It's Friday, the 13th... and setting eggs

[4mom82]

Congrats to everyone with a good hatch! Lionkitty 71, I am so sorry! I know how you feel. I set 30 eggs, and only 5 hatched. I am very thankful for the 5 that I have. This was my third hatching attempt. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I thought I was doing everything perfect this time. Here is a pic of my fuzzy butts.

 

[catlvr976]

I think we're done here.

Began with 16 shipped eggs.

Began lockdown with 13....

Have a total of 9, but I think one should not have been helped out. It seems like one of it's legs is not working properly. It was stuck for the longest time and was starting to dry so I let my kids pleas to help the little one get to me and so helped it out. I guess that's what I get-don't interfere with nature. Now we'll have to figure out a way to cull it humanely. Sigh.

3 pipped but died shortly after, one never pipped at all.

So, out 8 out of 13 that went into lockdown, I'm pretty happy for my first hatch. If I can upload the pics, I'll post them.

 

[lionkitty71]

Thanks all... my shipped eggs is what i wanted to hatch so bad they were polish crested frizzles... My first hatch was good second one no....I joined the May egg swap so i get to try again.... im hoping to find more polish crested frizzles maybe around same time... It is heart wrenching....maybe one good thing is since these didnt hatch boyfriend says i get more eggs to hatch =).. looking at the postive.. that chicken math ya know..lol

 

[paynesgrae]

still @ 6 eggs. Leaving them in until day 25

Not looking forward to doing this again in a week... Lockdown starts next Sunday 25 eggs(so far) this time. Sigh.

recap:
1st hatch all died. 7 eggs. Three were clears, two died around day 10, and two died at lock down.
2nd hatch all died 8 eggs. 5 were clear, the rest died before lockdown
3d hatch as of day #23 - 12 eggs. 8 made it to lockdown. Two out on day 20. One of the two hatched with a swollen head and neck. It also had labored breathing and one eye was closer to the beak than the other eye. After about two hours the swelling went down and now the little guy is doing great.

Yeah... hatch #4 will be the last one for me. :/

 

[DawnMarie74]

Sorry to hear about all the bad hatches. Mine wasn't that great either. Started with 38 eggs and 25 went into lockdown. I had 10 chicks, but two died this morning. So many of mine zipped and died, and all were developed. I'm grateful for the 8 I have left, and will post a picture of them when my camera battery charges. I'm curious to know what kind of incubators were used for those of you who had bad hatches as well. Mine is a styrofoam hovabator, and my hatches are getting worse with each use. I'm hoping to get the the ReptiPro 6000 for Mother's Day

 

[4mom82]

I used a Little Giant, and recently installed a fan for this hatch. I thought maybe that was the problem.. I disinfected the incubator between hatches and ran it without the plugs this time. I used 4 thermometers and 2 hygrometers. I want to blame the post office. That helps my conscious a little. Just took this pic. They're so sweet!

 

[chick123600]

I still have until this thursday for my two out of 14 to hatch. Mine are guinea eggs. I think it was because the humidity kept going up and down that I only have two left. I haven't candled them at all since last tuesday. I will candle them tonight though to see, I don't think I will see anything though, these two have really dark shells.

 

[killingthyme]

I must also report a less than stellar hatch. 13 little cuties out of 42 eggs. If I exclude the ones that were clear, 13/38 = 34%. If I exclude the shipped eggs; 7/14 = 50%. 6/24 shipped eggs for a whopping 25%. I'll post photos soon - they are all adorable.

I can't say for sure whether I'll try this again. It might be easier and less expensive just to buy chicks.

 

[The Chickeneer]

22 out of 27 chicks hatched

I'm very happy. For the Easter hatch along, I set 41 eggs and only 3 hatched

has no idea what went wrong, so I do feel for you who did not have such a good hatch this time around.

 

[BBK]

I found out the hard way...that you need a lot of humidity towards the end... I put a pile of paper towels in there and soak them until they are dripping... that seem to take care of that problem of no sticking to egg shells or getting stuck... I can't fix the clear ones or the ones that get scrambled.... but I will keep getting shipped eggs, b/c that's the only way of getting all of the different breeds...

It seems I'm a 2 at a time gal...

Melinda