and learn from this hatch. It is a learning experience for sure. Keep your head and chin up.

 

[Loretta212]

thanks guys

the chick i have is just 2 cute deffienently cute enough to try again lol

 

[Arielle]

Congrats on the fluff balls!

Experience is a good teacher and so are the sticky's on BYC.

Give the eggs a week before throwing out. You didn't say the temp you incubated at so, to be sure wait 7 days. You may not get any more, or you could get a few more. Waiting only takes patience.


READ. READ. READ. Try Chookschick's page as well. It helped me have a really good first hatch.

See Pete55's current thread on first page of incubating. VERY good info there. This is my first year incubating and I'm still learning too.

Many people are hatching right now. Understand that fertility is still low at this time of year and the older hens are in molt and therefore not laying at this time.

To check fertility, candle the eggs early about day 5 and look for veining. Fertility varies a lot, especially at this time of year. A very good breeder has advised me to wait until next spring to get eggs when I can get shipped eggs with out freezing and the hens and roosters are in full on fertile.

GL try again and I found a note book of everything very helpful.

 

[Loretta212]

so far this sight has been great! i dont know anyone around me who does this so its nice to have questiosn answered i had the temp set at 100 however i only have the thermometer that came with the incubator so i guess they can be very inacurate

 

[CluckCluck18]

I'm new at hatching, too and have had alot of challenges. Started with 10 BCM's and none of them hatched....and 3 were exploders, thankfully not in the bator. Also had 24 araucana eggs and hatched 4. They got sick post hatch with pasty butt and all died. Started 8 BCM's again.....2 weren't viable and 6 went to lock down. 2 hatched yesterday, 2 dead in shell this am and waiting for the last 2. Then will try the araucanas again along with some olive eggers. I'm not giving up and the challenge of it, I figure, is the learning experience. Keep trying