Miscalculation, Bumbling Lockdown and a Hatch

[TheChickenRun]

Dear Fellow BYCs,
Need some advice,
I received my fertilized eggs on the 26th January and set them in my cooler bator on the 26th Jan at 12h00. SO from what I have ascertained the first day does not count.
So day one will be the 27th Jan. So day that I received them will be day 0, then continue from there.
Fast forward: Yesterday was 14th Feb (Valentines Day) and from my calculations it was Lock Down Day. This was was interesting, firstly the tray did not fit, then I removed the guard separating the tray from the water and thought that there is no way a new born chick could climb or surpass that? I learn't the hard way. More about that a bit later.

During Lock down and moving the tray a few times, with the probe getting hooked up, and with eggs being jostled a few times, I finally manged to get everything in synch. Cool I will be expecting pips on Saturday 15 Feb 2018. Gives me some time..

This morning when I woke up I checked up on the eggs I noticed 2 hairline cracks on the one egg, and thought to myself that this must have been caused during the jostling of the previous night.

Got home this afternoon, the cracks seemed the same on that egg and then all of the sudden some chips flew all off. There were 3 other eggs with some pipping, then all of a sudden I witnessed this chick breaking free and chirping like crazy. This was amazing to watch. Imprinted on my memory.

Then as I have a cooler bator, the chick managed to jump down into the waterwell. As I was waiting for the lights to come back on, which they did. I quickly opened up the bator , she was in the water tray. This happened twice. So I have lost some humidity.

If any of the rest of the chicks are going to survive due to my oversight and learning curve is going to be a Miracle.

Going to bed now, I have learn't so much regarding temps, humidity and the flaws that my cooler bator has and what I am going to improve on, Cant wait for the morning.
I purchased 12 eggs, 3 I discarded due to infertility, left with 9 one has hatched , 2 are pipping so lets see what happens.
Will post pics and clips in the morning.

 

[TheChickenRun]

By the way the 1st chick out is called " Magic".

 

[WVduckchick]

Good luck!

Locking down a day late is usually no problem. I assume you covered any access to the water wells. Look forward to pics.

 

[TheChickenRun]

Regarding advice where did I get my dates mixed up? Secondly the new born chick was dumped twice in the waterCorrected that problem. .It's still very vocal Going forward tonight I'm going to be smacked into the viewing plane observing.damn this is addictive and not like me

 

[Deryk]

26 January was a Friday.

Hatch day should be Friday as well, only 3 weeks later so 16 Feb (Tomorrow). The day of the week that you set is the same day of the week they should hatch for 21 days.

Lock down is 3 days (72 hours) prior to hatch day so since you set them at noon on a Friday, lock down should have been noon Tuesday or 3 days back.

Sounds like you are about to have an exciting weekend, good luck.

 

[TheChickenRun]

Hi WVduckchick , water wells are covered now. It's 4 in the morning here and another chick has hatched. Two eggs are pipping. And the two inside are pretty
Vocal.
This is so exciting

 

[Runnerducks1]

Good luck with the rest of your hatch!

 

[WVduckchick]

Continued success!

And if I may offer a suggestion for your next hatch.... (the addiction must be fed lol).... if you can get rubber shelf liner stuff where you are, it works great for covering the wire under the hatchlings. I have seen them get toes stuck in wire and struggle, and rip a toe off. Just a suggestion.

 

[WVduckchick]

Oops, after zooming in, that doesn't look like wire. What is it?

And i see a few more good pips in there!

 

[TheChickenRun]

Hi WVduckchick,
The mesh is plastic, very soft and pliable. No sharp edges which makes it ideal for hatching.
Well I was left with 9 fertilized eggs and Thursday and Friday morning it was crazy in the coolerbator. They were all pipping like crazy and once the 1st one came out they all started popping out like popcorn.
The last one hatched Friday evening. So pretty stocked with the hatch rate 100%.
Here are some pics of them in the brooder.

[

I noticed something very interesting with their food. I scattered some of their food on the floor of the brooder and they kind of pecked at it but nothing magor. So I read on BYC that I should put some earth,sand in the brooder, which I did. got some from the chicken coop. I then sprinkled some of their food onto of the sand, they went crazy. They are now pecking full time at the food and eating. I noticed that they are also eating some of the sand. Hope that this ok.
I also added some apple cider vinegar to their water 1ml ACV to 60 ml water and they are drinking that.