March Hatch-Along Thread- Come Hatch With Us!!!!!

[hokankai]

If there are no veins then yeah, it's a quitter. The veins break down when the embryo dies.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Alright, thank you - I'll pull that one and the other one that's a quitter. This means I can add the turner tonight and hopefully help get them in the proper position for hatching if my turning wasn't sufficent enough. Of course, I'll have to pull the turner tomorrow for lockdown.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

So the other one still has very faint veining in it but no movement. Could it be a recent quitter? Or is there a little one inside? I would hate to throw it out if there was one in there

 

[hokankai]

You can leave it just in case, but it's possible it's a late quitter. Veins should be thick in a healthy chick. Try staring at it for a minute with the light, and tapping the shell with your fingernail. If it's not moving then it's probably done. However as long as it doesn't stink you can leave it if you'd like. You can actually stop turning now. I hear that stopping at day 16 helps them to position. They don't really need to be turned past day 14 anyway.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Thanks so much for the info! I really apperciate it. I left it in there. Really hoping egg #8 makes it... That one is my happy dancer in the egg. Saw him doing his little dance tonight! Thanks so much for the help.

 

[PugBug]

Aww Pug I am so sorry to hear that. Was it under the eco glow's that they were getting smushed? I haven't had anything like that happen with mine but I use a heat lamp.

2 of them were under the ecoglow, even tho I have it up on the tallest level. They all seem to like to pile up on one another. The other 2 it happened while they piled up near a corner of the brooder. I really liked using the pellets, they were great for controlling odor. I have been using it for the pen with my baby ducks and the rabbits. The older chicks would prob be ok with it too. Just the little ones I can't use it for.

 

[PugBug]

Sorry y'all ive not been around since this morning. Trying to get packed to leave tomorrow, and getting the brooder ready, running back and forth getting 12 chicks throughout the day transferred from bator to brooder. Since we are keeping them had to go buy some chick stuff.

Since they hatched so late we don't have time to sell them so ive set up the brooder up in the tub for now. Ive got my sister watching them for us till we get back. Ive got a ten gallon feeder going in tomorrow, then on either side of the brooder opposite the heat lamp I'm going to install 2-64 once water bottles. I dnt want to do a auto drinker so they don't make a wet sloppy mess of the water and brooder. My sister will only have to mess with the water in the evening. I bribed my sister with a day at the spa for checking on the babies.

We have 12 maybe one more on the way. Man the incubator stinks!!!!!! Ive already took the opened eggs, sponge, paper towels out when I took the chicks out. Number 12 is still in the bator, I will take that one out in a little bit. I'm exhausted!!!!! I really ddnt think we were going to get this many out. I'm taking pictures tomorrow, then when we get to our destination I will post pictures.

Again thank u for all the encouragement and kind words!! Man what a day! Off to bed, chat again tomorrow night.

Oh good, I'm glad you figured something out!

 

[thailand]

Going on lockdown in the morning!

Then Im out of town for the next three days. Hope I come home to some pips

Hi Hatching Buddy,

Yep, and we've got lockdown here in Thailand tonight! Yipeeeeeee, can't believe the time has finally arrived. I'm excited and really nervous all rolled into one! I SO want baby chicks.

A couple of quick questions if I may...I've heard others say that they see when a chick has pipped internally. Other than the obvious - you candle the egg and see it - what day are you guys candling to see this please? I mean, once in lockdown you're not meant to open the bator right? So, can I assume that on day 18 when you're locking them down and candling for the last time that you're seeing internal pips then?? Thanks, I'm such a newbie LOL, and just wanting to be sure I don't do anything stupid - or conversely miss doing something I should!!

Also, is it necessary to DECREASE the incubator temperature for lockdown? The manual (translated into very poor English) for my Chinese made incubator says to lower the temperature for hatching. The actual instructions are as follows: temp. 38.2 C from 1st to 6th day, then 38 C from 7th to 14th day, then 37.8 C on 15th day, then finally 37.2 - 37.5 C from 16th day till hatching.

I have not followed the above temps., but have instead tried to keep it at 37.5 - 37.7 throughout so far. What would others advise please....steady as she goes, or lower the temp. a bit for the last 3 days?

Many, many thanks from an anxious 1st time hatcher.

 

[PugBug]

That sounds like they are too cold under the ecoglow. I use an ecoglow 50 and they never pile on top of eachother for any reason :\. I do not use loose bedding until they are around a week old. I start them off on potty pads for dogs.

This is the only group that does the 'pile up'. I've not had it happen with other's before either. And in my other brooder those chicks don't do it. I don't think they are cold, they just seem to like being bunched up when they sleep. Only 2 chicks died under the ecoglow, the other 2 died when they did the pile up over near one of the corners of the brooder- not under the ecoglow.
I start mine off on that rubber matting until they are about 4-5 days old to make sure they have got their footing before adding the shavings.

 

[PugBug]

HERE is the eyebrow chick. my new camera cant seem to get it to work with paintshop to crop
Out of abut 15-20 chicks he is the only one to have this eyebrow and its on both sides like EYEBROWS!

Part of the babies

Congrats Rox- and that little eyebrow baby is darling!!! Wonder how it will look when grown up?