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

[PugBug]

Looks like I am not the only crazy one not sleeping at 5am!

And I'm really crazy b/c I have to get up in like 2 hrs to get back to stripping the stall floors down! I think that's why I can't sleep- I'm too tired. Worked myself half to death, then couldn't sleep. I'll be dead on my ft in a few hours ...

 

[mjanderson437]

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.

This is my first ever hatch, so no experience talking here, but the manual for my Brinsea incubator also says you can decrease temps by 2 degrees F for hatching. However it doesn't make it sound required. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in.

Best of luck with your hatch.

 

[TheH Klan of 10]

[COLOR=800080]And I'm really crazy b/c I have to get up in like 2 hrs to get back to stripping the stall floors down! I think that's why I can't sleep- I'm too tired. Worked myself half to death, then couldn't sleep. I'll be dead on my ft in a few hours ...[/COLOR]

Lol ya me too... But I am up with a lil one with fever so while waiting for it to go down , thought I would catch up from a busy Sunday .
Sounds like you have a lot to do tomorrow , here it is supposed to be a yucky soggy day!

 

[mjanderson437]

7! Seven! SEVEN!! That's how many baby ducks hatched overnight. And that's out of seven eggs! Let's hope the chickees do as well! Still just 1 pip there. But it's only day 20.

ETA: 3 pips!!

 

[Maah]

I'm worried that I'm not turning my eggs good enough... Since I have 9 in there, I have been putting a towel on one side of the BMA and then switching it back and forth. The eggs move, but some hardly move at all. If they don't receive sufficient turning, what can happen to them?

Well, I know you're going into lockdown soon so my idea here isn't very helpful for you now, but I figured I'd share what I've been doing with my BMA. I have too many eggs in there to use the turner... and they all seem to be sticking around. I haven't found any quitters yet. I don't know if this is going to work good enough,... but it has been easy enough for my lazy bum. LOL. I put my BMA on a "lazy susan" turntable, and then propped the turntable on to rubber grip and books to put it at a 45 degree angle. Every few hours during the day I just spin the lazy susan a bit and hope it's good enough. Not the most luxurious setup, but I think it's working.

Hes sure a little strange one! Einstein with the eyebrows? Wonder if they will go away like the other feathers did on my bigger orp roos Probably will.

Lost one of my oldest girls today

B uff Orp Not sure how
They were all fine running around but it was pouring rain 2 inches deep every place and she was near a wire that goes to one of the coops not sure if she bit it or stepped on it and it killed her or what happened she wasnt hurt or burnt just dead.
My yard looks like a lake all the runs are total mud and water and still pouring,.

I am in a bad mood as is everyone here in Mo ...its getting REAL old....... rains and snow every week UGG GRUMPY

Sorry you lost your hen.

I'm in lockdown with 7 eggs too, polish & sultans. Mine are due Wed

Sending good hatch vibes... Good luck!!

And I'm really crazy b/c I have to get up in like 2 hrs to get back to stripping the stall floors down! I think that's why I can't sleep- I'm too tired. Worked myself half to death, then couldn't sleep. I'll be dead on my ft in a few hours ...

That is not good! You need sleep. When we are trying to do too much and over exerting ourselves... that's when the bad things happen. Get some rest.


.....

Good luck to everybody else in lockdown & hatching!! I'm seeing some cute chickie-doodle pics on here!!

 

[mjanderson437]

Well, I know you're going into lockdown soon so my idea here isn't very helpful for you now, but I figured I'd share what I've been doing with my BMA.  I have too many eggs in there to use the turner... and they all seem to be sticking around.  I haven't found any quitters yet.  I don't know if this is going to work good enough,... but it has been easy enough for my lazy bum.  LOL.  I put my BMA on a "lazy susan" turntable, and then propped the turntable on to rubber grip and books to put it at a 45 degree angle.  Every few hours during the day I just spin the lazy susan a bit and hope it's good enough.  Not the most luxurious setup, but I think it's working. 

I think that's pretty clever! Essentially that's what the auto turner for the Eco 20 does...tilts the entire bator side to side throughout the day.

 

[jhfamily5]

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.

Curious why it is all the way up on the highest level? Are the chicks so old that they are almost done with the heat? The ecoglow provides heat through direct contact like a mother hen would. It should be on the lowest level for quite a while so they are touching it while laying down. You can also lower one side and keep the other up so that little ones can touch while sleeping on one side and big ones can sleep on the other. I keep my ecoglow 20's on the lowest level for at least 2-3 weeks (for bantams I take one leg off and prop it on something really thin like a little tiny box or folded washcloth the first week so they can actually reach it) and my ecoglow 50 has one side about an inch off the floor and the other side up about level with an ecoglow 20's lowest setting then slowly raise it as they grow. I have never had a pile up and it seems to keep them warm and happy. I know there are MANY different opinions about everything chicken related and different things work for different people. That's just what I do. I got the washcloth idea from a blog regarding the ecoglows but I can't remember which one. I read too much. lol I hope it helps.

 

[Brookhavens]

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.

I think lowering the temp at lockdown is really a personal preference. I start out with 37.5 and end with 37.5.

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Just put 8 Serama into lockdown - hopefully they all hatch!

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Dumb question, but you are supposed to up humidity on day 18, right? I did so, but just want to make sure I don't drown the chicks.