aww there so cute. Congrats
Ground Hog's Day Hatch
- Thread starter Mahonri
- Start date
Okay, I forgot to count while I was loading them, but a quick count through the glass was 32 quail eggs, and 9 chicken eggs. That total is excluding the tester quail eggs which wont hatch for a few weeks. Ooh my first staggered hatch, I think my hatching addiction is growing, and may I may be contagious.
Oh, I guess I'm just not feeling too well. But I'm at home, and that peeper who was stuck inside the egg... I couldn't just let it peep for days without doing anything to help it! So, I suppose if I had put the pipped egg and the unpipped eggs in the freezer I wouldn't have been stuck helping this poor chick for 3 days.
Do you know how they say not to set anything that is too small or too big... well this egg was from a friend and it was the smallest egg I set. I think it got stuck and also deformed by its confinement.
It is alive and I mainstreamed it this morning. It peeps constantly. It has a beak that curves down and one foot with crooked toes. It walks funny and has weird posture. It is tiny compared with the others, but seems to have a strong will to live.
I'm going to have to make it a shoe, looks like. Sigh. And I guess I'll put some vitamins in the water.
All the local (non clear) eggs hatched. None of the shipped eggs hatched.
Last edited:
Wow, the Tarot was right!
Above was an early post I made at the beginning of this thread (post #86)
Resuts?
I set 21 eggs.
I pulled 10 clear eggs out of the incubator before lockdown.
I have nine live chicks in the brooder now
I pulled 2 eggs out at the end that were dark like the others but didn't do anything during lockdown. Perhaps it was unclear (to the Tarot) early on if they would make it or not? So the Tarot declined to say?
I really thought it would be eight live chicks... But that lame chick makes it NINE!
!!!
- Jan 4, 2012
- 94
- 0
- 29
Kathyinmo- your chicks are soooooo cute!!!!!
Blarneyeggs- thanks for the thoughts. PA is a bit out of the way. LOL
I talked with the guy I bought eggs from and he hatched a variety of chicks that were born the same day as my Delaware baby so I am driving up in an hour to pick up some friends. I'm going to grab one each of a Lavendar Orpington, Blue/Black/splash Ameraucana and a Welsummer. Should be a cute group. I'm hoping they will get my baby eating and happy. I'm going to get more eggs next week to try again.
It is hard to open up for critique but suggestions are welcome. This was our first attempt in a home made incubator. I think it will work in the future with what we learned this time. I think I was tentative to keep the temp high enough and was a little too cautious keeping the temp at 99 +/- 1 degree. Also- we know how to get the humidity up next time at lockdown. I think that was the fatal flaw. I couldn't get it past about 45%. We planned to flood the bottom at lockdown......not realizing we had already flooded it to get to the 45%. A couple wet towels on top of the rack the eggs were on easily raised it to 70-80%- but we did this at about day 20. Lesson learned. Unfortunately I think that error did the chickies in?? They were moving at 18d at lockdown. I opened an egg just now. No internal pip......fully developed chick.....lots of yolk. Please feel free to make suggestions/evaluate. Anyting for the good of the next batch. Thank you. I can post a pic of the deceased chick after I opened the egg but I didn't want to offend/sadden anyone.
Blarneyeggs- thanks for the thoughts. PA is a bit out of the way. LOL
I talked with the guy I bought eggs from and he hatched a variety of chicks that were born the same day as my Delaware baby so I am driving up in an hour to pick up some friends. I'm going to grab one each of a Lavendar Orpington, Blue/Black/splash Ameraucana and a Welsummer. Should be a cute group. I'm hoping they will get my baby eating and happy. I'm going to get more eggs next week to try again.
It is hard to open up for critique but suggestions are welcome. This was our first attempt in a home made incubator. I think it will work in the future with what we learned this time. I think I was tentative to keep the temp high enough and was a little too cautious keeping the temp at 99 +/- 1 degree. Also- we know how to get the humidity up next time at lockdown. I think that was the fatal flaw. I couldn't get it past about 45%. We planned to flood the bottom at lockdown......not realizing we had already flooded it to get to the 45%. A couple wet towels on top of the rack the eggs were on easily raised it to 70-80%- but we did this at about day 20. Lesson learned. Unfortunately I think that error did the chickies in?? They were moving at 18d at lockdown. I opened an egg just now. No internal pip......fully developed chick.....lots of yolk. Please feel free to make suggestions/evaluate. Anyting for the good of the next batch. Thank you. I can post a pic of the deceased chick after I opened the egg but I didn't want to offend/sadden anyone.
- Thread starter
- #406
THAT IS a LOT of very useful information!
A lot of y'all seem to have problems with chicks not gettin out. Over the years, I've help like A LOT of chicks out. Some live, some die. I have grown to notice the signs of an egg that needs help and is ready to come out.
Good sighns:
Chick has started zipping but has stopped and is stuck. It's usually ALWAYS ready to hatch.
