First Hatch!

[samuelsonfarm]

Hello Everyone,
I am at the point of pure excitement. I have 2 eggs in my incubator that are on day 24, and when I went in to candle them this evening I heard a faint peep, and it looks like one of the ducklings has broken through the air sac inside the egg! I am over the moon excited! I've never hatched before, so I just don't know what to expect. I know I need to increase the humidity in the incubator, so I added a bunch of water to the reservoir. Anything else I need to do? It was a last minute decision to incubate the eggs, so I'm not all up to par on my research...and it seems early for internal pip. Is it? These are pekin/runner mix ducks by the way.

I will not sleep tonight, way way way too excited! Can't wait to post some photos of our two new babies!

 

[Amiga]

Okay, so while you are not sleeping,

have you read this?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

I have read several times new hatchers opening the 'bator and dooming the ducklings to being zip locked (most often fatal), so easy does it! I think they call it lockdown.

And have you posted on the Thread Formerly Known as Hatch Day Is Today?

 

[samuelsonfarm]

I did hear about the "don't open the 'bator" rule. Should I run a humidifier in my room just for extra humidity? I looked through the first link you sent, and it had some helpful hints. I don't have any "drying powder' so I'm hoping they dont need it :/

 

[samuelsonfarm]

I woke twice during the night to check on the eggs, and heard lots of chirping and both eggs are wobbling all over. No external pip yet on either one. I moved the incubator into my bathroom so I can increase humidity as needed (by turning on the shower for a minute or so). I don't have a humidity gague in the incubator...lesson learned.

One thing I do see, that concerns me, is one of the eggs (the one that had internal pip and chirping first) looks like it has a purplish spot on it near the bottom (widest) part of the egg. What does this mean?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Amiga]

I woke twice during the night to check on the eggs, and heard lots of chirping and both eggs are wobbling all over. No external pip yet on either one. I moved the incubator into my bathroom so I can increase humidity as needed (by turning on the shower for a minute or so). I don't have a humidity gague in the incubator...lesson learned.

One thing I do see, that concerns me, is one of the eggs (the one that had internal pip and chirping first) looks like it has a purplish spot on it near the bottom (widest) part of the egg. What does this mean?

Thanks everyone!

I would definitely bring this one over to the Hatch Day thread. I am not a hatcher, just a learner right now. Very exciting. Very nerve wracking.