March Hatch-A-Long

[SA Farm]

Yes I have considered that I just don’t want it to get too high either while I sleep especially since now I know I have at least one detached air cell...this is what I think I seen this is my first time I don’t have anyone here rn to take pics and don’t want to overhandle eggs..I’ll take pics when I candle next not sure if going to at 3 or wait till day 6...eggs 1,2,4,7,8,9 all look attached and good other than eggs 7 is slightly not much bigger air cell and 9 a tad bigger than that assuming their the oldest but I think okay ...egg 5 I think is attached and good but is pretty dark egg..eggs 3&6 are dark couldn’t see..egg is definitely not attached and moves wherever I understand this one will likely not hatch but worth a shot...soo here’s my issue...do I just put them all in egg carton and gently lift or just lean eggs and not actually turn or leave straight up and turn egg gently?? Should I put them in pointy end down of course and not touch for two days?? Seen that apt in my readings not to touch for two days then begin the leaning turning in carton? Will this affect the ones I believe are attached and good?? And then stop turning day 16 instead of 18 or??? Want you very experienced hatchers opinions on what you would do..still waiting for humidity to come down from putting too much water..sucked some out but hasn’t went down.. also I’ve seen some say keep humidity lower with detached cell but some are fine should I still keep at 40/45 or go with 35/40? I’m gonna be a pain especially this first time so I apologize in advance ..the one not attached is egg 10 I didn’t put the number up above..

Low humidity overnight shouldn’t be a problem. I often let mine drop to 25 and don’t worry about it as it’s never affected my hatch rates. If it does tend to drop overnight, keeping it at 40/45 for the most part should balance it out.

I’ve never worked with shipped eggs, so I can’t really help from personal experience, but I’ve read that others have simply let the detached ones sit for a few days before incubating, but since yours are already being incubated...I’d turn them. The rest should all be turned normally and lock them all down as usual.

 

[Tatuana]

Day 7 for my eggs! All but two are showing signs of life. Some further along than others. This batch worries me more than my other batch.

If you look at the video (may need to turn your brightness up) you can see the air cell wobble quiet a bit. All the eggs are like that but two. They're developing okay, but something to watch. I've never dealt with wobbles before.

My other eggs seem to be developing oddly. I've only done one other batch, but I don't think they should dip like this. The air cell is still on the top. Is this because the embryo hasn't grown to that side of the egg or should I be concerned about it? About half are like that. I turn them often. On lax days it's at least 3 times, I try for more like 7.

 

[Peep_Show]

With shipped eggs the method I use is to candle them, let them settle for 8-12 hours and then put them in the incubator with the turner OFF for another 24 hours. Then turner on and hatch as normal, counting that first heated day unturned as an incubation day. (So in the incubator for 18 days and you're turning eggs for 17 days before lockdown.) Shipped eggs are already aged, so no advantage to letting them get older before incubation.

Candling upon arrival will help determine if the USPS has graciously pre-scrambled them for you and detached cell bubbles and misshapen air cells will be apparent. Detached cells are a tough one and rarely do I have success with them. Saddle cells are easier. Upon candling (Day 10), draw the outline of the cell and then when it's lockdown time make sure the large space side is tilted upward, like a face facing the sun.

 

[Peep_Show]

Hmmm... Do most folks candle from the bottom of the egg?

I smush my Cool-Lite against the air cell end (don't even have to take the eggs out of the turner) to see vein development at the air cell's edge. If it doesn't look right, then I take the egg out for a more thorough inspection. (Blood rings, sad blobs, clears)

 

[AngieMaesChix]

@Peepshow yes that’s what I did..and I plan on starting to turn in twenty four hours after I set them I’ve read ALOT lol and this seems the best way...and just hope for the best I know a quite a few looked really good so hopefully I get a decent hatch I’d be happy with the 50% they say to expect from shipped..

 

[mitziworm]

We ordered the titan brooder today, we were hoping to use it as soon as they hatch and dry in this house that my husband built (maybe put a box in it to keep them together because it iskind of big. We got some sawdust for the flooring. Would this work or will we find ouselves with squished chicks when thesecond round hatches? We will keep this little house inside our living room which runs about 19 celcius.
Thanks for your feedback!!
MeyerView attachment 1695118

Love your brooder box! I use oaten chaff for bedding, it's soft warm and shouldn't hurt if they eat it but I think lots of people use shavings. Depends how many chicks you have and I have put new chicks straight in with 1 week olds under the titan but there were only about 5 bigger chicks and 1 or 2 new ones, the titan will take 20 day old chicks but as the chicks grow they won't all fit. You shouldn't need to box them the chicks seem to naturally know what to do once they have been shown the water and the heat source.
The only chicks that seem to not survive in mixed groups maybe wouldn't survive anyway. My bathroom is the chick room to keep cats off them, it was about 16°c when I started in September and I needed a heater to keep it around 21°c for the incubators to maintain heat. 19°c should be good.

 

[Peep_Show]

Shipped eggs are a tricky lot with so many wildcards as to the condition they're in when you get them. I've had 0% hatch rate, 100% hatch rate and everything in between. IF you have a lousy hatch rate with foreign eggs, don't be discouraged. Sometimes it just happens that way no matter what your factor in the hatching equation is.

 

[Tatuana]

Saddle cells are easier. Upon candling (Day 10), draw the outline of the cell and then when it's lockdown time make sure the large space side is tilted upward, like a face facing the sun.

I didn't even know there was a term for what they were called. Thank you! I'm hoping even with the wobbly air cells they'll hatch. They have a lot going for and against them.

 

[MontainBourbons]

83 CHICKS TOTAL. Hatched a total of 83 Maran chicks out of 135 viable eggs. All of them look fairly healthy even one that had a splayed egg that is now moving around. Took around 36 hours from first to last out.
Here's a quick pic I took of them

 

[Merrymouse]

Houston, we have a pip!

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