Quote: Can't put my thumb on it.... Still Air, 99.5-100 dead on the entire time. days 1-18 at 55% humidity, 18-21,2,3,4... 63% humidity. I've hatched these same birds' eggs 4 times now, they are only a year and 2 months old and other hatches were great. At lockdown 36 looked to be alive and kicking. No pips, peeps, or wiggling until day 23 (Wednesday), then bam, bam, bam, 3 out in a matter of hours. I work, so I pulled the 3 and put them in the brooder. Had 3 pips showing. When I got home from work, 2 more had hatched and were running around bowling all the other eggs over, so I pulled them, and looked for the 3rd pip, he/she was dead. No sign of life whatsoever.... No other pips, no noise, no nothing..... I'm going to candle everything tonight and dispose of the dead eggs after making sure they are truly dead.
Quote: The 2nd bator should hatch on Saturday, it does have a fan, so maybe, just maybe that will help .... But now I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.... as now I think that may be what caused the first bator to not allow babies to hatch..... grrrrr
I worry incessantly and check the temp and humidity levels constantly.... So, I know both bators are working perfectly. Not to mention that I have 3 thermometers and 2 hygrometers in BOTH bators.... And they are all the same....
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We are an hour South of St Louis. Temps dropped this week from last week, we were in the 80's last week and then it dropped down to the 50's this week.... But, I check my bators 100 times a day just looking through the windows and seeing everything is fine. I have 3 thermometers and 2 hygrometers in EACH bator. all the instruments match each other almost exactly. One bator does NOT have a fan, my 2nd one DOES have a fan.... That is the only difference between the 2. So, I'm really hoping that the one with the fan will hatch out more. The first bator I was supposed to sell 25 chicks. The second bator I need to sell 30..... Looks like I'll be doing another bator full shortly as I only have 40 eggs in the 2nd bator....
I put my fluffy butts in a box with a heat lamp and it's in my bedroom, which is where I keep the bators as well, since it makes it easier for me to check on everything in the night. Then after about 2 days I can't sleep hearing all the cheep cheep cheep noises and they go into an aquarium in the basement with another heat lamp. Depending on who is getting the babies, I then contact the buyer and tell them their little ones are ready.... Or they grow to about 2 weeks then move over to a larger roll around super duty cart that in winter I haul my firewood in. The area is larger and they get a bit less heat. Then once they are fully feathered out to the coop to live in the grow up side to "meet" their flock mates. Who are also their parents. I've done this 4 times and everything works great....
This was supposed to be an easy hatch. Out they pop, into the box for 2 days then call the buyer and off to their new home. This time, I'll have to make one buyer wait until I get another hatch done.... What a bummer...
Well, last night I dreaded getting home, knowing I was going to clean out the incubator and toss all those bad eggs.... I was sad and took my time feeding the big girls and the 4 week olds... Then when I went into the bedroom to check on the 5 little fuzz butts my husband came up and said guess what? There are 2 babies in the bator and 2 more pips!!! I figured he had to be lying and ran to check the brooder box to see if he just took 2 out and plopped them in there.... Nope, all 5 of them are still in there.... So, I closed my eyes and said a little prayer and looked in the bator..... HE WASN'T LYING!!!! There were 2 new babies in there and 2 new pips! I was like
I just couldn't believe my eyes.... Monday was day 21. 5 hatched on Wednesday. 2 on Thursday.... Hopefully, these other 2 on Friday.... That was completely not what I thought would happen! Still not the 25 I was hoping for out of this hatch... But, hopefully, the 2nd bator will yield the extras I need to supply my buyer with her chicks.
Here are a few pics of my new babies and their fuzzy butts! Plus the 2 pips that I had to leave while running off to this J.O.B. thing....
It's happening!!Oh wishapup .. advice always seems to lean toward no intervention. Are you going to wait a little longer? 29 baby chicks is great. Wow so many!
I have two chicks out now (1 silkie 1 easter egger) and another ee zipping. And lots more pips but now im at work til 7pm and will have to rely on DH 's updates!
This little silkie dried and fluffed and now looks gray. I am in love - So Sweet! Is this color blue?
