Hatch-Along - Setting eggs week of Feb 4th..anyone else?

[TarheelBirdy]

we have 11 under mamma and 1 piped. we had a close call with one last night. he hatched too close to the outside under the hen. we found him still partway in the shell . he was cold wet and unresponsive. we brought him in and warmed him up over the open stove door. after we got him to peeping and moveing we stuck him in the bator for about an hour. took him 10 min to start to peep. he's back with mamma now.

went out this morning and saw 3 little yellow heads poking out from under mamma's breast. may get some pics later.

Glad you found him in time.

 

[WillowChick]

Well, Day 17 and just weighed the bunch. It looks like 4 are on track, 1 has not lost enough (10%) and 6 are at 15-20% weight loss

I put the 1 egg in my hot spot, filled another chamber with water, and put the low weight eggs over it in a group. Humidity is sitting at 57%, so I'm hoping to get this rapid weight loss under control. ALL 11 are still moving and they look pretty good. I'll be locking down early tomorrow morning as I will be away on Friday night. I hope that doesn't do them any harm. Does anyone have experience with early lockdown? (By 12 hours or so) Should I wait until early on day 19? I set at 5:30pm on Feb 4th.

Help?

Willow

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Well, Day 17 and just weighed the bunch. It looks like 4 are on track, 1 has not lost enough (10%) and 6 are at 15-20% weight loss

I put the 1 egg in my hot spot, filled another chamber with water, and put the low weight eggs over it in a group. Humidity is sitting at 57%, so I'm hoping to get this rapid weight loss under control. ALL 11 are still moving and they look pretty good. I'll be locking down early tomorrow morning as I will be away on Friday night. I hope that doesn't do them any harm. Does anyone have experience with early lockdown? (By 12 hours or so) Should I wait until early on day 19? I set at 5:30pm on Feb 4th.

Help?

Willow

 

[cochins1088]

Well, Day 17 and just weighed the bunch. It looks like 4 are on track, 1 has not lost enough (10%) and 6 are at 15-20% weight loss

I put the 1 egg in my hot spot, filled another chamber with water, and put the low weight eggs over it in a group. Humidity is sitting at 57%, so I'm hoping to get this rapid weight loss under control. ALL 11 are still moving and they look pretty good. I'll be locking down early tomorrow morning as I will be away on Friday night. I hope that doesn't do them any harm. Does anyone have experience with early lockdown? (By 12 hours or so) Should I wait until early on day 19? I set at 5:30pm on Feb 4th.

Help?

Willow

If it's only 12 hours, it shouldn't be a problem. Could you post pictures of the air cell sizes? If you would have caught the eggs that were losing mass more rapidly earlier, you could have probably put something over part of the shell like wax. The reason they lost mass faster than the others was because their shells were more porous. It's not a big deal, but if your hatching expensive eggs, you may want to remember this for next time.

May I ask why you put the one in egg in your hot sopt? How hot is your hot spot? Just keep doing what you're doing and hope for the best. Good Luck!

 

[WillowChick]

If it's only 12 hours, it shouldn't be a problem. Could you post pictures of the air cell sizes? If you would have caught the eggs that were losing mass more rapidly earlier, you could have probably put something over part of the shell like wax. The reason they lost mass faster than the others was because their shells were more porous. It's not a big deal, but if your hatching expensive eggs, you may want to remember this for next time.

May I ask why you put the one in egg in your hot sopt? How hot is your hot spot? Just keep doing what you're doing and hope for the best. Good Luck!

My hot spot is 99.7 - 100 degrees, the rest seems pretty steady at 99.3 - 99.7 I just figured the heat would dry it out faster that way... it's also away from the water reservoir.

Thanks for the response!

Willow

 

[akashia26]

well almost lost the last chick. he made it out but mamma decided it was time to get something to eat and some water. he wasn't ready to follow her around. found him the same way as the last one and fixed him up the same way as the last. got lucky and found him in time. so we have 12 healthy chicks. 7 yellow, 1 red, and 1 brown all with chipmunking on the back. and 3 blacks. haven't gotten a real good look at 2 of them but i think they have the chipmunking too. and the last black has a white spot in the back of his head. he was the last to hatch. i think he may be a barred rock.

 

[eggorthechicken]

My lock down is monday or tues for my chickens. So far all of my own flock are doing good. I may get a serama out of it too. (My serama male hasnt been on the ball lately) I also should get some BCM, OEs and hopefully a silkie, and some cochin/faverolle crosses from my own flock. Crossing fingers. My duck eggs will go in lock down the following week. Hopefully 5 new, anconas will hatch. :0)

 

[mendocinosunris]

well almost lost the last chick. he made it out but mamma decided it was time to get something to eat and some water. he wasn't ready to follow her around. found him the same way as the last one and fixed him up the same way as the last. got lucky and found him in time. so we have 12 healthy chicks. 7 yellow, 1 red, and 1 brown all with chipmunking on the back. and 3 blacks. haven't gotten a real good look at 2 of them but i think they have the chipmunking too. and the last black has a white spot in the back of his head. he was the last to hatch. i think he may be a barred rock.

Good save! Congratulations on a great hatch.

My lock down is monday or tues for my chickens. So far all of my own flock are doing good. I may get a serama out of it too. (My serama male hasnt been on the ball lately) I also should get some BCM, OEs and hopefully a silkie, and some cochin/faverolle crosses from my own flock. Crossing fingers. My duck eggs will go in lock down the following week. Hopefully 5 new, anconas will hatch. :0)

Good luck! What a great variety of birds.
I've never tried hatching duck eggs. Once I get the chicken-egg-hatching thing down, Ima gonna get some cayugas.

 

[andertr]

My eggs go on lock down this evening!!!!!!! Super excited!!!! Also very nervous. Hoping for the best and maybe some beginners luck, since there is only 2 that deveoped I would like both to survive I wouldn't want one lonely chick.

 

[misskeeter]

My eggs go on lockdown tomorrow.