May Hatch-a-Long!

[Welshchick]

3 white orpington chicks hatched and 1 blue brahma which was a sticky chick. All doing well. Still have 8 lemon pyle brahmas due to hatch today but no signs yet. Ducks will hatch next weekend.

 

[TUDORFOG]

Morning all, can I ask a question, please? Trying to incubate eggs.... all going well, all alive when candled just prior to lock down (on day 18) and all eggs moving about well on hatch day..... but then they don't hatch (though one pipped this time, then died) :-( getting very disheartened and feeling awful for being at fault. This is the second time it has happened. What on earth am I doing wrong? The eggs have come from different sources, so i quite certain that I am the problem and not the quality of the eggs! They are large fowl eggs, Using a brinsea mini eco and have to turn eggs manually. Am following the instructions exactly for temp and humidity and increasing as directed for hatching. THANKS in advance.

 

[Math]

Morning all, can I ask a question, please? Trying to incubate eggs.... all going well, all alive when candled just prior to lock down (on day 18) and all eggs moving about well on hatch day..... but then they don't hatch (though one pipped this time, then died) :-( getting very disheartened and feeling awful for being at fault. This is the second time it has happened. What on earth am I doing wrong? The eggs have come from different sources, so i quite certain that I am the problem and not the quality of the eggs! They are large fowl eggs, Using a brinsea mini eco and have to turn eggs manually. Am following the instructions exactly for temp and humidity and increasing as directed for hatching. THANKS in advance.

Maybe you need to calibrate your thermometer.

 

[Meinertzhagens]

Hello again all!
I started my eggs on Earth Day, April 22nd. This is my first hatch and I am doing it in the classroom. My building is very old, so I was worried that I would have trouble getting the temperatures to maintain, but it hasn't been a problem yet. We are on day 12. Some facebook friends each gave me a dozen eggs, one set is barnyard mix and the other rhode island reds. They both said they would take back any that hatch which works for me because I ordered chicks to come hatch week. I had originally thought I would be incubating lavender orpingtons, but the local person I had set that up with never got back to me, hence the need for eggs to hatch! Both sets are very dark and after reading Bee's thread I am not confident in candling so have found a couple of sites to show my kiddos the development day-by-day. They are loving it! This has been such a great experience for them. We are all getting excited, we go into lockdown on Friday and when I come in the following Monday, I may have chicks!

 

[brandy00]

Morning all, can I ask a question, please? Trying to incubate eggs.... all going well, all alive when candled just prior to lock down (on day 18) and all eggs moving about well on hatch day..... but then they don't hatch (though one pipped this time, then died) :-( getting very disheartened and feeling awful for being at fault. This is the second time it has happened. What on earth am I doing wrong? The eggs have come from different sources, so i quite certain that I am the problem and not the quality of the eggs! They are large fowl eggs, Using a brinsea mini eco and have to turn eggs manually. Am following the instructions exactly for temp and humidity and increasing as directed for hatching. THANKS in advance.

Could be a humidity issue. An accurate humidity level during incubation isn't really a set number. Humidity has to be kept at a level that facilitates adequate evaporation from the eggs. You can keep an eye on this by the changing size of the aircell or by weighing eggs periodically throughout incubation. There are some very informative posts about humidity during incubation on BYC. When I get home later today I will see if I can find some and post the links for you

 

[marcbarsby13]

Day 21 and the first one has arrived, with three more pipping. My humidity has been perfect. However when they start pipping and zipped the humidity has gone up.....is this normal I was told about 60-65 during lockdown...but I'm up just over 70. Do I need to do something to fix this. I know I'm not supposed to lift lid. Suggestions??? Thanks. Marc

 

[spotsplus]

It's been a few years since I hatched any eggs but I just won a bid on 6 Silky Serama eggs on ebay. I asked if the seller could double it and she did (of which I paid the same bid price on the eggs only- shipping stayed the same) so my 12 eggs are going in the mail tomorrow. If all goes well I'm hoping to have them in the incubator Wednesday and hatch date for May 28. Serama's don't have a good hatch rate with shipped eggs. Hoping to at least get a few chicks. Hoping for some good luck!

 

[Meinertzhagens]

It's been a few years since I hatched any eggs but I just won a bid on 6 Silky Serama eggs on ebay. I asked if the seller could double it and she did (of which I paid the same bid price on the eggs only- shipping stayed the same) so my 12 eggs are going in the mail tomorrow. If all goes well I'm hoping to have them in the incubator Wednesday and hatch date for May 28. Serama's don't have a good hatch rate with shipped eggs. Hoping to at least get a few chicks. Hoping for some good luck!

Good Luck!

 

[Kelsykin]

I went into lockdown a day early. Well 12 hours early.

 

[Wishapup]

I'm on Day 9, almost Day 10. I just did a quick candling session and tried 4 eggs. For most eggs I candle, I see the air cell and then a dark mass at the large end of the egg. For my light eggs (like one of my bantam mixes) I definitely saw some veins around the mass area. For my blue, green, brown, and Marans eggs - I just see the mass. Hoping this is good. Once I get new flashlight batteries, I should be able to tell better.

Two days ago, I could see the eye and discern movement in a white Silkie egg I candled. These white bantam eggs are nearly transparent...

It does seem like the blue eggs are darker since I candled them last. I've never tried candling a Marans before - I just did one. Is it possible to see a "mass" at this point in incubation?