November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[Heidisgran]

Quote: sounds like she's doing fine...she'll be a puddle of fluff at the bottom of the bator most of 2 days

 

[malndobe]

sounds like she's doing fine...she'll be a puddle of fluff at the bottom of the bator most of 2 days

OK, that's good to know She's definitely a cute puddle of fluff, the puddle part just had me worried. I've tried to get some photos but through the bator top they aren't coming out very well. Guess I can wait a day or two.

Since she's at least a full 24 hours ahead of everyone else, what is the maximum I can safely leave her in there before she needs to come out for food/water? 3 days? I suspect at some point I may have to do a fast snatch and grab to get her out and into a brooder and the others won't be completely done hatching.

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

Just did my day 14 candle. Ended up throwing out 4 eggs. Did an eggstopsy on all of them. 2 Looked like clears to me, didn't see any development at all. One was a VERY early quitter, just a small black dot. The other appears to have quit more recently. Could make out the shape of the little baby. Sad for sure. But still 13 eggs going strong in the bator. So far out of 20 there have been 5 clear and 2 early quitters. There are 2 in the bator now that I'm unsure of. One I can't see into AT ALL which I don't understand since it is a very light colored egg. I have dark brown and even green/olive eggs that I can see into clearly! The other, I can see veins but no movement, and it looks like it has less veins than my other eggs. I'm leaving it for now. We will see at lockdown. Starting to be able to make out little chick shapes in there! Can't wait to meet the new babies in a week!!!!

 

[Farmer Viola]

OK, that's good to know She's definitely a cute puddle of fluff, the puddle part just had me worried. I've tried to get some photos but through the bator top they aren't coming out very well. Guess I can wait a day or two.

Since she's at least a full 24 hours ahead of everyone else, what is the maximum I can safely leave her in there before she needs to come out for food/water? 3 days? I suspect at some point I may have to do a fast snatch and grab to get her out and into a brooder and the others won't be completely done hatching.

best thing I can tell you about this..
> do a fast snatch and grab to get her out and into a brooder and the others won't be completely done hatching.

..is don't do it.

If your other eggs get a pip, and fail to zip, or they zip a little and then dry out, you have to assist - you will be questioning whether you caused problems by opening the bator. Just leave her in there... it will be best for all the chicks involved I know how hard it is, but you can do it!

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: that always worries my husband too and he should be use to it!

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: that always worries my husband too and he should be use to it!

oh after she's dry you can move her...2 days would be safe but I don't wait

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: they'll be fine

 

[keepmumsane]

best thing I can tell you about this..
> do a fast snatch and grab to get her out and into a brooder and the others won't be completely done hatching.

..is don't do it.

If your other eggs get a pip, and fail to zip, or they zip a little and then dry out, you have to assist - you will be questioning whether you caused problems by opening the bator. Just leave her in there... it will be best for all the chicks involved I know how hard it is, but you can do it!

Wish id known this earlier. Next time ill know, had humidity fail for my hatch. Didnt realise till it was too late.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Eggs don't lose viability till after 10 days. Keep your eggs is a cool place and turn them 3 times a day. Keep collecting the eggs for the next week and see how many you get. I wouldnt put them in the bator with the eggs about to go into lockdown because having to open it to turn the new eggs and losing humidity like you mentioned. That's very exciting! I bet you'll have great hatch rates on homegrown eggs

I was at a "chicken party" locally tonight and was told if the eggs are homegrown and stored/turned properly, you can hatch them WEEKS after they are laid. Maybe this person was just lucky, but she hatches fertile store eggs (you know they have been refrigerated and are probably about two weeks old) and even said she stored her own eggs up to 7 weeks to get her big cabinet incubator full. I don't think I'd do that but she did...

 

[Cknldy]

I hear cheeping from the incubator today on day 22! It is only coming from one every now and then but at least that one has internally pipped. We have a wood stove so I have to constantly monitor humidity but that's okay since I look in the bator for pips all the time anyhow I will play a video with good chick hatching sounds to encourage these chicks to come on out. It really does work!