First Hatch Ever!!! Pics added

[Twin Mom]

I just started with Guineas and chickens in July of last year. Got my incubator almost a month ago, filled it with Guinea eggs that were scheduled to hatch on the 26. We now have five little ones in there!!!!!! Noticed a few cracked eggs last night, first thought... what did I do wrong, and then heard a peep! Took all out of turner, cranked up the humidity and at 5:20 woke up to 3 adoreable keets!!! I'm going to have a hard time getting anything done today, cause it is so hard to leave. Pictures will follow later today!!!

 

[CH1CKENGUY]

Very exciting! I'm looking forward to the pictures

 

[ColbyNTX]

If they hatched that early then the temp was too hot or some of the eggs were sat on for a few days before going in the bator.

 

[Twin Mom]

As of right now we have 26 keets in the inside brooder. There are twelve unhatched eggs in the bator. One passed this morning, and one pipped but never made it out. It had yellow liquid coming out of shell. I'm thinking not a bad hatch for a first timer. Will leave the others till after the hatch date to see what happens.

 

[racuda]

Congratulations! Were these local eggs or shipped?

 

[PeepsCA]

Congratulations Twin Mom, Beautiful Babies!

 

[Twin Mom]

Quote:
Thank you!! The eggs are from my flock. I've been collecting as I find nests, and will have the next batch ready when these are done.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Congratulations! I'm sure you don't have a spare moment, but we can all learn from successful hatches......so.....tell us the details - temps, humidity levels, etc. And when you say they were "due" to hatch on the 26th, does that mean that would have been day 28?

 

[bossynbella]

We found our guinea eggs always seemed to hatch early in the incubator too. They have also been the easiest to hatch. After two or three times of checking temps the day before the turner should of come out and seeing pipped eggs or in one case keets running around on the turner

we started taking the turner out a day early. We just used a little giant still air, sucked for chickens, worse for ducks but for guineas it was the bomb! lowest hatch was 80% highest was 100%! Much better then any time we tried chicken or ducks. Then last fall the bottom got snapped, not sure how, but I think I will get a new bottom next spring and hatch some more. Congrats on your keets! Are they pearls?

 

[Twin Mom]

Finally found a free moment to respond. The bator is a Hova-1588, the temp was 99.7 to 99.5 except for about an hour when the power went out and it dropped to 97.3. Humidity was 30 to 40 till lock down when it was raised to 70. The 26th is day 28 and we have eight that have not hatched yet. I plan to leave them till Saturday. We had two pass in the first 24 hours and one died due to a broken yoke sack before fully hatching, so we now have 30 keets in the outside brooder doing well. I plan to hatch keets till the season is over, and then try chickens. (also as of last night have two broody guineas again.)

Colors are Pearl, Pied, and 4 Lavenders


Edited to add colors!