Mid January Hatch thread....

[Want Less]

We've set up a live webcam on our incubator for hatching today... if anyone wants to tune in and see: http://want-less.blogspot.com/

 

[Janie1968]

Hi everyone, I just hatched out my first batch of chicks this last week and man I'm exhausted! Just wanted to say thanks to everyone on the site because I knew what to do when my chicks had troubles with drying up membranes. I helped 3 out of their shells and when I was assisting a fourth I stopped because her blood vessels were still pumping blood. Made her a little cap out of another egg so she wouldn't dry out and she hatched later that night on her own.

The big trouble I had was with the humidity and with the earlier hatching chicks and I wondered how you guys handle these issues. There were 31 eggs in the bator and after 7 hatched the humidity skyrocketed up to 95%. Plus those chicks were walking over newly hatched chicks and bumping into the unhatched eggs. I ended up removing chicks to the brooder as needed, plus those chicks weren't drying off very well because of the humidity in the bator. Then the next day my humidity dropped to 65% and it was tough to get it back up to 70%.

Here are my stats: started with 31 at lockdown. 22 live chicks. 5 tried to hatch, but either drowned or suffocated (dried membranes). 4 never pipped out. Thoughts on how to handle it better next time?

 

[ambrosia]

Hi everyone, I just hatched out my first batch of chicks this last week and man I'm exhausted! Just wanted to say thanks to everyone on the site because I knew what to do when my chicks had troubles with drying up membranes. I helped 3 out of their shells and when I was assisting a fourth I stopped because her blood vessels were still pumping blood. Made her a little cap out of another egg so she wouldn't dry out and she hatched later that night on her own.

The big trouble I had was with the humidity and with the earlier hatching chicks and I wondered how you guys handle these issues. There were 31 eggs in the bator and after 7 hatched the humidity skyrocketed up to 95%. Plus those chicks were walking over newly hatched chicks and bumping into the unhatched eggs. I ended up removing chicks to the brooder as needed, plus those chicks weren't drying off very well because of the humidity in the bator. Then the next day my humidity dropped to 65% and it was tough to get it back up to 70%.

Here are my stats: started with 31 at lockdown. 22 live chicks. 5 tried to hatch, but either drowned or suffocated (dried membranes). 4 never pipped out. Thoughts on how to handle it better next time?

Sounds like a great hatch rate for your first time! I didn't worry about humidity being too high as they were hatching because the chicks do create their own heat and humidity when they are hatching...and if your humidity was high, then I don't think they should have had dried membranes...? and if they pipped, then they shouldn't have drowned. But from what i read on here, the weak ones just don't have what it takes to make it out of the shell, and it's survival of the fittest, or natural selection...

pictures of fuzzy butts are a must, though

 

[Reyvaughn]

Today is day 20 for my 2nd batch of eggs (staggered hatch). Recap - I had incubator issues 2 days ago. Temp went down to 88 and after a day of fighting with it, I finally got it up to 100 degrees. I had two rocking, but I don't see or hear anything now. 11 (9 lived) of 36 eggs is not good. I swear, I am so ticked right now. I had better get some kind of hatch.

And what happened to the other 7 that had movement in them when I candled on their day 20? It's now day 22/23 for them.

Someone is out for me and making sure I don't get my Mille Fleur bantam Cochins. Incubators and I do not get along.


On another note, I set 5 eggs under my broody bantam Cochin the other day. Maybe she will have more luck - even outside in freezing temps.

 

[ChicwannaB]

how they coming today Al???

Got my first out and 5 more pipped, and a chick sitter

 

[lilcritters]

I have one peeper found just now! It is another EE bantam OEGB mix chick... Already had one hatch last Friday, now my 1/22 ones are hatching... happy dance!!!


April

 

[Want Less]

We've set up a live webcam on our incubator for hatching today... if anyone wants to tune in and see: http://want-less.blogspot.com/

Our first baby is out!!! So happy so many people caught it live online! We have 2 more pipped right now. Take a look if you want, we're keeping the camera up all day

 

[Emptywagon2]

I've got 2 chickies out!!!! This is the neatest thing! So happy!!The 1st one out is one of our banty's..it is the one in the back left. The 2nd one is from our EE.. it is the one up front. Yay!!!

 

[3forfree]

I've got six now, have to move some to the brooder, and clean up their mess. There's 8 other eggs in the bator, but don't know what's happening with them.

 

[ChicwannaB]

GREAT!!

Quote:

I've got six now, have to move some to the brooder, and clean up their mess. There's 8 other eggs in the bator, but don't know what's happening with them.