My first successful hatch!!!!!!

[busywoman]

Okay, so I tried the incubation thing a couple months ago as a homeschool project for my son. But, because of my lack of kowledge and overall ignorance, I had no success. It was quite dissappointing. I recommend throwing the directions that come with your incubator away as a first step to hatching!

Anyways, fast forward to three weeks ago when I decided to try just one more time (my third try). I bought 2 1/2 dozen eggs because I figured that would up my odds

. I also found BYC (woohoo!), and so started my thrid attepmt at hatching chicks. So today would be 21 days but yesterday when I got home from church, I checked the temp and humidity and noticed one of my eggs had a pip! I was so darn excited I could hardly contain it! However, I was worried that the humidity at 55 (with three sponges and full water reservoirs, I haven't been able to get it higher than 60

), it wouldn't hatch. I went to be around one with no progrees but several other eggs pipped and lots of chirping. Woke at 5:30 this morning out of sheer excitement, and still nothing. Another egg had pipped, making it seven total (out of 23 that made it to lockdown). I'm not a patient person but I could only hear one chirping and thought it was probably only the most recent chick to pip. I kinda lost hope on that first one, thinkng that it wounld't make it because of my humidity issues. I hadn't seen any changes since the first pip. So I decided to go back to bed and when I woke up at 8, sure enough, that first little chickie had hatched and was peeping up a storm!!

I was so excited about it, I was dancing around the room, I could've just peep my pants!! It's still in there just stumbling around of course and I hope it arouses and encourages the others that have pipped! My hope has been restored!!! Anyways, I have learned so much from browsing the BYC forum and I wanted to share my oh so exciting news!!

 

[EastinChickens]

Quote:
Wow, congrats!!!!

I am incubating my second ever batch right now, my first try didn't turn out so great.

 

[busywoman]

Okay, so despite all the critters that I have, as recently as March, my house was completely critter free. I jumped in feet first with my eyes closed, so I am still a complete newbie. The chicks I already have, I bought from a local hatchery. So....my question with my hatch is, how long is my first little chickie okay to stay in the bator? Obviously, I don't want to open it anytime soon, or at all until the rest have hatched, but, what if I have the one who hatched this morning, and my last one doesn't hatch until tomorrow night or something. Will that first one be okay in there without food and water? When do I make the decision to take what chicks have hatched out and put them in the brooder. I don't want to compromise any chicks that haven't hatched yet. Any help would e GREATLY appreciated! I have about six or seven more that have pipped but there are still many that haven't done anything yet. Thanks is advance for all your input!

 

[bigstack]

I hatch multiple hatches! Usually 3 days apart. I just take a small room heater into the bathroom crank it to high or set it at 100! Then crank the hot water in the shower! Let the room fill with steam. Then turn off the water. Leave the heater cranked! I then take the bator into the bathroom. even if the steam is gone there will be enough humidity left to proceed. I will open the bator, add water, remove chicks, shells, annd add more eggs. You DO NOT want moisture to condense on the eggs!!! I use this method every time and have NEVER lost a chick do to shrink wrap!! If moisture forms on the eggs you can suffocate the chicks in the shell. They exchange oxygen through the shell.

However!!!! I do Not Condone the opening of the bator! This is just the safest method if you have to open it! Chicks are fine for 3 days Max. without food and water. They have just absorbed the yolk sac right before hatch. I usually wait 24-48 hour and Make sure they are DRY!!!!

Good Luck and God Bless!

P.s. Congrats!!!

P.P.s I look like I was in the shower when I come out of the bathroom! LOL

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

Congratulations. Hatching never grows old, welcome to the addiction!

 

[busywoman]

WOOHOO!! The kids and I just watched chickie number two pop out of its shell! It was so exciting!!

There are seven more that have pipped, one of those isn't far behind number two. This is exciting for me after two unsuccessful hatches of a doz eggs each. I now know what I was missing out on! They are so darn tiny and cute!!