Chick makes what I call 'happy noises' when you talk to it, tap, or hold the egg. Like when you pick up a healthy chick from the brooder. Those sounds.
Chick has DRY feathers sticking out nesr the hole and tries to struggle out.
Egg has been piped over 12 hours.
Peel a bit of shell of toward the bottom of the egg and poke several little holes into the membrane, if it bleeds quite a bit, leave it for 2 hours and come back to it later.
Bad sighns:
If the chick screams like it's in pain and doesn't make many sounds(no good sounds anyways) leave it.
If there is a LOT of blood and the membrane is reeeeally squishy and doesn't look a bit dry, leave it and wait a few hours.
If the chick sems really weak, leave it, it'll probably die.
I can think up a few more sighns, because I've helped more often than not and I admittedly hve killed some, but I have saved many more that would've died anyways. It's always a gamble with helping chicks out of their eggs, but if u leave them it's an 80-90% chance they'll die.
And also, if the chick doesn't absorb all of its yolk, 70% chance of death. If it lives long enough to dry off then put it in a secluded brooder and wait a few days. I had several(3) quail in december do that. About 15% of the yolk wasn't absorbed. They all lived. And I also had to help out a few too, bc my humidty was low and there was only a couple eggs in the bator so I could pay attention to what happened.
'Nother quick tip: if you have more than 12 eggs left in the bator, lay off unless you can constantly monitor it.
You must always think what's best: the single bird, or the whole hatch? And as far as you know, he chick may not be stuck... it could be resting.
hope I helped someone with this bit of info, for I have defied my grandmas tips on stay outta the bator. Only ONCE in my life have I done a 100% lockdown and it was for 2 days.
I go by the win win, loose loose thing... or is it the ... no pain, no gain? Definately the second~! I apologize for the horrid spelling mistakes, bit I'm dead tired and have algebra homework... that I may or may not do...
P.s! I've lost more NOT helping them than I have helping them. Whadda ya think momma hen does? The help their babes by steping on eggs and eating the shell off(I'm weird, I've seen a couple do it).
P.s.s! If your a newb and can't tell the tell-tale signs, learn from practice and others' mistakes bc I had no one to tell me anything at all about incubation. My very first hatch I had 1 male duck hatch outta a double-stacked incubator in my closet. And I sat for 3 hours helping HIM out
good-luck, and if anyone has issues there's 100,000 other byc-ers at your hand and foot~ use them!
A lot of y'all seem to have problems with chicks not gettin out. Over the years, I've help like A LOT of chicks out. Some live, some die. I have grown to notice the signs of an egg that needs help and is ready to come out.
Good sighns:
Chick has started zipping but has stopped and is stuck. It's usually ALWAYS ready to hatch.
Chick makes what I call 'happy noises' when you talk to it, tap, or hold the egg. Like when you pick up a healthy chick from the brooder. Those sounds.
Chick has DRY feathers sticking out nesr the hole and tries to struggle out.
Egg has been piped over 12 hours.
Peel a bit of shell of toward the bottom of the egg and poke several little holes into the membrane, if it bleeds quite a bit, leave it for 2 hours and come back to it later.
Bad sighns:
If the chick screams like it's in pain and doesn't make many sounds(no good sounds anyways) leave it.
If there is a LOT of blood and the membrane is reeeeally squishy and doesn't look a bit dry, leave it and wait a few hours.
If the chick sems really weak, leave it, it'll probably die.
I can think up a few more sighns, because I've helped more often than not and I admittedly hve killed some, but I have saved many more that would've died anyways. It's always a gamble with helping chicks out of their eggs, but if u leave them it's an 80-90% chance they'll die.
And also, if the chick doesn't absorb all of its yolk, 70% chance of death. If it lives long enough to dry off then put it in a secluded brooder and wait a few days. I had several(3) quail in december do that. About 15% of the yolk wasn't absorbed. They all lived. And I also had to help out a few too, bc my humidty was low and there was only a couple eggs in the bator so I could pay attention to what happened.
'Nother quick tip: if you have more than 12 eggs left in the bator, lay off unless you can constantly monitor it.
You must always think what's best: the single bird, or the whole hatch? And as far as you know, he chick may not be stuck... it could be resting.
I go by the win win, loose loose thing... or is it the ... no pain, no gain? Definately the second~! I apologize for the horrid spelling mistakes, bit I'm dead tired and have algebra homework... that I may or may not do...
P.s! I've lost more NOT helping them than I have helping them. Whadda ya think momma hen does? The help their babes by steping on eggs and eating the shell off(I'm weird, I've seen a couple do it).
P.s.s! If your a newb and can't tell the tell-tale signs, learn from practice and others' mistakes bc I had no one to tell me anything at all about incubation. My very first hatch I had 1 male duck hatch outta a double-stacked incubator in my closet. And I sat for 3 hours helping HIM out
good-luck, and if anyone has issues there's 100,000 other byc-ers at your hand and foot~ use them!- Thread starter
- #407
Did I tell y'all that I ended up with 16 chicks. 4 OEs and 12 purebred w/bw Ameraucanas.
