Hatched against all odds

[Therrm]

I built an incubator out of an old cooler I had in the garage. Let it run for a couple of days and was ready to go so a buddy of mine gave me some eggs. I set 11 pheasant eggs, waited a couple day and then set 4 quail and 15 leghorn/game bird crosses (hoping to get lean, mean, egg laying machines than can take care of themselves free ranging and have broody hens). Anyway i came home today and the wife came out while I was getting the mail and said we have a baby. I said in the incubator? No way but sure enough there it was. I candled the eggs ever 3 days or so but would only do an egg or to and everything wad always about the same. This chick hatched in 11 days, 50% humidity, being turned 3 times a day, in the egg tray, power went out for 5 hrs during incubation and temp got down to 81 degrees. Talked to my buddy and he has no idea how that egg would have gotten into the mix. Leghorns arent broody so its not like it was being sat on before it was given to me. I cant explain it. Any ideas or was this just a lucky chick?

 

[Therrm]

No one has anything? Even if a broody hen was sitting on it and it got kicked over to another nest isnt it still weird it hatched while being turned, with the wrong humidity, standing up on end? With everything Ive read it all needs to be perfect to get a good hatch. We were gone during the day but at 10am nothing and 7pm we had a baby chick hatched.

 

[kuchchicks]

Since it takes much longer than 11 days for incubation I think it is safe to say that somewhere along the way someone sat on it...LOL! Anyway, I think it's great. Like I always say, life finds a way!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No one has anything? Even if a broody hen was sitting on it and it got kicked over to another nest isnt it still weird it hatched while being turned, with the wrong humidity, standing up on end? With everything Ive read it all needs to be perfect to get a good hatch. We were gone during the day but at 10am nothing and 7pm we had a baby chick hatched.

Things don't have to be perfect. Hatchers strive for optimal conditions to promote the hatching of a bigger majority of the eggs, of course, but chicks hatch in all conditions. Plus, a lot of the omg, don't do this and don't do that, is heavy handed scare tactics that have been carried down from generation to generation of hatchers and not all of it is as accurate as it's made out to be in the chicken world. Ok, that's just my opinion, but I know I do a lot that convential hatchers warn against and have great hatch rates. Chicks often hatch while still being turned. Someone forgets to turn off the hatcher (or doesn't know they are supposed too) a chick hatches earlier than expected. Many people also hatch in egg cartons with the eggs upright. The humidity is the biggest factor. While chicks can successfully hatch in a lower humidity,especially if teh bator isn't being opened, it's best to provide them with a higher humidity.

I am surprised though that the chick was half way into development when you set them and went unnnoticead. At 10 days it would have had extrememly noticeable development if the shell was light enough to see into. It's pretty cool though and what a surprise.

Since it takes much longer than 11 days for incubation I think it is safe to say that somewhere along the way someone sat on it...LOL! Anyway, I think it's great. Like I always say, life finds a way!

So we just watched Jurrasic Park again last night and now all I can see is Jeff Goldblum saying, "Life finds a way". LMAO

 

[kuchchicks]

Haha! I had to google that and watch the clip! I totally forgot about that part! Too funny!!!!