Late Feburary-Early March 2016 Hatch-A-Long!

[Em Ty]

I use the black freezer wax pencils. Get em at the grocery store.

I used sharpie with this batch with no ill effects so far. 46 eggs set and only one quitter. I'm currently in lock down.

Thanks for the help.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I have a pip!!!!
One of the eggs also has a tiny hairline crack. Does that count as a pip or is it an almost-pip?

I do hope you can see that crack from outside the bator with it closed, right?

Let me just remind all first time hatchers, the worst thing you can do after lockdown is open the bator too frequently, or for too long. Too frequently means less than 6 hours from the last time you opened it...ideally you can do it only 2 times a day 12 hours apart. Short of a chick drowning in a bowl of water, there's very little that is important enough to make you open the bator more frequently. Too long means you keep the bator open for more than 20 minutes, since its during this time that membrane can shrink-wrap a chick or stick to it. If necessary, have a Q-tip handy and dip it in water, then use it to wet the visible membrane on all chicks.

What do you use to mark your eggs? I use pencil, but it doesn't show up very well. I'm just worried about what's safe to use.

Thanks

As you can see from my post earlier today, I mark my eggs with a sharpie. The membranes will prevent anything from entering the egg while there's a chance (e.g. before the sharpie dries), coupled with the fact the egg is (typically) only expiring moisture, not absorbing.

Pencil can rub off, or smudge, and there's the chance that it could crack the shell if pressed too hard. Sharpies are distinct, soft on the shell, and marking both ends of the eggs ensures I can keep track of the hatches.

 

[butterfliesdoku]

I do hope you can see that crack from outside the bator with it closed, right?

Let me just remind all first time hatchers, the worst thing you can do after lockdown is open the bator too frequently, or for too long. Too frequently means less than 6 hours from the last time you opened it...ideally you can do it only 2 times a day 12 hours apart. Short of a chick drowning in a bowl of water, there's very little that is important enough to make you open the bator more frequently. Too long means you keep the bator open for more than 20 minutes, since its during this time that membrane can shrink-wrap a chick or stick to it. If necessary, have a Q-tip handy and dip it in water, then use it to wet the visible membrane on all chicks. 

Thank you for your concern, yes the incubator is closed. Even though I'm slightly impatient I don't feel brave (or stupid) enough to risk the lives of these babies.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I'm getting some turkey eggs this weekend and will be setting them for the first time. I've hatched out a few chickens in the past but this will be my first try with turkeys. Wish me luck. I'm hoping to raise them for the holidays.

 

[Purpletie3]

Day 19 1/2 and no external pips yet but I caught 3 eggs wiggling last night and I heard faint chirping coming from one of the eggs (must be internal pip unless it pipped externally where I can't see). I have a question: I placed paper towels on the bottom and am worried that it will draw out the moisture from the shells when the chicks pip/zip, will there be a problem? Has anyone used paper towels to line the hatcher?

Maybe you will see some chicks soon! That's great! I have had paper towels under certain areas but I usually put them in wet- but, the humidity does tend to rise during hatch when the chicken hatches and then drops off. You should be fine.

So 15 live chicks from 20 eggs, 75% hatch rate. Would have liked to have more but again, a learning experience.

Nice job on your hatch. Sounds like you have a great critique of you experience.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Thank you for your concern, yes the incubator is closed. Even though I'm slightly impatient I don't feel brave (or stupid) enough to risk the lives of these babies.

Please let me put your mind at ease, I can't eat my own dog food, I killed at least 3 in my last hatch cause I opened the bator too much.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I'm getting some turkey eggs this weekend and will be setting them for the first time. I've hatched out a few chickens in the past but this will be my first try with turkeys. Wish me luck. I'm hoping to raise them for the holidays.

I am with you, I have taken young turkeys into my pens (and they died), but this hatch I got going now is the first time I try to hatch turkeys...so, we'll do that together.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Nice to know I'm not alone.

The buddy system is always best. I have my incubator on and trying to get my temps and humidity regulated while waiting for the eggs. I have it set up in my spare room so I'm hoping that my hubby won't really think much about the fact that I have poults in the house once they hatch. I want to keep them in the house until fully feathered UNLESS my silkie is broody at the time of hatch. Then I hope to sneak them under her to let her raise them. Just the idea of her being so small raising some turkeys is funny since they will outgrow her fast!

 

[NTBugtraq]

Nice to know I'm not alone.

The buddy system is always best. I have my incubator on and trying to get my temps and humidity regulated while waiting for the eggs. I have it set up in my spare room so I'm hoping that my hubby won't really think much about the fact that I have poults in the house once they hatch. I want to keep them in the house until fully feathered UNLESS my silkie is broody at the time of hatch. Then I hope to sneak them under her to let her raise them. Just the idea of her being so small raising some turkeys is funny since they will outgrow her fast!

You cannot keep them inside past 3 weeks. Maybe you don't know, but the dust will be ridiculous at 3 weeks, so, start making a plan. That said, they should be fully feathered at 3 weeks, mine have always been. And, at 3 weeks, you do not need to stick them under anyone, they are honestly able to take care of themselves. If you are moving them from a brooder to some pen, do what you do when you put them in a brooder, each chick needs to have its beak dunked into the watering system and then put down right next to it.

I have been told that my turkeys hatching with my chickens should be no problem. They will end up being roughly the same size when they get to the brooder. The bigger problem, based on my past experience, comes at 16-18 weeks.

 

[KeyFlock]

Well, I just candled, and out of 42 eggs I pulled 8 clears, but all the others looked great!