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

[mlongworth]

put my eggs in lockdown last night. We spotted an egg in there shaking this morning.

 

[naglady]

I'm putting the eggs in my incubator into lockdown on Wednesday night. I'm even more worried about my easter eggers. I was concerned that "big daddy" makes big babies and the EE eggs are not big eggs. Well... I candled a couple of them this morning and they are looking pretty crowded in there! There isn't much space left at all & they still have 4+ days to go.

I have a broody hen! My black australorp, Jewels, decided she wants babies. AND of course she decided the that highest nestbox (about chest high) right next to the door was the best place to raise a family. Ugh. I tried to move her to a box on the floor of the coop (under their ramp so it is dark and quiet), but it's still too close to the communal waterer for her tastes. I think later today I'll move the waterer, and block off the area under the ramp, and then after dark tonight I'll try to move her again. She's sitting on fake eggs right now. If I can get her settled in the new spot I'll put some silkie eggs under her. Of course our BR and NH hens thought the new nest box under the ramp was AWESOME. They loved it right from the start. They're not broody, but I could see their wheels turning. I hear broodiness is contagious. LOL. Sorry girls... the luxury suite is for Jewels. If you want to have babies I'll hook you up

I sure hope your ee eggs will be ok.. Good luck..

your br and nh are funny..

 

[naglady]

put my eggs in lockdown last night. We spotted an egg in there shaking this mo

 

[MayDayMel]

Awww. I had a few weepy ones to in this batch that I candled last night. Out of 8 eggs that were sent I am down to 1.

We started with 18, but knew the rooster was molting so fertility was hit or miss. Had 6 fertile, 1 quit early on, and another quit after power was out. So after our weepy one was removed, we only have 3 left. My son is REALLY wanting to see some hatch, and is on "spring break" so if they hatch out tomorrow that'd be awesome. If none hatch- we'll have to buy some eggs and try again.

 

[ceocka]

Very nice. Where did you find the towel?

Walmart.

 

[CamiLynn]

I'm quite late to the game and mine are actually due to hatch 1Apr, but I figured I join in and watching hear the excitement and maybe help where I can.

I have 5 of my own barnyard mix in right now, 11 coturnix quail eggs in lockdown, and I should have 6 or so more hatching eggs today or tomorrow to put in. I also have 21 1 to 2 week old purchased chicks in the brooder, 8 chicks I hatched in jan and feb, and a broody hen that is due to hatch any day now (I didn't mark when she started sitting) but found one egg cold this morning of the 3 .

Happy hatching...now to go catch up on some of this thread...

 

[Maah]

So because my easter eggers/embryos seem to already be getting crowded in their small apartments... I decided to lock them down today (day 17), rather than tomorrow. I took them out of the cups, candled them, marked the aircells once last time and laid them on their sides in the best position for hatching. I'm hoping it will give the squished kiddos another day to get into position... & hopefully they do it sooner rather than later. I hope they don't get so cramped in there that they can't move.

I haven't increased the humidity yet... and I haven't put the barred rock eggs into lockdown yet. I'll continue to hand turn those ones (spin at an angle now? lol) for the next day with them standing up in their little cups. Tomorrow I'll candle them all 1 last time, mark their air cells and then lay them down in the 'bator, and add more water. The one BR egg that I checked this morning looked just fine. The BR eggs are bigger and the chicks look like they will have just the right amount of space/development by Saturday.

I REALLY want the EEs to hatch! Well, I want the BR eggs too... but I REALLY want the EEs.

 

[threadgeek]

Well my second attempt!

8 out of 9 eggs hatched. All hatched a day early. Today is hatch day but all hatched yesterday. Not with some stress and excitement though. My RIR/EE mix was the first to pip but after 2 eggs hatched I thought there was something wrong. So I took the egg out and sure enough it was almost all shrink wrapped. So I peeled the shell off and wet the lining around it and pulled it off. Happy to report the next day it is the most active chick in the brooder. LOL.

Also had one almost die. Fell asleep last night. Wife woke me up and the chick was on its back under the heat lamp. Think it had a heat stroke. So I put it back in the bator over night and this morning again doing great now.

Last. when 2 hatched I guess they did soak up the yoke. So when they dried there feathers are now a crust of harden yoke. tried wiping them off with wet cloth but didn't work. I'm hoping once a few days older they will clean themselves off. Or when they lose there feathers then they will get read of it. Unless anybody else has an idea.

Thanks to everybody here for all the help after the first disaster!!

I had a chick with crusty yolk feathers too. I soaked him for a few min in warm water (I tried to get it close to 95 deg since he had hatched the night before) then lightly dried him with a blowdrier. It took 2 soaks and most of the yolk came off. Hope that helps!

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Eggs are in lockdown! They are due to hatch tomorrow! I think I have twins in one of my big eggs!

 

[Maah]

Eggs are in lockdown! They are due to hatch tomorrow! I think I have twins in one of my big eggs!