It finally came! My new Incubator is here! Set my eggs tonight. Anyone else?

[jamesaramey]

I HATCH ALL MINE IN THE CRATES AND HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM

 

[bobbi-j]

i just put them under her this afternoon and she is excepting them..... YAY They are not due to hatch til Friday, I was just wondering if its ok to do and still will hatch,,,Thank you for returning or answering my Questions...

So how did it turn out? Did they hatch? Did the mama accept them if they did?

 

[Queen of the chickens]

Our total is up to 7. One more is almost there, but can't seem to wiggle out. It's been at the same point for well over an hour. It has been getting picked on by the older chicks. They peck at his feather sticking out and then sit on the egg. I decided everyone needed a nap, so I put a towel over the window to make it dark in there. I will check again in a bit. I was finding it stressful to watch.

I have 4 eggs that have not pipped. How long should I wait for them? I would really like to have everyone out of the incubator by tomorrow night. Some will be 48 hours old by then.

 

[Queen of the chickens]

This morning it had finally hatched. All 8 are doing well. I left them all in for an extra day. If pipping hasn't occurred by this evening, I a pulling the plug. That gives me 8 out of 13. Not bad, but I wonder what happened to the others? I had live chicks in them the last time I candled. I may have to try the dry method next time and compare results.

 

[orumpoultry]

They may be a little behind. I'd pull the old chicks out and candle the eggs before unplugging it.

 

[Queen of the chickens]

I had no new pips so I took my hatchlings out and took a look at the eggs. Almost all of the ones who didn't hatch had extra large air cells. Does that mean the humidity was too low? (Kept it in the 40s or low 50s) Or could the shells have been too porous? I numbered the eggs.and a couple were the oldest I collected, but one was almost the last that I collected, a couple in the middle. One of the eggs looked like it had blood kind of pooled by the air cell. I am thinking something just went wrong with the development. I don't know. Any suggestions? Overall I am happy with this bunch.

I did wake up this morning wondering what I will do if the mixes are cockerels. I won't be able to justify keeping them for show or breeding, and yet I am so invested in them. Hard to think about butchering them. Kind of half to keep my distance with the critters I'm going to eat. I don't know what they will look like but the EE mix is a gorgeous chick. I will have to get some pictures.

 

[orumpoultry]

It could have been a multitude of factors. I'd guess high humidity and poor development somehow mixed together. But, if it was high humidity, I'd think more eggs would have been affected?

My hen still hasn't started hatching, need to go candle her tomorrow. I've got my nephew, I'm sure he would love to help.

 

[orumpoultry]

I hear CHEEPING! Chicks should be here soon, but the mama hen won't let me check her anymore.