Hatching again!!

[Hatty1]

Hi all,

We are currently on day 27, after our last hatch (where I learnt lots - thanks Iain) I have had this batch in the brinsea oct 20 and have been spraying from early on and turning top / bottom once manually a day (the bator also has automatic turn)

Out of the 6 eggs that were put in 5 were fertile and we seems to still have movement today when I stopped turning.

I have moved them from the Oct 20 to a Brinsea Polyhatch now we no longer need to turn them, the polyhatch seems to hold the humidity better than the oct 20!

I have just candled them before moving and we already have 2 internally pipped but I last candled them on Thur pm and non had pipped so i suspect they have only just done it, 4 out of the 5 eggs are rocking.

I've just re read petes sticky, would I be right in saying it is now lockdown keeping humidity at 75% and drop the temp to 36.5

I assisted Boo boo & Baba last time, Boo boo lasted 3 days but Baba didn't make it past 8hrs :0(.

So hopefully this time we have a better chance, its all a learing curve but this learning curve can be very upsetting!

Thanks in advance, Hatty

 

[Iain Utah]

Yay!! Can't wait to follow along and see baby pics in a few days!!

You learned a lot, and with the important adjustments you have made, I bet this time you can sit back and watch them hatch perfectly fine without help. Congrats!

 

[Hatty1]

Hi Iain,

I hope we can make it this time!!

Checked on them this morning as non had externally pipped and all have internally pipped. how long is it now until we should start seeing external pipping?

We've got a Muscovy sitting her own eggs at the min, she went really broody so we thought we'd let her have a go, its quite exciting. She doesn't sit on them all day at the min but we think shes getting a clutch together currenty 7 in the nest, our geese keep trying to turf her off it and sit themselves!!

If we didn't have Mr Fox living so close (took one of our swedish blues a couple of weeks ago, mid afternoon) we'd let the geese sit their own, they have a nest on the otherside of our brook.

I noticed on your signature that you've got some Appleyards, we purchased a Trio last weekend they are beautiful, we've also got 4 runner ducklings and 5 aylesbury ducklings not sure on their sex yet unfortunately if we've got a few drakes they'll be going to market :0(.

Hatty

 

[Iain Utah]

It takes 24-48 hours from internal pip to external pip.

Congrats on your appleyards. They are quite the characters. I love mine!

You haven't gotten Mr. Fox yet?? Hm... have you tried traps or an overnight vigil with a firearm? Take care of your muscovy momma! It will be exciting for her to hatch babies, but you need to keep her safe!

 

[Hatty1]

I can hear them cherping from within their shells

I've just been out and had a go at venting - runners - 2 male & 2 female and the Aylesburys are looking like 1 Male & 4 Female so maybe just the 2 male runners that will go as we've already got 3 male runners on the farm.

Edwena (muscovy) was sat on her nest when I went down, shes lined it with feathers now lots of fluffy ones :0) maybe shes ready to start sitting properly, not too sure what were going to do when it gets closer to hatching as her nest is in the stable with the other ducks the geese are sectioned off and we've had to reduce the door opening so they can't get in!!

Right going to start the evening meal now, speak soon

Hatty

 

[Hatty1]

Got up this morning and 3 had externally pipped, when I looked again about 20mins later the 4th had so just 1 not externally pipped yet!

Roughly how long is it now until they hatch, this is where I got to last time and ended up helping, do I wait another 24 hrs?

Thanks,

Hatty

 

[Iain Utah]

YAY!!!!!!!!!

Do not do anything for at least 24 hours. Keep your hatcher closed and make sure your humidity is high. Remember, you made important changes to how you incubated these eggs from the 1st time. Unlike the last time, these babies have been going super strong and are right on track for hatching without help!!

 

[Hatty1]

I'm super excited. I can see inside on 2 of them now, the other 2 are still just chipped on the outside.

I am finding it hard to keep the humidity up! I have a bowl of water in there as well as the underneath vessels filled up and I have added a wet cloth, anything else I can try? maybe a sponge?

Thanks, Hatty

p.s i'll try to post some pics in a min

 

[Hatty1]

 

[Iain Utah]

They look perfect!!! I don't think I would risk opening bator to add sponge. You can siphon water through a vent hole onto floor of bator, if necessary.