Mission Control...we have LIFTOFF!!! Ooops, I mean LOCKDOWN!

[wholewheatchicken]

12. They are still moving, just not as much. DH said the same thing, at least you know they're not dead. Mybe I will see some action when I get up tomorrow.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I hope so too. Keep us posted tomorrow.

12. They are still moving, just not as much. DH said the same thing, at least you know they're not dead. Mybe I will see some action when I get up tomorrow.

 

[chiqita]

this!
Hope today is going well.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

No, it didn't go well. By the middle of the night I knew that they were not going to make it. I have looked inside them this morning and they are dead and you can tell they absorbed the egg sac. I did find three still alive in their shell and tried to help them. Two did not make it and there is one that is still alive, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope. They were shrink wrapped so from everything I have read I did not have enough humidity days 1 - 18. I did the dry hatch method for some of it. I'm going to keep working with the one that is alive and see where it goes. We are on our way to Tractor Supply to look at the banty chicks they just got in this morning. I'm not really sure where to go from here. I was going to try to incubate again, but maybe I need a day to get my head in a better place....I'm a little moody today

And I have two broody hens so they are probably the better ones to hatch babies for me.
Thank you for asking. Sorry I didn't have better news to report.
Kim

 

[CALI CHICK]

Kim, I'm so sorry this happened.

Actually, it makes me a little upset because I know you've researched so much with humidity and the pro's/cons of dry hatching, etc. Again, I really feel bad you didn't get a good hatch (and wish I had expert advice for you, but I'm so new to this myself.)

When you are feeling up to it, could you let me know what your % humidity was for Day 1-18 and for lockdown. After our "not so great hatches" with the "Dry Method" I'm really leaning toward keeping the humidity at 35% next time for day 1-18, then 65% at lockdown.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

I ranged around 30% until day 15 when I switched over to the Bill Worrell dry hatch method and then would up it to 45% and let it dry down to 25% and had the vents open. These chicks were much worse then the first batch. I did the eggtopsy right away and actually found most of them were still alive, but very weak and just glued to that inner membrane, which was still bloody. Two of them are still alive, but I don't hold any hope for them. Their blood vessels will not shut down so there would be no helping them out. My first batch they just died, but weren't wrapped. I really don't understand.
I went to Tractor Supply this p.m. to buy some chicks for Miss Pretty because they said they had bantams, but when I got there they didn't. They were all mixed pullets, LF. Not at all what I wanted so we left. I think my new plan is I have a broody hen and I moved her to a nesting box today. If she will sit there, she can hatch chicks. So if I could get a broody to hatch along with me, I would set eggs in the incubator and the hen on the same day and then between us maybe we would get more than one chick for them to be together.
I think next time I will do 40% humidity days 1 - 18 and 60% for lockdown.

 

[chiqita]

Oh man, that just sucks. We usually leave water in a cup in the bator. The humidity in this house goes up and down so much I couldn't do dry if I wanted to. Not that we are amazing hatchers, heh.
My chicks are all doing well. I have too many so I posted on Craigslist and have had 4 pick up and 4 reserved till the guy builds his brooder. I'm getting the bator bug again hoping if I get local local eggs they will all at least start...
I hope your broody hens get busy wwc.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Yes, my dry was obviously too dry. The last two chicks died about an hour ago. I just couldn't save them. I don't understand how others help their chicks hatch. Mine were very bloody and even though I was taking it slow, it just wasn't happening. They would have died if I had taken them out sooner and they did die by waiting. I figure Miss Pretty must be one tough chick to make it through my hatching techniques so no matter what she will always have a place at our home!

 

[CALI CHICK]

Hi Everyone, I've got 2 new baby chicks.

We went to the feed store and they had Black silkies. They allowed me to inspect and hand-pick the ones I wanted. They have good toe spacing and correct feathering. They will be a nice addition to my four Blue Silkies I hatched 2 weeks ago. And the best thing about them is they all get along so well!

The new Blacks are named Shadow and Storm. Here is a picture of my 6 Silkie chicks-sorry it's so blurry:

 

[CALI CHICK]

The local breeder

never contacted me back about silkie eggs and I might wait to order shipped eggs a few months.

But then again, maybe I'll order more eggs in a couple of weeks-We'll see.
Actually here is a better picture of the group...