Ready Set Hatch! Set 3/17 Hatch 4/7 - ready now! Hatch-Along

[bamachicks8]

Just "power candled" (left the eggs in the cartons and just put the flashlight to each air cell real quick) my eggs and they are looking great. I'm running it dry until internal pipping, and tonight will be my last turn (I'm giving them more time to position).

keep us informed

 

[Wrightsx4]

Good luck to those doing lockdown!!! How exciting . Bama, sorry about the Eggtopsy. That's a fear I'm sure we all have everytime we crack an egg after incubating.
I don't worry much about humidity - no water in it and it's been at 35-40 so far.
Dylon - as long as you can refill the water receptacle from the outside don't worry too much. Do you have a piece of aquarium tubing running from the water tray to the outside?
At lockdown you could add a wet sponge if you can fit it somewhere (not touching eggs preferably). Then keep it closed 100% during the last 3 days so your humidity stays inside.

 

[bamachicks8]

Dylon you can get tubing from tsc and slot of plumbing stores for around 4 dollars

 

[ladyrsanti]

The tubing can also be purchased as aquarium tubing anywhere aquarium supplies are sold, sometimes for as little as $2. I hook it to a medicine syringe (.79 at TSC or some ridiculously low price) and add water that way during lockdown. Just remove the plunger and let gravity do the work.

Day 14 candling last night revealed that all is well. Everyone is alive and the proper weight has been lost.

 

[DURR]

Lock down is friday, can't wait! All are doing good so far for not being turned the first week!

 

[Bens-Hens]

Still here...still watching not much happen in there!

Two sleeps (Thursday) until our first batch go into lock down in the second 'bator, then the second batch will hatch in the DIY 'bator just 3 days behind the first.

I am getting pretty dang excited to see the results of our hard work. Also looking forward to reading how everyone else's goes.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Mine go into lockdown thursday evening!!!
Can you tell I'm getting excited? 21 eggs still going strong. Not much to update on...the eggs turn right, the eggs turn left.

 

[DURR]

Mine go into lockdown thursday evening!!!
Can you tell I'm getting excited? 21 eggs still going strong. Not much to update on...the eggs turn right, the eggs turn left.

Haha feel ya there, all 23 of mine are going strong still lockdown is friday afternoon at 2 though I'll stop their turning first thing in the morningon friday.

 

[City Chicken]

Mine get locked down Friday.
I candled today and found one clear... And another that looked underdeveloped.
Well, I cracked them, one was clear, the other wasn't. . It was perfect and still alive. Doh!!!! I'm leaving the rest until hatching day... I can't take that again. I murdered a chicken. Involuntary chickslaughter I guess...

I am actually going to put a few of the last eggs that I pulled out into the hen house to see if it might encourage broodiness.....
Maybe I should hard boil them first? Then mark them... I would love to have some spring chicks that I don't have to take care of myself,

 

[DURR]

Mine get locked down Friday.
I candled today and found one clear... And another that looked underdeveloped.
Well, I cracked them, one was clear, the other wasn't. . It was perfect and still alive. Doh!!!! I'm leaving the rest until hatching day... I can't take that again. I murdered a chicken. Involuntary chickslaughter I guess...

I am actually going to put a few of the last eggs that I pulled out into the hen house to see if it might encourage broodiness.....
Maybe I should hard boil them first? Then mark them... I would love to have some spring chicks that I don't have to take care of myself,

All you have to do is leave a few eggs in the nest box and when there is about 7-10 or more the hens if they are a broody type should sit. I left my game hens alone for a week without taking their eggs and I have 4 broody's.