going into lockdown on my first hatch...nervous mom, please hang out with me....

[Dcat]

I'd love to see pics of what you have in there. Even before hatching.

 

[hgillins]

I'd love to see pics of what you have in there. Even before hatching.

I have a staggered hatch of 32 eggs. I got 4 eggs given to me by my wife's aunt for a trial run of my first incubator, 1 cracked on the way home, but they went in first and are on day 21 now, one pipped so far. Then I have 10 on day 18 that I stopped turning last night, and 19 that are on day 4. Didn't want to do a staggered hatch but put in the eggs as I got them.

Here is the eggs in there now. This was taken on Sat. when the last eggs went in and I stopped turning the first set of eggs.

There are
3 American Games (Kept as a sentimental thing) One Pipped
2 Buff Orpingtons (Pure)
2 Ameracuana (Pure)
6 Road Island Red (Pure)

5 Ameracuana X
3 Polish X
5 Turkin X
6 Cream Legbars X
(All X are crossed with a Silkie X Ameracuana Frizzled Rooster)

 

[Abundance Farm]

7PM Florida time. I have 3 pipped and one zipped (the first pip) they are peeping. I love it! I am worried though. Today is the end of day 21. Will the water in the troughs run out. I do not have a hydrometer. Should I add water like I have seen on some threads here, through the vent opening? It is pretty crowded in there. At what point can I remove the spent shells for more room and move the hatched chicks into the brooder. Hope it is tonight! Thanks

 

[subhanalah]

7PM Florida time.  I have 3 pipped and one zipped (the first pip)  they are peeping.  I love it!  I am worried though.  Today is the end of day 21.  Will the water in the troughs run out.  I do not have a hydrometer.  Should I add water like I have seen on some threads here, through the vent opening?  It is pretty crowded in there.  At what point can I remove the spent shells for more room and move the hatched chicks into the brooder.  Hope it is tonight!  Thanks

You should be able to see into the troughs if they are empty.
You can add water to the troughs if it is necessary, through the vent, but I did not need to do this with my troughs full.
I left all mine in the incubator until everyone was hatched and dried. If it is too crowded, you can open the incubator to remove some. I would place a moistened paper towel in when you do this to help offset the loss of humidity from opening the incubator.

 

[Abundance Farm]

Thank you thank you! I cannot really see the troughs. It is pretty crowded in there. One of the pips is starting to zip, but no real hatch yet. I put a little h2o in through the vent. I like the paper towel idea and may try that as the night goes on and get rid of the shells to make more room. Now that it is started, any idea how long it will take?

 

[subhanalah]

From my first pip, it took about two days for everyone to make it out

 

[Abundance Farm]

I had no idea it could take that long! The first one is almost out of the shell! I will watch a little longer, then get shells out and go to bed. Thank you, you have been very helpful. I will be back late tonight or tomorrow with an update.:>)

 

[subhanalah]

Once you have wet chicks in there, you don't have to worry too much about humidity, the hatching chicks add a lot of moisture to the environment, that's how it works in momma hen's nest too!

 

[Dcat]

You are much braver with your first hatch than I was, I only had four eggs in my first hatch. This time I have ten(small incubator) but I'm sure at least a few of them are infertile. I'll know in a few days.

 

[subhanalah]

You are much braver with your first hatch than I was, I only had four eggs in my first hatch. This time I have ten(small incubator) but I'm sure at least a few of them are infertile. I'll know in a few days.

I just hatched what the girl gave me. I had no idea how old the eggs were because they werent marked. So I incubated them to see of they were any good.