They are adorable. I am in love with all of them.
... and they are eatin' , drinkin', POOPIN' machines!
They are adorable. I am in love with all of them.
... and they are eatin' , drinkin', POOPIN' machines!
You are just gonna have to keep ALL of this bunch!
- Jun 14, 2009
- 1,735
- 32
- 161
Don't want to jinx anything.
I put the last 3 in the brooder Friday afternoon, 2 of the 3 were no acting very vigorous, figured that when I got home from work this morning at 0500, they'd be gone.
Low and behold, I opened the brooder door, and I couldn't find the slow ones, best I could I counted them up, 24 in the brooder. Drinking and eating running from one end of the brooder to the other.
So I am going to make a final accounting.
Set 30 eggs.
Removed 4 that weren't developing.
Broke 2 in handling.
Eggs hatched with no help 24.
Live chicks placed in brooder 24.
Nearest I can figure that is a 80% hatch rate.
I am not pleased with the performance of my homemade incubator, heat sources need to be repositioned, thermostat needs to be improved. The only reason I was able to get a 80% hatch is I was on vacation from work Jan. 23 until lockdown. So I was able to monitor temps very closely and adjust as needed. Had I been on a regular work schedule I am pretty sure the dramatic temp swings would have been for longer durations. Also the eggs were very fresh, not shipped nor mishandled in any way. Had I not had to handle the eggs so much because of temp control issues the 2 broken eggs would have been added to the success rate, both contained live embrios.
At this point I plan on taking what I learned and rebuild my incubator. Better thermostat, maybe I will invest in an electronic one. Thermometer, get a more accurate and more dependable one. Heat source, reposition to the top of the incubator cabinet and add an additional bulb socket. Repossition the circulation fan to the top of the cabinet. Improve and rebuild the shelves to accomodate a total of 60 eggs in cartons.
I am thinking about the Easter Hatch Along. By that time I will have the incubator improved and the BR hen portion of the BSL project will be laying steady. The RIR cockerals will be on the young side but I think viable. So I may join in with a limited effort, of 20 - 30 eggs. I can see brooder space issues if I continue to hatch at a steady rate. By the March start date the Rhode Island Reds in the brooder will only be about 6 weeks old. 9 weeks old by hatch date, they would be moved to the tractor so the brooder could accomodate the BSLs.
I put the last 3 in the brooder Friday afternoon, 2 of the 3 were no acting very vigorous, figured that when I got home from work this morning at 0500, they'd be gone.
Low and behold, I opened the brooder door, and I couldn't find the slow ones, best I could I counted them up, 24 in the brooder. Drinking and eating running from one end of the brooder to the other.
So I am going to make a final accounting.
Set 30 eggs.
Removed 4 that weren't developing.
Broke 2 in handling.
Eggs hatched with no help 24.
Live chicks placed in brooder 24.
Nearest I can figure that is a 80% hatch rate.
I am not pleased with the performance of my homemade incubator, heat sources need to be repositioned, thermostat needs to be improved. The only reason I was able to get a 80% hatch is I was on vacation from work Jan. 23 until lockdown. So I was able to monitor temps very closely and adjust as needed. Had I been on a regular work schedule I am pretty sure the dramatic temp swings would have been for longer durations. Also the eggs were very fresh, not shipped nor mishandled in any way. Had I not had to handle the eggs so much because of temp control issues the 2 broken eggs would have been added to the success rate, both contained live embrios.
At this point I plan on taking what I learned and rebuild my incubator. Better thermostat, maybe I will invest in an electronic one. Thermometer, get a more accurate and more dependable one. Heat source, reposition to the top of the incubator cabinet and add an additional bulb socket. Repossition the circulation fan to the top of the cabinet. Improve and rebuild the shelves to accomodate a total of 60 eggs in cartons.
I am thinking about the Easter Hatch Along. By that time I will have the incubator improved and the BR hen portion of the BSL project will be laying steady. The RIR cockerals will be on the young side but I think viable. So I may join in with a limited effort, of 20 - 30 eggs. I can see brooder space issues if I continue to hatch at a steady rate. By the March start date the Rhode Island Reds in the brooder will only be about 6 weeks old. 9 weeks old by hatch date, they would be moved to the tractor so the brooder could accomodate the BSLs.
- Thread starter
- #410
twentynine. CONGRATS!
Did I tell you that I name one of my chicks from the NYD hatch "29"... it's how many I hatched and it was the last one out...
a Blue feathered Olive egger... SWA X FBCM!
Did I tell you that I name one of my chicks from the NYD hatch "29"... it's how many I hatched and it was the last one out...
a Blue feathered Olive egger... SWA X FBCM!
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