january hatch-a-long

[muddy75]

We have babies! (had to help #3 out but were very quick about it!) #4 almost out....more pipped and looked like possible movement from the 1 that pipped wrong end yesterday

 

[aliciaplus3]

currently have 7 new babies out and in the brooder with 5 more maybes in the bator

 

[aliciaplus3]

View attachment 1636917 currently have 7 new babies out and in the brooder with 5 more maybes in the bator

Just checked the final 5 eggs and all are looking good!

 

[Kiki]

Started with 40 eggs.
One quitter:

I pulled 18 clears.

I'm left with 21 potential babies!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

I was explaining to one of the kids earlier how we check if there's a baby in the egg or not. I pulled out one of the white ones to show as an example. My only flashlight until tonight is my cellphone, but I figured they'd get the idea.
While I was showing the egg we spotted what looks like the first stages of the baby. A dark dot with a few "vines" coming off for about 1/4th of an inch. Isn't it too early to see the baby growth? We put the eggs in Saturday evening.

The kids are also enjoying flipping the eggs. I put an X and O on the top/bottom. Every few hours someone flips them from one side to the other. (They're in an egg carton to keep them upright) we have a chart above the incubator where you wright down the time flipped, and if it was an X or O and who flipped it. The kids love it. I had to set a limit on how often the eggs can be flipped!

If you have the eggs upright, they only need to be tilted (preferably 45 degrees). The air cell should always remain on top. You are not flipping them putting the air cell downward, are you?

View attachment 1636917 currently have 7 new babies out and in the brooder with 5 more maybes in the bator

Omg how stinkin cute!!

 

[Tatuana]

If you have the eggs upright, they only need to be tilted (preferably 45 degrees). The air cell should always remain on top. You are not flipping them putting the air cell downward, are you?

Sorry, that was worded really badly! We put an "X" on the top "Right" of the egg, and an O on the bottom "left". Then on the egg carton we drew an X on one side and O on the other so you know which side the eggs point. That way they can tell if it's the top/bottom of the egg and such in case one slips.
We then have a mini wooden blocks that they shift from the X side to the Other side every few hours so they get shifted.

Complex, but it keeps the eggs safe from being handled/played with!

 

[mitziworm]

Took the 2 chicks out earlier today, no pips in remaining eggs so I'm thinking that's it for this hatch but I have left them in the hatcher for now. Here are the 2 babies

 

[Nimueh Alene]

11 Bielefelders went into incubator yesterday 11 am central time. Had to use 2 brinsea mini because eggs are as large as duck eggs!

 

[aliciaplus3]

3 more were out this morn

 

[Compost King]

Here are some pictures of the chicks I hatched. Not a great hatch rate and I do not have the time to figure out why. The Mud is finally drying and I can walk in the back without heavy rubber boots. I have never dealt with mud like this before. I finally was able to get ladders to be stable where I needed to structural roof repairs from that slush blizzard we had. I had some time to break out the camera and take pictures. I have 2 Maran Black Sex Links 2 Silver Grey Dorking's, and 6 Dorking x Red Rangers. Most of the ones that did not make it were Seramas. I also had a fairly bad hatch rate from the Silver Grey Dorkings. Since I am working on regrading and reclaiming land from the mud flood I am not even going to waste time on figuring out my mistakes which are likely related to me not putting much time into the hatch due to circumstances. Finally dried out for the first time in months and Poof we have another winter storm Ice/Rain this weekend.