March 13th 2016 Hatch-A-long

[Joplus]

My hatch is over. Out of 21 I got 17 chicks. I eggtopsied and 3 were shrink wrapped

and it's that dip in humidity I think. One turned all black inside (bacteria)? I had to assist all 3 Rhode Island Reds and the last one is not mobile. I am helping it drink water and it's in a Tupperware in the brooder so it doesn't get trampled. Loads of pics I'll post. I love them!

 

[Joplus]

 

[jnr005]

So we have had 8 orf 9 eggs hatch. Last one looks to be a dud since I don't see movement. Have 3 that look like Barrock chicks (black with yellow spot on head) and then 5 yellow/yellow white chicks. Our friends that gave us the eggs think they have Barrock, leg horn, and Rhode Island reds. One of the black chicks has a redish brown face...really cute . All of them are active and looking good. Last 3 are drying in the bator this morning so they can move to the brooder tonight

 

[Faraday40]

jnr005
Congrats on your hatch! You have the same incubator as my son's preschool. Once they heard that we have chickens, they talked the school into buying an incubator to do hatching. I recommended one with an XL viewing area, b/c watching them hatch is one of the big deals. My son is in K, but he will come along with me to teach the PreK classes about chicks.

 

[jnr005]

I love this incubator. Any smaller on the window and I would have been freaking out about not being able to see them

As it was I was crazy watching them hatch at all hours.

 

[Faraday40]

I'm not having much luck with hatching Bielefelders this spring. I got 6 eggs from a friend. 4 hatched & all 4 were mixes. (I had a 50% chance of getting a pure Biele.) They gave me another 6 eggs; 4 of which developed. Today is day 21 & so far no pips. I kept my little broody sitting on blank eggs so she could adopt whatever hatches. I'd hate to disappoint the poor girl.

She hatched some Bieles & Orps last year. By 3.5 weeks they were almost her size.

 

[jnr005]

Well, all said and done. 18 eggs. 8 clears, 1 quitter. 9 went to lockdown: 8 baby chicks and 1 dead during hatching. I blame the last one on me. I thought it was a dud, opened up the aircell end and realized it was alive. I had nicked a blood vessel. Although it appeared to stop bleeding and I moistened it and put it back...it passed about 2 hrs later. I feel horrible about it. Next time I'm going to clean out the bator real quick and just let any late eggs chill in the bator for a few extra days. (The bator stunk so bad from all the afterbirth egg mess...)

 

[Faraday40]

Congrats on finishing your hatch. Your chicks are very cute.
Please send some good hatching vibes my way.

I still have 4 (Biele or Biele mix eggs) in lockdown - day 22 & still no pips. I couldn't help but try to candle a moment ago. One no change. A 2nd started peeping when I touched it, so I quickly closed the door. So glad the humidity went back up to 65% in under 60 sec. Perhaps my Bieles just need more time to develop those enormous bodies. (I usually have pips on days 19-20 & an explosion of hatching on days 21-22. This late hatch is making me so nervous.) Their egg shells are very strong/thick.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Congrats on finishing your hatch. Your chicks are very cute.
Please send some good hatching vibes my way.

I still have 4 (Biele or Biele mix eggs) in lockdown - day 22 & still no pips. I couldn't help but try to candle a moment ago. One no change. A 2nd started peeping when I touched it, so I quickly closed the door. So glad the humidity went back up to 65% in under 60 sec. Perhaps my Bieles just need more time to develop those enormous bodies. (I usually have pips on days 19-20 & an explosion of hatching on days 21-22. This late hatch is making me so nervous.) Their egg shells are very strong/thick.

Ugh thats nerve wracking for sure!!

 

[jnr005]

Congrats on finishing your hatch.  Your chicks are very cute.
Please send some good hatching vibes my way.

I still have 4 (Biele or Biele mix eggs) in lockdown - day 22 & still no pips.  I couldn't help but try to candle a moment ago.  One no change.  A 2nd started peeping when I touched it, so I quickly closed the door.  So glad the humidity went back up to 65% in under 60 sec.  Perhaps my Bieles just need more time to develop those enormous bodies. (I usually have pips on days 19-20 & an explosion of hatching on days 21-22.  This late hatch is making me so nervous.)  Their egg shells are very strong/thick.

Sending good vibes!!! I am sure they will start hatching soon. I think if I had waited, my last one would have had a chance and must just have been a slow grower. As for the one with nothing...mine seemed dead/not there and was. So if it doesn't smell, as everyone else always says, leave it and give it a chance. I'd rather have it die without my help then to die because I messed up and helped to soon. :-(.