July Hatch-a-long

[SilkieStepHen]

[COLOR=800080]Honestly I know some might not agree with me on this... but for me when I use my styrofoam bator which does not hold the humidity as well, I try to keep my humidity between 37- 44 for days 1-18, then I kick it up to 72-85 for lockdown. When I use my brinsea mini advance, which I am using right now for my silkie eggs cause there is only 8 of them, then I can't tell you what the humidity is because you have a cup in the middle of it that you fill half the cup for days 1-18, then fill all the way for lockdown. BUT I not only have the cup full for lockdown I also add a warm wet sponge in for lockdown too. Because I have cental air, which is set at about 71* it does act as a de humidifier in the air- that's why I keep my bator humidity higher than most ppl do. Before I did this I can't tell you how many shrink wrapped chicks I had, most of them I lost. It was AWFUL & expensive too! Also, and again I know I might get flack for this- BUT when I have an egg with an external pip- if it goes more than say 10 - 12 hours w/o advancement, I gradually help them. And if I have 1 hatch, and say more than 10 hours pass b/f I see any advancement from the other eggs, I have been known to do the external pip for them. I can't tell you how many I've saved this way. I don't advocate other's doing this- it's just what works for me... Oh and another thing, I only add very warm water to my bators, it takes too long other wise to heat it up.[/COLOR]

You're not alone, hun! I do almost exactly as you (except I only have the one styro-bator) and I don't wait long before assisting. I sat on my hands a few days ago and didn't listen to my gut. Gut said "help", everything else said "wait"... I lost my CM who had pipped internally but never made it out. When my Silkie pipped internally two days ago, I kept candling her every 2 hours or so... something didn't feel right. The last time I candled her, her breathing was really, REALLY fast, but she wasn't moving - so I pipped for her. It took her a minute but she started chirping, then trying to get out... which I had to help her with as well. She was just exhausted and apparently her shell was super thick and wasn't getting the oxygen she needed. Slowly got her out and today she's fluffed up and starving! LOL! She has already had her first meal and first poop, now she's sleeping in her brooder snug as a bug! And I just realized I was rambling, sorry.

 

[SilkieStepHen]

sad news already...almost as soon as it pipped it died...can't see a thing wrong except I think it had a little film on its beak that caused it to suffocate...I wish I'd known!! I could have saved it! our hearts are broke poor baby

So sorry hun

 

[sharol]

All newly laid eggs are damp. I've had hens lay an egg into my hand (it was a lucky shot both times). It is the "bloom" that the chicken "sprays" on the egg to protect it from bacterial infection. On dark eggs, it also is part of the brown color. You can actually rub it off while it is still wet. Perfectly normal. (and VERY COOL)

I seem to have hens that lay wet eggs...I'm always picking hay and the occasional feather fluff off. The eggs are other wise clean (unless we've had rain and then I might find a mud smudged egg) except for the hay.

Aww. So sorry.

CG

 

[Gofygure]

LOL you're the only person I know who hopes for cockerels!

I have all the ladies I could ask for right now! The last batch ended up with 4 girls and two boys, same story with the one before it. We mostly hatch to eat the cockerels, but lately I've been getting all pullets all the time. Dear Chicken Gods, send me something good to eat.

 

[PugBug]

And looks like I'll be in for the Aug hatch! My SFH's have finally started to lay! I got 1 egg today, no way to know which hen, but I am sure the other girls in the pen will begin to lay soon since they are all the same age. So hopefully by next week I'll have enough of their eggs to set-

 

[sharol]

LOL

I'm hoping for a boy from my June hatch (of only 2 chicks) because they are the last chicks from my wonderful, deceased rooster, Butch. He was an amazing rooster, and I would like to keep the genetics. He was gentle with the girls, firm in his intolerance of bullying between the hens, completely non human aggressive and a fierce defender when they were threatened by hawks.

I'm just hoping one of those babies is a cockerel. Normally I want girls, but not this time.

I have all the ladies I could ask for right now! The last batch ended up with 4 girls and two boys, same story with the one before it. We mostly hatch to eat the cockerels, but lately I've been getting all pullets all the time. Dear Chicken Gods, send me something good to eat.

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Hmmm. I think I counted wrong. I set the eggs on the 15th. Do I count the 15th, or after it's been 24 hr (the 16th) If I was wrong, and the date is tomorrow, will the extra day of lock down hurt them? I thought they were due today, and put them in lock down on the third. Thanks- Pam

 

[PugBug]

Hmmm. I think I counted wrong. I set the eggs on the 15th. Do I count the 15th, or after it's been 24 hr (the 16th) If I was wrong, and the date is tomorrow, will the extra day of lock down hurt them? I thought they were due today, and put them in lock down on the third. Thanks- Pam

It's not gonna hurt, some people actually stop turning anywhere from days 17-19

 

[ceocka]

You're not alone, hun! I do almost exactly as you (except I only have the one styro-bator) and I don't wait long before assisting. I sat on my hands a few days ago and didn't listen to my gut. Gut said "help", everything else said "wait"... I lost my CM who had pipped internally but never made it out. When my Silkie pipped internally two days ago, I kept candling her every 2 hours or so... something didn't feel right. The last time I candled her, her breathing was really, REALLY fast, but she wasn't moving - so I pipped for her. It took her a minute but she started chirping, then trying to get out... which I had to help her with as well. She was just exhausted and apparently her shell was super thick and wasn't getting the oxygen she needed. Slowly got her out and today she's fluffed up and starving! LOL! She has already had her first meal and first poop, now she's sleeping in her brooder snug as a bug! And I just realized I was rambling, sorry.

Me too. I am with you both so y'all are not alone!

[COLOR=800080]And looks like I'll be in for the Aug hatch! My SFH's have finally started to lay! I got 1 egg today, no way to know which hen, but I am sure the other girls in the pen will begin to lay soon since they are all the same age. So hopefully by next week I'll have enough of their eggs to set-[/COLOR]

That is awesome!

Hmmm. I think I counted wrong. I set the eggs on the 15th. Do I count the 15th, or after it's been 24 hr (the 16th) If I was wrong, and the date is tomorrow, will the extra day of lock down hurt them? I thought they were due today, and put them in lock down on the third.  Thanks- Pam

 

an extra day or two is fine. I lock mine down a few days early so they can position themselves better!

 

[PugBug]

sad news already...almost as soon as it pipped it died...can't see a thing wrong except I think it had a little film on its beak that caused it to suffocate...I wish I'd known!! I could have saved it! our hearts are broke poor baby

Aw sorry to hear this! I hate to loose one when I think I could have helped, but many times it happens