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

[Abundance Farm]

I went into lockdown today with my first hatch. It is day 18 with 23 eggs in my Brinsea octagon. I have 18 copper marans eggs I mail ordered, and 5 from my own rir mixes and rooster, Queen. I am nervous as a new mom and guess that is just what I am. I have seen human babies born and dog babies, but this is the first hatch and I am a mess. I suspect that 4 of the marans eggs are no good, but can hardly see into them so have left them in the bater just in case. could not live with myself if they are good and I had taken them out. I have read a lot here and learned a lot and think that I have been doing things right, or at least right enough but would sure appreciate someone following me in this process. I hope it all goes well cause I am not sure about assisting anyone out of the shell. Wednesday is day 21. Watching and waiting.........

 

[Dcat]

It is so exciting!! I just started my second clutch today, not counting until tomorrow though. My first clutch was basically a disaster, I had so much to learn. Not just the technical stuff but the emotional too. Just be patient, very patient and don't worry too much if they don't start hatching ON the day you think they should. Mine took a couple extra days to pip(more learning process). Just enjoy. I have ten eggs in my homemade incubator right now, most probably aren't fertile but I will know in about a week. So many different hens but the rooster was a Lavender Orphington. Will be an interesting mix I think. Good luck!\

 

[Puddin Fluff]

The first hatch is so nerve racking. You won't sleep well for a while because just like a mama you want to know every littile thing that is happening.

Patience and a camera with a fully charged battery, that's what you need now.

Good luck.

 

[subhanalah]

Oh, its so fun hatching biddies!
Once you see an external pip, it can take up to a whole day for full hatching,so as previously stated, patience is key!

Just a preview of what you'll hopefully be seeing soon!
This is my favorite picture right now. These are white and paint silkies!

 

[Abundance Farm]

Great photo! and thanks for the encouragement. I could sure use a mid-wife! Today is 19, so we are progressing right along. Glad to know that someone is with me. I am thinking or rearranging my day on Wednesday and Thursday so I can be home. My friends say I should be okay as I delivered 11 Ridgeback puppies a couple of years ago and they all made it, but my Rosie was a great mom and these babies have SHELLS! Not sure about shells. Patience, Patience....trust the process and get out of the way. Thank you so much for tuning in. I will be here every day, reporting. I know there are others at about the same place with their first hatch. I would be glad to hear from you as well as those with lots of experience.

 

[Mommy6]

This is my 4th hatch and I still didn't sleep, ha! I was up at 3:30 yesterday morning watching them hatch. So far we have 25 out of 34. Keeping busy is pretty important too! The wait feels like eternity when you just watch and wait

 

[subhanalah]

I don't even know what day I'm on in my hatches! I just mark my calendar with the milestone of stop turning, etc. But I also have like...3 or 4 batches right now...it would be difficult to keep the days straight hahaha.

 

[Dcat]

I finally got a light thats really bright and easy to use to candle the eggs with(thank you hubby) and candled some of the eggs I just started, I'm pretty sure I see something in one already so now I'm really going to have to watch these things in case some of these eggs are older than was originally thought.
Abundance, is there any rocking going on yet or are you trying to ignore them for now, LOL?

 

[Abundance Farm]

Nothing happening yet. Just the end of day 19 though. No rocking or moving around. Getting my brooder set up and getting ready. Patience........Thanks for waiting with me. Feels like a bunch of midwives! I was not able to candle my eggs very well. Most of them are BC Marans and I could just not see into them very well. Mostly darkness, but sometimes I can see the air sack. Just hoping for the best. In some of my RIR mix /Queen rooster eggs I can see the veins or an eye or a real live chick moving around, so I know I will get at least a few babies! I have 5 of those, and 18 marans. Will be checking in tomorrow.

 

[Mommy6]

I don't even know what day I'm on in my hatches! I just mark my calendar with the milestone of stop turning, etc. But I also have like...3 or 4 batches right now...it would be difficult to keep the days straight hahaha.

What do you do with all your chicks? I have a batch that just hatched out 29 and apparently we are still counting, I have another one due in a week plus I have another batch planned when the incubator frees up. I'm having fun , but if they all hatch out as well as this round, that's a lot of chicks, lol.