My Whole Foods Hatch JOURNEY. : Updated on 7/27/12 !!

[XxPandaxX]

Another update on 9:36 AM, 7/17/12. look for day 4.

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

I bet your incubation will go great. I used a small styrafoam incubator that I made and placed my 14 eggs in there and candled ALL THE TIME. I thought I would get 5 chicks like you, but I only got 2. That's still fine, though. I was bouncin off the walls! My incubator also had plenty of little temp spikes, but let me tell you that it takes hours for an egg to overheat- 40 mins did nothin to your eggs. I had lots of little panic attacks when my temp got up to 106 but the eggs were fine. I had to help one of my eggs hatch, but now she's strong and healthy and the dominant chick of the 2. The wait is very long- and I'm still waiting too. Just remember to be amazed at how glorious it is to see new life form right in your own hands! I now have 2 adorable chicks (moe and Aqualympic) that hatched in my tacky little incubator- you'll have some too. Keep us updated on your story! I wanna see how it goes! Ask if you wanna know what an egg at a certain stage should look like- I've been down that road and had lots of "oh no my eggs aren't developing right!" panic attacks cause I had nothing to relate too.
Sincerely, Sarah

 

[XxPandaxX]

Thanks so much !!! I went to whole foods today and got some more fertile eggs. I got the hygrometer in a salt test until 2:00 and some ice freezing for a thermometer test. WAY too excited lol ! The eggs have been in the store fridge for bout' three days... I hope that's okay... I'm gonna let them sit till 12:00AM so I know when a complete DAY is over. I'm rushing into it too fast ! I still have to do a thermometer test and I still have some of the incubator left to do ! I pray these eggs are fertile lol I got 2 cartons so I'm gonna crack some open and see if it has the "bulls-eye". Post pics of your chicks !

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

Ok I will! I'm having a bit of trouble posting pics right now though, but I can describe the 2 that have hatched- one, who I named Aqualympic, is mostly black/grey with a white underbelly and little black spots on the white. She's the one I had to help and she's very small, but she's extremely brave an is the dominant chick. My other chick, Moe, is jet black with a white underbelly that stretches up to over her eyes. Her tail then fades to grey that fades to white. She has stripes like a mallard duckling leading across her eyes which is adorable, and she has feathered legs. She's the quiet, shy one. Aqualympic for some reason like to just walk around in her water bowl, and Moe likes to sleep and follow Aqualympic everywhere. Tell me what yours look like when they hatch!

 

[XxPandaxX]

Chicks have the urge to be in water after they hatch. It'll go away soon! They sound so cute !! >.< All chicks are cute lol. Keep the water low, the chick will drown itself if it gets the chance ! And for me; more like IF they hatch >_____< I got 2 cartons of cage free fertile. Again. Except this time I'm gonna leave it out for 12 hours and start at 12:00AM. I'm going to start with as many will fit in the incubator, probably 10, and then if those hatch I might have some remaining and can incubate those, though my hatch rate will have gown down down down... it's still worth a shot. They'll only be 3 weeks old... people have hatched one month refrigerated chicks ! Anyway, they're out heating to room temperature now... I calibrated my hygrometer, and it was 6% off. It reads 50, so 56% humidity... might have to take out some water. I dunno. And my thermometer will be calibrated tonight after the 1 quart of ice freezes... Lol. Our ice machine is broken

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

Awww whenever we need I've we have to run up to Kroger and smash the bag until we get little chucks of ice- that means we have to literally pick up the bag and hurl it at a big rock or something until it breaks. oh and hatch rate dramatically decreases if the eggs are saved after 1 week- id try to put as many eggs in that incubator as possible. I fit 14 into my tiny little thing. And I still got hatches. Now that I think about it, my eggs might've still hatched if I had just put them outside to incubate- its about 100F and super humid down here in georgia anyways! my duck should hatch in 2-4 days from now- ill certainly update u if it hatches!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!! But also so anxious that I can't help but freak out at every single possiblity that it won't... I've wanted a duckling for so long! I've been trying to get a duckling since April!!!! It's gonna be a French Rouen if u wanna look that up to see what it looks like- its adorable! I hope it hatches! And what kind of chicks are u getting with ur eggs? I wanna look up a pic of them so I can see what they look like. I'm to anxious about my duckling!!!!

 

[XxPandaxX]

Ouch ! Smashing ice on a rock lol. Yeah I got it to freeze, but my thermometer was giving different readings !! It's really sensitive.. Tonight I'm gonna have to put in in and rip the bag open so I can see the temperature ! I looked the French Rouen up !! All ducklings are cute <3 do you know how to post pictures? Don't get bonded !! It hurts if it doesn't hatch !! Yeah I've wanted chickens since around then, too ! Actually, I have surprise eggs Yeah, 9 is all I can fit in there and if my thermometer is right I'm a few degrees above what I need ! And I dunno how to bring the temp back down :/ This is all not running so well for me. How many days does it take for a duckling to hatch ? I hope it's a hen if it does !

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

Ducklings take 28 days to hatch except for Muscovy sucks, which take 35 days. I'm really hoping it hatches cause I'm already attached. Also, I think one of my check eggs is still alive cause it's head is in the air sac at this very moment- luckily I did not have to pip them. I'm giving them another day. I just hope my thermometer was correct- cause I I forgot to test it!!!

 

[Sparkypatriot15]

Oh and to bring the temp down, try using a lower-wattage bulb. I did that with my incubator. I had a 40-watt but I brought it down to a 25-watt and it started working.

 

[XxPandaxX]

My crate for the incubator is actually kinda big. About 10 inches in height and 25 in width, though since the lamp is not directly on any eggs, the heat only goes to certain areas. That is where I put the eggs. So I don't use much of the space, but I need a high wattage bulb. Everything is really cooking now ! Just a bit worried about the temperatures having a 2-5 degree difference. However, the fertile ones should still hatch !