November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[Varglet]

So I'm curious as to what others do, and what results you've find work better for you. A friend and I were just talking about my show silkies eggs that I've been collecting and setting in the bator. At first I was trying to wait to set them when I had 2 or 3 at a time to put in the bator, so I would leave them on the counter in an egg carton and when I had a few I would pop them in the bator. Well I'm out cleaning my run and she laid an egg while I was there, so when she came out of the coop I grabbed it and since it was still warm I marked the date on it and put it in the bator not thinking anything of it, because she has been laying erratically anyway so I'm going to have a staggered hatch anyway. He told me to hurry up and take it out and let it sit on the counter for 24 hours or it won't develop. This seems odd to me though because chickens go broody and sit on the eggs from the time they lay them til the time they hatch don't they?

I have about 26 eggs in the bator that I put in within a day of being laid, usually within a couple hours. If they were a bit chilly, I would put them in the brooder until they warmed up to prevent condensation. All are developing nicely.

 

[mstricer]

So I'm curious as to what others do, and what results you've find work better for you. A friend and I were just talking about my show silkies eggs that I've been collecting and setting in the bator. At first I was trying to wait to set them when I had 2 or 3 at a time to put in the bator, so I would leave them on the counter in an egg carton and when I had a few I would pop them in the bator. Well I'm out cleaning my run and she laid an egg while I was there, so when she came out of the coop I grabbed it and since it was still warm I marked the date on it and put it in the bator not thinking anything of it, because she has been laying erratically anyway so I'm going to have a staggered hatch anyway. He told me to hurry up and take it out and let it sit on the counter for 24 hours or it won't develop. This seems odd to me though because chickens go broody and sit on the eggs from the time they lay them til the time they hatch don't they?

If I'm collecting eggs from a group that I get sporadically, I save them for up to tens the set them. If you notice a broody hen can build a nest and lay eggs for many days until she sets fully same concept.

 

[Tara Black]

I have about 26 eggs in the bator that I put in within a day of being laid, usually within a couple hours. If they were a bit chilly, I would put them in the brooder until they warmed up to prevent condensation. All are developing nicely.

Yeah this egg had only been laid about 10-15 min of me putting it in the bator. I'm leaving it to see the results either way. She just started laying for me (she was brooding eggs for her precious owner when I purchased her though) and the first 4 that I've put in are showing no signs of development on day 7-10, but the ones after that, on day 5 seem to be doing good and I let them rest for about 12 hours before setting them, not a day to 3.

 

[mstricer]

Those are usually my best hatched eggs

 

[ohju1ia]

How do you count hatch rate? Say you set 12 eggs; 5 were clear, cracked, and found to be infertile. Of the remaining 7 developing eggs, 6 hatched. Is this a 50% hatch or an 86% hatch?

 

[Tara Black]

Those are usually my best hatched eggs

Which ones, the ones you set just after lay or the ones you let rest?

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

How do you count hatch rate? Say you set 12 eggs; 5 were clear, cracked, and found to be infertile. Of the remaining 7 developing eggs, 6 hatched. Is this a 50% hatch or an 86% hatch?

I count % of fertiles, so 86%. YAY!

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

How is your chick doing? One of mine took almost 2 hours to zip all the way. I watched carefully the whole time, ready to intervene if it looked like it was getting weak, as opposed to just resting now and again.

It goes in fits and spurts, resting and then chipping away. It's been over 5 hours since the start of the zip. I've been told 24 hours. I can see there is still a very wet chick in there and RH is 65%, so I'm not too worried about shrinkwrapping. There are a lot of other pips and zips so I do NOT want to open that bator door.

 

[Farmer Viola]

It goes in fits and spurts, resting and then chipping away. It's been over 5 hours since the start of the zip. I've been told 24 hours. I can see there is still a very wet chick in there and RH is 65%, so I'm not too worried about shrinkwrapping. There are a lot of other pips and zips so I do NOT want to open that bator door.

you are doing great! it's early still. I didn't end up having to assist til d23 - no over-drying issues prior to then - so it sounds to me like your conditions are perfect! pics please!!

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

you are doing great! it's early still. I didn't end up having to assist til d23 - no over-drying issues prior to then - so it sounds to me like your conditions are perfect! pics please!!

They are just a bunch of wet chicks. I was going to wait for fluffy pictures.

So you left partly zipped chicks alone for two days? wOw, that's self-control! It rests and then tries again, so I figure it's just working in its own time.

There are now four Faverolles X EE, 2 Faverolles X ?? (options are SLW, SS, or cuckoo Marans...there were also Welsummer X hens but I don't believe any of the viable eggs are Wellie X). One blue copper Marans out, the one slow zipper Marans and another one starting to zip. One more Faverolles X ?? zipping like mad, 2 more Fav X EE pipped. Four unpipped yet out of 16.

Mahalo for your support. Are you going to make the BYCPNW party on Saturday?