First incubator batch

[neishalee]

I've had an incubator for a long time but I've never used it before other than when I had a broody mama get off her nest after half her eggs had hatched.

Last weekend a couple coyotes got into the coop and took 10 of my 15 chickens including my rooster. I collected eggs for a couple days and put 18 of them in the incubator yesterday. I loved my rooster and I know he was doing his duty so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll have a couple of his babies at New Years.

I did get to use the saying "Don't count your chicks before they hatch" in the literal sense with my 6 year old. I laughed as I said it.

 

[nchls school]

Good luck. The eggs from your hens will be fertile for, at least, a couple of weeks. You have a very good chance of chicks hatching.

 

[neishalee]

I did the first candling and weight check. I only had one with a blood ring and the rest look fine. I did chart the weights and locations in the incubator and I found a pattern that the eggs toward the top seemed to be losing weight more quickly than the ones at the bottom. There wasn't any noticeable pattern in left to right location. I flipped their locations so we'll see if that helps in a couple of days.

 

[Sseckel]

How is your batch progressing?

 

[neishalee]

Eeek! The first two are pipped. So excited to have New Years babies. Maybe I'll make it to midnight tonight.

 

[nchls school]

Eeek! The first two are pipped. So excited to have New Years babies. Maybe I'll make it to midnight tonight.

Good luck and happy New Year's. Enjoy the new babies.

 

[neishalee]

First one is out after only 4 hours. 2 have pips. It was great, the entire family was watching as he came out.

 

[neishalee]

Chick 2 is here and 2 more have pipped.

 

[nchls school]

Chick 2 is here and 2 more have pipped.

Hopefully all four have hatched by now. New year's babies. What kind of chickens are they?

 

[neishalee]

3 have hatched and the 4th is still working on it. 2 more have pipped .

They are mutts at this point. I was told daddy was an Easter egger but he didn't have puffy cheeks. He was a great rooster and if I didn't feel so guilty about his death I would have just ordered chicks in the spring. I may still do that since I lost my Dark Cornish at the same time and they make great mothers.