First Time Hatching Anyone With Me??

[foxygoober]

Well one egg has a chip in it and I can hear some other chirps. . .so fingers crossed my lack of holes in the cartons didn't damage the air flow. I think that since the eggs are much smaller than what the carton was made for, that the eggs are getting plenty of ventilation.

 

[Kathryn4629]

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Well I just put the sponge in.... I had to lift the edge of the bator up to get it in.

It took all of 2 seconds to get it in. I did not take the lid completely off. I figure the risk is not as bad as having 47% humidity

Oh and when I took the turner out and put the eggs in the egg carton for lock down I wasn't thinking and put the thermometer on top of the eggs again

When I got up this morning the thermometer had completely fallen off the eggs

I think the chicks are moving around in the eggs!! The thermometer had never moved before?? I guess I will take this as a good sign.

How is everyone else doing??

 

[Kathryn4629]

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What great news!!! I can't wait to hear chirping!! Keep that camera ready!! We WILL want some pic of the cute fuzzy butts

 

[latebloomer]

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i wanted to ask for a video of the sponge installation

 

[latebloomer]

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I guess I will take this as a good sign.

it's got to be!

 

[Kathryn4629]

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I checked out your thread, great pics!! Yes please do stay in touch. We are all first timers and have been so nervious. I think it has helped me a lot to know I have someone out there that is just as worried as me

 

[Kathryn4629]

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I'm actually doing a staggered hatch, latebloomer. I know it's probably crazy of me to try since it's my first time but I'm wanting some BSL chicks and I only have 4 BR hens. So I put in 19 eggs on 2/23, 18 were fertile and they will go into lockdown this Sunday, the 13th. I put in a second batch on 3/3 and will candle them the first time this Friday. I have a separate incubator for hatching, that's the only way I would attempt this, believe me. Does any of that make sense? I'm a horrible "explainer." LOL

Made sense to me

When I first read "staggered hatch" I thought oh no, how will that work.....but then I see you have a separate bator for hatching. Makes lots of sense!! If I had a separate incubator for hatching I would have had a full incubator, my girls are laying like crazy!! My cochin is now 6/6 days!! But I am not seeing consistent fertility on her eggs, I think it has something to do with the Rooster mounting her backwards and sideways most of the time

 

[Kathryn4629]

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I guess I will take this as a good sign.

it's got to be!

Oh I hope so... i live alone so I know no one touched the bator!!

 

[latebloomer]

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I'm actually doing a staggered hatch, latebloomer. I know it's probably crazy of me to try since it's my first time but I'm wanting some BSL chicks and I only have 4 BR hens. So I put in 19 eggs on 2/23, 18 were fertile and they will go into lockdown this Sunday, the 13th. I put in a second batch on 3/3 and will candle them the first time this Friday. I have a separate incubator for hatching, that's the only way I would attempt this, believe me. Does any of that make sense? I'm a horrible "explainer." LOL

! But I am not seeing consistent fertility on her eggs, I think it has something to do with the Rooster mounting her backwards and sideways most of the time

i think i did understand your staggered approach, texascm.

i give your rooster high points for style, but maybe he should stop readying those magazines articles "how to please your woman"

 

[blueducklings]

Any hatches yet??
Is anyone expecting a hatch on Sunday??

I've just put 3 more duck eggs into my hatch box.

Hope this works. So I candled them before I put them in.
One has a spidery vein pattern, one moved, one is just a black blob.
They all have varying portions of air sack space, but so far, the space is just on top, unlike the dead one, which had air on top & bottom. Looks like that one shrunk.

I plopped in an easter egg filled with hair gel and inserted a temp probe in it with the 3 eggs. The probe reads 2 degrees cooler than the air temp. So I guess that will read the egg temp, but 2 degrees lower?
Dunno what to think of that.

On the humidity, I noticed that the humidity also gets higher if I piont the fan directly on the sponge. I have a huge car sponge sitting in an equally big tray of warm water.
Everything that went in there was 110*F
I also put in 5 water bottles filled with warm wate to hold the ermp steady, a paper carton to hold the eggs, and a disposable tray under the egg carton so I don't have to wash out the mess...or dead critters.

The only thing I really wanted to put in was a big hole on the side of the hatch box so I can glue a big glove on there, so I can go play with the hatch box and still be in lock down.

The last hatch teated my patience so much I just couldn't stand it. I wish I could have stick my hand in there with an LED light.

I must have adult onset ADHD.

Good luck you all...
and it you have chicks....please post pictures.
It'll take the edge away.