- Apr 3, 2013
- 30
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This is the story on how we hatched 3 beautiful Leghorn/Cochin chicks.
Our story begins when we lost 3 chickens to a coyote attack. We decided we wanted more chickens and we started researching egg hatching. We learned that eggs had to be stored at 46-56 degrees Fahrenheit. We built the incubator, while storing the eggs, using:
A styrofoam cooler
Chicken wire
A 15 watt lightbulb
Duct tape and electrical tape
A modified light socket
An extension cord
Sponges
Thermometer and hygrometer
Here are some pics.
Me cutting the chicken wire
Another incubator pic.
This is the first time it was on. It was later moved out of my bedroom to the kitchen.
We kept the eggs at a cozy 98-101 degrees Fahrenheit and kept the humidity at 55%-70%. We turned them 3 times a day for 18 days. On the 18th day we stopped turning them so they could get situated for hatching. On the 21 first day nothing happened. At 6:00 p.m. we left for a church event and when we returned, Egg 3 made a little crack.
It's a little hard to see but look closely.
We stayed up late and watched The Late Show with David Letterman. Eventually we had to go to bed. Egg 3 had made no progress. Later at 12:12 a.m. I checked on them and saw Egg 1 pipping.
I decided to stay up for a while and log the hatching. Around 2:00 a.m. a huge spider appeared and I went to sleep. I woke up around 7:00 a.m. and Egg 2 had pipped!
You can see her beak!
My mother was at yoga at the time. So I kept a close eye on them. Around 10:35 Egg 1 started hatching. I even videotaped it. Sorry you can't see the video. But here's some pics.
Starting to hatch.
Hatching. Cracks go all around the egg.
Fully hatched. Isn't she adorable? Hatched at 10:49 a.m.
She loved sleeping on the sponge.
After a couple hours, Egg 2 started to hatch. Mom was home for this on and she started taking pics
A bigger crack than Egg 1.
Egg 2 fully hatched. Hatched at 1:40 p.m.
Not knowing how to walk yet, Egg 1 and 2 got tangled up.
Just 20 minutes after hatching, Egg 2 pulls herself up on the sponge. Superchick!
Around 2:00 p.m. Egg 3 finally begins to hatch!
It's funny how the one that pipped first hatched last
Fully hatched at 2:07 p.m.
Hatched, sleeping and wet.
Hatched and fluffy
A little while after the pic above was taken we moved them into the brooder.
Here's Egg 1 (or should I say Chick 1?) moving into the brooder.
And here's the Chicks sleeping in the brooder.
Here's the Chicks the next day. Love 'em!
And here are the proud parents
Darcy
Mary
She refuses to look at the camera.
So, that was the story of Our Egg Hatching Adventure. Our new chicks and chickens are happy and well. Thanks for reading
-PemberleyChicks
Our story begins when we lost 3 chickens to a coyote attack. We decided we wanted more chickens and we started researching egg hatching. We learned that eggs had to be stored at 46-56 degrees Fahrenheit. We built the incubator, while storing the eggs, using:
A styrofoam cooler
Chicken wire
A 15 watt lightbulb
Duct tape and electrical tape
A modified light socket
An extension cord
Sponges
Thermometer and hygrometer
Here are some pics.
Me cutting the chicken wire
Another incubator pic.
This is the first time it was on. It was later moved out of my bedroom to the kitchen.
We kept the eggs at a cozy 98-101 degrees Fahrenheit and kept the humidity at 55%-70%. We turned them 3 times a day for 18 days. On the 18th day we stopped turning them so they could get situated for hatching. On the 21 first day nothing happened. At 6:00 p.m. we left for a church event and when we returned, Egg 3 made a little crack.
It's a little hard to see but look closely.
We stayed up late and watched The Late Show with David Letterman. Eventually we had to go to bed. Egg 3 had made no progress. Later at 12:12 a.m. I checked on them and saw Egg 1 pipping.
I decided to stay up for a while and log the hatching. Around 2:00 a.m. a huge spider appeared and I went to sleep. I woke up around 7:00 a.m. and Egg 2 had pipped!
You can see her beak!
My mother was at yoga at the time. So I kept a close eye on them. Around 10:35 Egg 1 started hatching. I even videotaped it. Sorry you can't see the video. But here's some pics.
Starting to hatch.
Hatching. Cracks go all around the egg.
Fully hatched. Isn't she adorable? Hatched at 10:49 a.m.
She loved sleeping on the sponge.
After a couple hours, Egg 2 started to hatch. Mom was home for this on and she started taking pics
A bigger crack than Egg 1.
Egg 2 fully hatched. Hatched at 1:40 p.m.
Not knowing how to walk yet, Egg 1 and 2 got tangled up.
Just 20 minutes after hatching, Egg 2 pulls herself up on the sponge. Superchick!
Around 2:00 p.m. Egg 3 finally begins to hatch!
It's funny how the one that pipped first hatched last
Fully hatched at 2:07 p.m.
Hatched, sleeping and wet.
Hatched and fluffy
A little while after the pic above was taken we moved them into the brooder.
Here's Egg 1 (or should I say Chick 1?) moving into the brooder.
And here's the Chicks sleeping in the brooder.
Here's the Chicks the next day. Love 'em!
And here are the proud parents
Darcy
Mary
She refuses to look at the camera.
So, that was the story of Our Egg Hatching Adventure. Our new chicks and chickens are happy and well. Thanks for reading
-PemberleyChicks
