First timer - starting my first batch Sept 15

[seventreesfarm]

Oh I am so sorry I had one like that very disappointing

Only 8 duds out of 24 that went into lockdown. Not bad for my first time, and with 1/2 shipped eggs.

 

[clameramseyc]

Checked this morning before I left and there were 7, so 3 more got out overnight - one didn't look very good, but maybe it had just gotten out and was exhausted. My son let me know that 3 more came out later in the day and one looked bad (don't know if it was the same one I saw or another one). I'll post tomorrow late once I hear any more status. I had expected most to hatch Monday, but all of these arrived earlier than I expected (Sat & Sun) - so I don't know if I'll get more or if this will be it. But that makes 10 that had hatched at last count, 9 moving around, though wet looking still. My son intends to move some of the early hatchers tomorrow after he gets home from school probably since they will have been out for 36-48 hours by then.

 

[wullus]

Weird story! I just went and checked mine, three already hatched yesterday and another was on the way this morning. I worked all day, and just got home this afternoon to find the hen had gotten off the nest and a chick had half-pipped it's way through, though the membrane was still intact.

I grabbed it, and started breaking through the membrane, expecting a dead chick, and here it was still alive! I nearly put it under the hen (which was busily keeping her others warm), but decided it wouldn't be very safe under there. So I've fired up my incubator and put it in, and for the last hour it's been alive. It seems as though its stretching out into full form, and it's still wandering around in there.

It's cheeping quite loudly. I'll post a pic, but I've decided to call it "Lucky" should it live! Is it likely to live? Will it build up it's strength by moving around?




Exciting!

 

[cchardwick]

I actually miscalculated, my chicks are supposed to hatch late tonight! I finally got the temp in my Brower Brooder just perfect hovering around 95F plus or minus a degree or so. It took me days to get the temperature just right using an indoor outdoor thermometer. I really wish it had a temperature probe and an electronic thermostat so you could dial in the temps easier. Anyone want to design a fancy brooder? I bet you could sell them like crazy!

 

[mmgillan]

I'm so excited.......for my first time trying, I ended up with 5 of 6 hatched.

The last one is having trouble hatching so I had to give it some help this AM. Thought it was a DOA but when I went to take it out of the bator, I heard it chirpping so I decided to assist with the zipping. Now waiting to see if it will hatch the rest of the way on its own. So excited they all developed. I wasn't sure when I candled, didn't see any sign of life, but I sure was wrong!

This one is the first to hatch and it kept going over to this one that had trouble zipping. It was almost like it was trying to help it out. So cute!

 

[CamNorth]

I'm out. Pulled the plug and set the eggs out on the porch. I was afraid they'd pop, and the float test seemed pretty telling.

Had a great time watching everyone's experience. So much to learn!

I just float tested my eggs and they are done too.

My final tally was:
37 eggs started
32 in lockdown
9 unhatched
23 hatched chicks

minus 1 cull

Saddly I have to cull one, it was half the size of the other chicks and didn't seem to know what to do, wouldn't eat, would sit in the water and get soaked, and boy did it scream. I don't think it would make it anyway.


All in all it has been an awesome hatch, I can't complain one bit. The hens will add to my laying flock (I sell at a small farmers market) and the roos will end up in the freezer.

 

[4hchickmama]

This is my end result:

Whitish one:




Lavender/self blue:




Black:




Lavender #2...the runty one:






Lavender #3:




Group shots:

 

[gladahmae]

awwww! what cute little chicks! I'm not sure if all 3 of the wyandottes are splash or blue. Guess we'll find out in a few weeks when they start to feather out!

I've had to clean off one chick's bottom 3 days in a row now! It's also the same one that got yolk or something stuck to its back when it hatched. I can't figure out WHY this one continually has a messy bottom while the other 2 do not.

DH and I are now trying to decide if we're going to stick with the 5 chicks we've got, or see if we can find a few more to add into the mix since our coop will hold up to 10. I really wanted some EEs or Ameraucanas, but none of ours hatched. I found some young ones (3-4wks) on CL, but they're a little over 2 hours away and he's got about 6 other breeds that I would want (dark brahmas, LF cochins, speckled sussex, gold and silver laced wyandottes, and marans) that I would want to bring back too.

 

[blueeyeddemon]

Weird story! I just went and checked mine, three already hatched yesterday and another was on the way this morning. I worked all day, and just got home this afternoon to find the hen had gotten off the nest and a chick had half-pipped it's way through, though the membrane was still intact.

I grabbed it, and started breaking through the membrane, expecting a dead chick, and here it was still alive! I nearly put it under the hen (which was busily keeping her others warm), but decided it wouldn't be very safe under there. So I've fired up my incubator and put it in, and for the last hour it's been alive. It seems as though its stretching out into full form, and it's still wandering around in there.

It's cheeping quite loudly. I'll post a pic, but I've decided to call it "Lucky" should it live! Is it likely to live? Will it build up it's strength by moving around?




Exciting!

Yes! It will live Thanks to you! I believe she/he was shrink wrapped...Thank you for helping it!

 

[clameramseyc]

Unfortunately my son said no progress today really. Out of 10 that had hatched as of yesterday, 5 were moved to their "brooder", 2 were left in the incubator for now as they were later and seemed wet and wobbly. Other 3 evidently had died (one early one, other 2 today). No more of the other 34 eggs hatched today, so I don't know if we'll get any more or not, he'll keep them in for another couple days I imagine to see what happens.