First time hatching from my own flock

[DemeterAD9]

Added water and aiming for 60-75% humidity.

Hatch bags made from an onion and an orange bag. The yellow mesh needed some repairs so I used sewing thread, the orange mesh was just a square so I stapled it together to form a bag, I made sure to check the staples to see if they had any sharp points and everything seemed fine. Sterilized with bleach water and let them dry before adding the eggs. First photo is my test run with different eggs.

I'm still candling daily, here's one of the EEs showing off a toe! I saw the whole foot at one point but didn't get the camera on in time.

Tomorrow I hope to see far less fluid and veins around the air cells indicating they are absorbing everything and getting ready to internally pip. I am a little worried about the 4 large fowl eggs as they just seem abnormally full of fluid still. Fingers crossed everything goes as it should!

 

[DemeterAD9]

The air cells are drawing down now, babies are absorbing everything super fast! The latest pencil mark was done early afternoon and already the air cell has grown. I might see some internal pipping tomorrow.

I have the brooder set up, just need to add their food. I’m keeping it small until everyone hatches and figures out the food, water, and heat plate.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Tomorrow is the day, or more specifically tomorrow night marks 21 days! I’m only candling the 11 eggs not in hatch bags so I can’t verify how the others are doing. This one (white EE) looks fully absorbed and I can see the baby pushing agains the air cell membrane. Maybe it will be internally pipped by the time I’m home from work today.

 

[TexasBlues]

Good luck, I just got to do my first hatch that was all from my flock also. Much better hatch % than I got with shipped and local pick up eggs.

I didn't do any candling or opening of the lid after lockdown started.

I should've used hatching bags. Good idea.

 

[DemeterAD9]

We have at least 3 pips this morning and several internal pips. I’ll be leaving things alone now until I have to take chicks out.

 

[MountainWoman73]

We have at least 3 pips this morning and several internal pips. I’ll be leaving things alone now until I have to take chicks out.
View attachment 4082412

I have one pip too!

 

[DemeterAD9]

6 have pipped now, or at least of the ones I can see. I have to head to work shortly so maybe someone will be hatched by the time I get back. I plan to stay up well into the night and with my pre-planning I do have tomorrow off so I should be able to witness the majority of the hatching action! Can't wait to see what colors I get and how many will have fuzzy little legs

My only worry right now is the orange hatch bag not having very much wiggle room and flex like the other bag does. The eggs are pretty packed in there so it would be nice if I'm here when one or two are hatching so I can remove them shortly after and give more room for the others to get cracking.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Came home to 3 chicks! 2 from the grey OE and on from the buff brahma. All currently appear black but could be blue too, hard to say right now. I’ve banded the two drier ones and took them out of the bag.

 

[DemeterAD9]

The first to hatch judging from how fluffed up it is. Guessing male as this is from my grey OE who seems to have barring. The sibling to this one does not have the head spot and has feathered legs so the blue copper maran should be that one’s daddy!

None of the other eggs in the orange bag looked to be pipped but the first large fowl mix has pipped. I’ll be sitting beside the incubator for quite a while tonight, at some point I will remove the dry chicks and put them in the brooder. Expect a lengthy update tomorrow morning

 

[Slothinc]

The first to hatch judging from how fluffed up it is. Guessing male as this is from my grey OE who seems to have barring. The sibling to this one does not have the head spot and has feathered legs so the blue copper maran should be that one’s daddy!
View attachment 4082949

None of the other eggs in the orange bag looked to be pipped but the first large fowl mix has pipped. I’ll be sitting beside the incubator for quite a while tonight, at some point I will remove the dry chicks and put them in the brooder. Expect a lengthy update tomorrow morning

Congrats on the adorable little ones!! Is the gray OE with barring the mother or father of this chick? If mother it would be autosexing if the father was solid. If father is the barred one then it would not be autosexing. I am pretty sure anyways