My Hatching Journey: the Adventures of a Complete Newbie

[BYC910]

Ok.

I'll be on for another hour or so, but I don't want to rush..... I could probably do it now if I really wanted to... Which I don't.. It is one thing to look at eggtopsy pics, but cutting open the shell of your own chick that almost made it is another.

-Banti

no not really you will be sad either way and wonder what went wrong .

but like Ravyn said it is how we learn. my book says 25 days a lot of people stop at 23. I look for life sign and go by that . through out Incubation fluid amount and location in the egg is what I also watch for . your hatch has baffled me I expected results and chicks still say start with the thermometer .high heat is the number killer in incubation.

 

[BantyChooks]

I'll check them out one thing you need consider is the size of your auto turner when picking cooler size .we'll have a talk about air movement in incubators later tell how the GQF works and get you pictures now GO good bye

I'll probably be rigging up my own turner, so I can make it to fit... I have a plan for a non electrical design that you don't have to open the lid to operate.

 

[BantyChooks]

no not really you will be sad either way and wonder what went wrong .

But like Ravyn said it is how we learn.

my book says 25 days a lot of people stop at 23. I look for life sign and go by that . through out Incubation fluid amount and location in the egg is what I also watch for.
OK, it's about 1/2 way through day 23.
. your hatch has baffled me I expected results and chicks still say start with the thermometer .high heat is the number killer in incubation.

Hmm.... Might get more thermometers then... When I saw that one was developing at day 7, I actually put it really close to the thermometer in the effort to make sure that egg would get correct temps because I already suspected the 8 clears, so I kinda just gave it an extra chance. I monitored it very closely... Highest it got was 103, and only for a minute as I brought It down quickly.

I did calibrate the thermometer on this one, but if I did the test wrong and it actually is accurate than that would explain all the issues... Maybe I'll try again with calibration.

Edit: did you see where Ravyn and I were discussing MG and if that was part of it? I'm thinking this has multiple factors in play, one being the cold weather..... The roosters are young as well.. Only 10/11 months.

 

[WVduckchick]

Ok.
I'll be on for another hour or so, but I don't want to rush..... I could probably do it now if I really wanted to... Which I don't.. It is one thing to look at eggtopsy pics, but cutting open the shell of your own chick that almost made it is another. :/
-Banti

Eggtopsies do get easier each time. I've kicked myself for not doing them, so at least try it. Even if you can't tell anything, each one makes it easier. I remember my hands shaking so bad on the first ones, then these last quail weren't bad at all. I had to see if I could tell what went wrong.
By the way, one had a really huge eye on one side, the other chick I couldn't see anything wrong with. It just quit. Actually, it had a really small yolk, so maybe that was the cause. Chit happens. But we learn each time.

 

[BantyChooks]

Eggtopsies do get easier each time. I've kicked myself for not doing them, so at least try it. Even if you can't tell anything, each one makes it easier. I remember my hands shaking so bad on the first ones, then these last quail weren't bad at all. I had to see if I could tell what went wrong.
By the way, one had a really huge eye on one side, the other chick I couldn't see anything wrong with. It just quit. Actually, it had a really small yolk, so maybe that was the cause. Chit happens. But we learn each time.

I'll try it, I know I gotta do it eventually, and no better time than now... I'll post the results when I'm through.

 

[FridayYet]

I sometimes eggtopsy, sometimes don't depending on how I feel. Often on the earlier quitters, all you can tell is approximately when they quit, not always why.

My dis was malpositioned with the beak at the very bottom of the shell. No way I could have assisted since it never pipped. At least I know there was nothing I could have done differently.

 

[FridayYet]

If you are worried about MG, you going to put the flock on denaguard before collecting the next batch of eggs?

 

[Coop de Grass]

I still have only 4 chicks, but am hopeful that the Bielefelder eggs that went under Buffy a day later, will hatch. Hope you enjoy these little ones!

Here is a video taken yesterday.

 

[BantyChooks]

If you are worried about MG, you going to put the flock on denaguard before collecting the next batch of eggs?

I'm going to try to, but the arrival date if I ordered today would be 2 days before the HAL, so if I can't get it I'll attempt to find other eggs.

I still have only 4 chicks, but am hopeful that the Bielefelder eggs that went under Buffy a day later, will hatch. Hope you enjoy these little ones! Here is a video taken yesterday.

 

[BantyChooks]

Eggtopsy results:
3 very dead eggs, fluid visible on candle 2/3. They have been dead for a while.... One looks infertile, the other looks like degraded embryos. Nothing that looks remotely like a chicken in there.