First timer UPDATE w/PICS! Two successful - pics in post #26

[Gypsylion]

Ok... just reading about the dry hatch method and I think I'm going to lean towards no water, since Boston is pretty humid anyway.

Also, just ordered a mini Nebo flashlight from eBay for candling! According to another thread they're great...

*nervous*

 

[Gypsylion]

Ok... temps seem to be stabilized at 100 deg, humidity dropped to about 38%... Now to just forget about them except for the 3-5x/day turning, eh?

Like my aquarium (125gal FW planted)... when I actually do all the maintenance as suggested, things die. When I leave it alone for months everyone's all happy!

 

[eggseroneous]

I know what you mean. I kill plants so easy from trying to do everything right! I'm so worried I am over thinking this, and with all the conflicting info out there, what is one to know to do? I guess trial and error and finding what works.
I received my other batch of eggs today. I don't know where they've been. New York to PA shouldn't have taken 4 days, but I guess it could have been worse. I had one that was broken which leaves me with 6 Cochin, 9 Wyandotte, 3 Orps, 2 cuckoo maran, 3 blue splash maran, 4 blue copper maran (27 total standards) and the 16 bantams.

My temps are fluctuating 99-102. Humidity 30-35 (still haven't gotten a new hygro). I am thinking about the "dry" method as well, though should I do that if I have been doing the humidity thing for a few days? How much water do you have in yours? I've got both channels and one saucer. Maybe I don't realize how much water it takes to make it humid enough?

Again, here I go over analyzing again!

Also my method for turning has evolved into something totally different. Instead of turning each one from one side to the other, I kind of roll them all around (GENTLY!!). Mine are directly on the wire, on their sides. I had to shift things around in there to fit the new eggs in and they are still touching each other and it makes it impossible to pick them up and turn 'em. Eggs are hard for me to pick up because I have nerve damage in my hands. They're slippery little dudes!

Well I was hoping we could get some more people hatching who have done this more than we have, but I guess we're on our own on this thread?

We'll "wing" it together! I'm sure someone will be along to help!

 

[Gypsylion]

Totally!

I hopped on the "May hatch" thread to ask a question or two also...

 

[Gypsylion]

Just did my first candling ever! 29 of 42 eggs have visible veins, and most also have visible embryos. Many of them are swimming around and one had a SUPER clear visible heartbeat. This is so cool!

Will post pics and videos soon...

YAY!

 

[Gypsylion]

First post updated to include link to my Candling results data. Hope to upload some pics soon... maybe tomorrow?

Confirmed alive:
Black mottled d'Uccle: 7/14 alive (wow! Huge kudos to this breeder!)
Self blue d'Uccle: 3/9 alive
Bantam cochin mix: 5/12 alive (including 1 each of barred, gold-laced, lavender, silver penciled, and birchen)
Mixed bantams from my own flock: 1/7 (5/7 had no development and were likely unfertile)

 

[Gypsylion]

Lockdown starts tonight!! I'm about to go candle everyone one last time, put down the liner, fill the water sponges, and start waiting. Patiently. (yeah right!)

YAY!

 

[Gypsylion]

Update Day 22: Well, my first chick came out perfectly on Friday night (Day 20) - YAY! That one is the one remaining egg from my own bantam flock, and I think she's out of my d'uccle/ameraucana hen, sired by my porcelain d'uccle roo. She's a cutie! Pics soon. Chick #2 came out to join her yesterday - a little self blue d'uccle. The two of them look slike silver and gold next to each other - so cute! Chick #3 is a barred cochin that seems like it couldn't turn around in the egg? There's another thread on here explaining the same situation, and hers turned out well with some help, so here's hopin'. After having the egg pipped and open (dime-sized hole with the beak sticking out upside-down and gasping?) but with no change otherwise for almost 24 hrs, I pulled off the top of the shell last night, as well as a bit of membrane and put it back in the incubator. Still no change this morning, so I pulled off all but the bottom curve of the shell, and put it back in its spot in the carton to let the last bit of membrane/yolk absorb and fall off. He's flopped out a bit now, but still seems REALLY weak, so we'll see what else I can do today. I'm hesitant to do more until that umbilical cord stuff dries up a bit, but if anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!

The other 13 eggs haven't done ANYTHING yet... they were all good when I went into lockdown, though my temps have been a degree or two low for the whole hatch. So I'm hoping they're just late bloomers? I really hope more than 2-3 make it out of 42 eggs!

 

[Gypsylion]

All right... little guy finally worked his way out of his spot in the carton, and his umb. cord mess fell away.

I took him out to clean him off a bit cuz he's all sticky. He's still pretty weak, so I left him in the bator with a warm/wet paper towel up against the corner of the bator for him to snuggle up into. It seemed to calm him down a LOT so he can get some rest and get stronger. Fingers crossed that he'll keep getting stronger.

 

[lilcrow]

Gypsylion, I'd take that wet paper towel out of there, or at least make sure the chick isn't able to get up against it, it needs to dry out and fluff up. Once it's dry and on it's feet, see if you can get it to start pecking at chick starter. You may have to grind it up a bit, but make sure it's small enough for it to take in some small bits. Same thing with the water, you'll need to show it the water.
Nancy