July Hatch-a-long

[Heidisgran]

I know how hard it is but I'm sure they'll come soon!!

 

[sbrown]

Got 3 eggs pipped this morning. Their all the Rhode Island Reds. No Marans so far but should be soon. Conveniently, both my hatches this summer have been on the weekend. Think I'll start setting eggs from now on so that this happens and Im not at work.

 

[sbrown]

Wow! Congrats on all the new chicks - looking great!

I've heard if you have a forced air unit, that you can't turn off the fan for last 3 days, its better to hatch them in a still air unit. I tried to do it that way last time, but my new digital genesis was defective. Hygrometer reading 10% low. GQF won't honour warranty in Canada. Anywho, is ok. I will use separate hygrometer in the unit & try this again next spring.

Glad you found us, chicken farmer! Good luck to you & everybody here still hatching!

I guess my broodies are in lockdown mode today. Day 18! Can't wait for my new peeps!

I built my incubator so I can turn my fan off if needed but it didn't seem to be a problem leaving it on during my last hatch. My eggs are pipping now and my humidity is over 70% so I'll see how this hatch goes. Mine doesn't have an auto cooling feature as I used a hot water heater thermostat that I modified. It holds within 2 degrees cutting on and off but I just thought it odd that I noticed on both hatches that the temp wanted to drop in the last 3-4 days just slightly. I just wondered if it had something to do with the eggs coming to full development or something.

 

[Shellz]

Hmmm,...could be, I think. Like when chicks start to hatch, humidity jumps up. I've been told to not increase humidity until a pip is seen. Then only to 65%. I know how everybody's mileage can vary on this sort of thing. Once you find what works, stick with it. I have yet to find THE way & will try this way next time in spring.

Day 19 with my broodies.....can't wait!

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

A chick hatched last night

It's a lovely little blue Olive Egger with a fluffy yellow beard and yellow feathered legs. So cute! I have 2 more pips, and one of them is starting to zip. Or at least I think that's what's going on. The first chick has predictably kicked all the eggs to the corner, and it's difficult to see them now.

In my Hovabator, I keep my fan on during lockdown, but I try not to put any eggs directly under it. I find if I turn the fan off, then the temp fluctuates, and the last thing I want to do at that point is fiddle with the thermostat. I keep my humidity at 70%. That's what works for me. In the Brinsea, I control the humidity during lockdown by opening the vent if it gets too high, and adding water through the vent if it gets too low. It has a fan, but it's not as strong as the one in the Hovabator. Overall, I don't stress over the humidity very much. I pretty much ignore it during the first 18 days, and then add plenty of water at lockdown. As long as the air cell is getting bigger, I don't even add water until lockdown, but the relative humidity where I live is so high, that I don't need to.

 

[sbrown]

Same for me. The humidty here in Ga has stayed around 45-50% in my bator the whole time without adding any water. Its a little over 70 now since they are pipping and I added water. It sure goes slow it seems cause I keep going and checking every hour or so waiting to see the first chick. RIR and Marans hatching. Really excited to what colors of Marans I get as these are my first. Supposed to be some black copper, wheaton, blue and cuckoo.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Same for me. The humidty here in Ga has stayed around 45-50% in my bator the whole time without adding any water. Its a little over 70 now since they are pipping and I added water. It sure goes slow it seems cause I keep going and checking every hour or so waiting to see the first chick. RIR and Marans hatching. Really excited to what colors of Marans I get as these are my first. Supposed to be some black copper, wheaton, blue and cuckoo.

Awesome! I love Marans. I keep Black Copper and Blue Copper. I used to have some really stunning White Marans, but they were taken by a fox this spring. Anyway, I'm hoping to get some Wheaton Marans next year. Have you hatched Marans before? For me, they always seem to hatch on the late side, often on day 22 or 23, and I've heard other people say the same thing. This spring I even had one hatch on day 24. I had actually float tested and candled the egg, was certain it was done, and had put it on top of the compost to be taken out later. An hour later I heard it chirping! I put it back in the bator, and it hatched on it's on a few hours later. My son named the chicken Garbage.

I'm wondering if these OEs will hatch late, since the mom is a Blue Copper Marans.

 

[Shellz]

Great story Brooster! Wow, you just never know.
I have a Cuckoo Marans X Production Red pullet right now that's 17 weeks old & reddening up in the comb & wattles. I'm hoping she'll lay earlier than my pure cuckoos.

 

[sbrown]

Awesome!  I love Marans. I keep Black Copper and Blue Copper. I used to have some really stunning White Marans, but they were taken by a fox this spring. Anyway, I'm hoping to get some Wheaton Marans next year. Have you hatched Marans before? For me, they always seem to hatch on the late side, often on day 22 or 23, and I've heard other people say the same thing. This spring I even had one hatch on day 24. I had actually float tested and candled the egg, was certain it was done, and had put it on top of the compost to be taken out later. An hour later I heard it chirping! I put it back in the bator, and it hatched on it's on a few hours later. My son named the chicken Garbage. 

I'm wondering if these OEs will hatch late, since the mom is a Blue Copper Marans.

Yes these are my first Marans. So far 4of the RIR's have pipped but only one Marans. Im not really sure how long they were stored though before I got them.

 

[sharol]

My July hatch is complete. 50% healthy -- not bad for my first broody hatch and my own 2nd incubator hatch.

Marlena hatched 3 of her 6 eggs (one clear, one quitter, one chick died shortly after hatch) on days 19 and 20. (all appear to be full Marans, 2 blue for sure, 1 possibly black) (the third one is back by her tail.)



I got 3 from the 6 in the incubator (Marlena and I are tied) on day 22. One egg clear, 2 quitters) Two appear to be pure Marans, and the one little reddish/gold chick was probably fathered by a Buff Orp who was sharing the pen.



I was hoping my broody would adopt the ones from the incubator, but that wasn't happening, so they are in the brooder. Secretly, I sort of like having them closer to me.

Oh, and all 6 have feathered feet!!