Newbies 1st Hatch ! ! *Contest Listing updated*

[SunnyChic]

Update: 20 set, and 4 hatched (Welsummers). Thanks for having the contest!

 

[ChickBond 007]

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I think you put 12 in the hatcher so 4/12 = 33% hatch. Beautiful wellies. I was trying to hatch wellies too, and have since learned that they are more difficult to hatch because of the dark egg coating, similar to marans.

We should be wrapping up the contest soon. Wednesday is day 21 for the April 8 (last day of contest) people. We'll wait for their results and someone will be a new golden feather member in May!

 

[~*B*~]

i know my eggs will belate hatching.
so does that put me out? if so thats fine.
i dont mind.

 

[michiganlarry]

Why would the color of the egg make them harder to hatch?

 

[ChickBond 007]

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If you read up a bit on marans, the coloring of the egg is actually a coating that the egg receives during it's decent down to the nest out of the hen. This coating is thick if the egg is dark and some marans chicks need lower humidity to help them have a more brittle shell.
Or at least that's what my understanding is.... I'm far from an "egg-spert" on this, obviously from my 11% hatch.

 

[michiganlarry]

I am trying to hatch welsummers. Day 17 today. Humidity has been between 30 and 40. Better double cross my fingers.

 

[CountryPantry]

I know I am not in the contest but have to brag a little. I put 12 americana eggs in the still air OLD HovaBator and we really kinda forgot about them. Wasn't monitoring the water, we would add when one of us thought to look in the incubator. I had marked on the calendar that they would hatch about the 24th. We had 6 on Friday, 3 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. they are all beautiful and healthy.

 

[ChickBond 007]

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I have my second batch of Wellies and some Wheaton marans in now. In my first (mostly-failed) hatch, I kept initial humidity between 45-50%, but this time I'm keeping it at 30-40%, and I let it get down to 22% or so before I add more water. I'm using the dry-hatch-method as described on this board by "Wheaties", a member that raises a variety of marans. There's a very long thread which describes it, and argues the benefits of low vs high humidity. I believe it has a great deal to do with where you live and the humidity in your location.

 

[ChickBond 007]

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Fantastic... they r cute too!
I think I over-worried my first hatch. I also think I should have waited a couple more days before throwing the last few eggs as I think they were just slow.

 

[AK Michelle]

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Congrats, they are adorable. Sometimes I think some things do better in spite of me not because of me.

Have a great day,
Michelle