November Hatch-A-Long (2014)

[AmyLynn2374]

Lock down was a few hours late yesterday evening but I candled and all 4 are peeping! Then, I wake up this morning to a fluff ball waddling around the bater...I'm not supposed to see that till Monday! I'm half concerned and half thrilled, these EE shells are super thick and I was worried they may not make it out alone so this gives me some much needed reassurance, but why and how so early I wonder?

I expected mine this past Thursday evening (I set at 4pm) and had my first pips Tuesday and most of my hatches Wednesday and finished up Thursday by noon. I don't count the day you set eggs as day one, I was taught you don't count day one until 24 hours. Slightly higher than average temps can cause an earlier hatch and breed of chicken (such as bantams) can also be earlier. All 13 of mine are healthy and energetic. Anyhow, 21 days is just an average.

lol I tell myself it will be ok but I get so mad that I can't be more patient! I purposely said I was going to lower my temp a degree or two this hatch since I have had all my hatches start on day 19 and be done by day 20, now I can't stand this day 21 starting...LOL I know I have been told by the experienced that as long as there aren't any external pips you are good with opening the bator but I just needed to see someone tell me that again! If I could just get one girl to hatch I will be soooo happy! Shipped eggs really suck These were from SC which isn't far but still not a good hatch. I have a dozen eggs that I bought local and all are doing great and due to be lockdown on wednesday, of course I only paid $5 for them and don't need them for my group...lol Hope all your babies are doing great!! Thank you!

I don't think it does any good to tell ourselves we are going to be patient! lol I told myself this time I was only going to candle days 7/10/14/18....

ya right!! lol But I used the excuse 'I am doing a dry incubation this time and I have to keep a closer eye on the air cells'.....lol I've only done 2 hatches and my eggs came from my sister's hens. This second hatch yielded 13 out of the 16 that went into lockdown. By day 10 I had 2 blood rings and one quitter (plus my clears) so if you figure I had 19 fertile eggs counting the blood rings 13/19 live hatches aren't bad.

 

[ochochicas]

. I do still worry a bit about my shrink wrapped one, but i am pleased with their progress. I hope it all works out for you. These guys can definitely be nerve wracking.

We have a sticky chick that hatched in July and I STILL worry about her. She needed a bath after she hatched to get all the crusty stuff off of her. After that she seemed to be fine and grew up with her brood. However, she was very slow to feather out - had bald patches at 2 months where she had no down and just a few pin feathers. She is quite small and sometimes acts sickly. I do baby her and she has spent a few nights in the house even as a "teenager" so I can warm her up and give her extra food. Last night is the first night it was in the 30s here, so I'm a little worried to go out and see how the chickens did in the coop with the low temps. Sun is just coming up so I guess I better head out there.

 

[Dcat]

The last chick is out and walking around with the others. Woot! I have a couple of very happy girls and no one mentioned the wad of toilet paper in the incubator I used to wrap the last one. The A &D ointment did the trick. I warmed it up and thinned it out with my fingers before I put it on the membrane. 5 healthy happy chicks. Happy sigh.

 

[AHenry]

Is it too late for me to join this hatchalong? Today is my day 7. I started them on Nov 2. Their due date is Nov 22.
So far 7 out of the 16 has what looks like the red ring of death. Same results as before I moved yesterday. So I am counting the move as a success!

 

[Fullofstitches]

Ok everyone, I need some mental reassurance this morning!!  I still had nothing in my eggs but needed to add some wet sponge this morning after are cold night and heater being on, so I impatiently candled!!!!  I did it very quickly but the first 2 eggs nothing then I got to my 3rd egg and I heard it peep!!!!!    I quickly put it back and got the 4th egg and I believe it is internally piped also or was working at it.  I wet the sponges and all are back.  Please tell me again, as long as I have no external pip I didn't just shrink wrap them right?????  By the way not sure what I just did with the writing but guess I changed it....LOL

Should be fine! Last hatch, I had one that internally pipped in the evening on day 19. Day 20 nada (and I candled it, saw the beak with breathing motions, quickly put it back), but another egg externally pipped that evening. Day 21, the second egg slowly unzipped all day long... Then the first suddenly unzipped and beat the second one out that evening - just shy of 48 hours from the first peep I'd heard.

 

[Fullofstitches]

Is it too late for me to join this hatchalong? Today is my day 7. I started them on Nov 2. Their due date is Nov 22.
So far 7 out of the 16 has what looks like the red ring of death. Same results as before I moved yesterday. So I am counting the move as a success!

Join the party! I'm on Day 3, mine are due the day before Thanksgiving!

 

[Kaylish]

Good Morning everyone!

Congrats on the hatchs!

@Dcat

so sorry about the loss of your dog - it's so hard to lose a part of the family

I am ecstatic this morning - woke to a pip from one of my Cream Legbar crosses. And my 7 month old Cochin has been broody since Monday, I moved her into a broody-box in the coop last night and this morning she is still sitting tight while the rest of the flock is out for some free range time. If she gets back in the box after her break today then she's getting some eggs tonight

 

[Jucknath]

Is it too late for me to join this hatchalong? Today is my day 7. I started them on Nov 2. Their due date is Nov 22.
So far 7 out of the 16 has what looks like the red ring of death. Same results as before I moved yesterday. So I am counting the move as a success!

It is not my hatch a long, but join right in. What do you have set?

 

[Iko127]

Should be fine! Last hatch, I had one that internally pipped in the evening on day 19. Day 20 nada (and I candled it, saw the beak with breathing motions, quickly put it back), but another egg externally pipped that evening. Day 21, the second egg slowly unzipped all day long... Then the first suddenly unzipped and beat the second one out that evening - just shy of 48 hours from the first peep I'd heard.

Thank you!!!

 

[Iko127]

Ok, I have my first pip!!!!! YAY! Now I'm banned from getting in the bator for a while I will update when she/he hatches!!