September 2016 Hatch-A-Long

I am disappointed with my eggs. Today is day 5 and I candled the 6 la bresse eggs, it appears that only 2 are showing veining. I know it's common for shipped eggs to not develop well due to being shaken during transportation, but really disappointed that only 2 have made it so far. And who knows if either of those make it to hatch.
I went ahead and ordered another 6 from a different breeder, they should be here and ready to incubate by Thursday, which will be 1 weeks difference between the 1st batch going in. Will I be able to brood these chicks together if there is a week between them?
Don't throw any eggs out yet, some of the eggs just may not be showing this early on, I've had it happen before. I'd wait till day 10 just to be sure.
 
Candled yesterday day 14.

I have 5 la bresse, 3 serama and maybe 1 banty EE still going strong.

Started with 12 la bresse eggs, but 3 were infertile. Out of the 4 la bresse the child cracked, only 1 is still alive (one of the eggs I used nail polish on. All the bees wax eggs and 2 with polish got bacteria
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) and two more had early D.I.S

Out of the bantams, I started with 24 shipped eggs. 9 were scrambled good. The rest had or have really messed up air cells. Only 6 developed veins. child cracked one, lost another to early D.I.S. The last banty EE is looking kinda iffy, the veins are turning lighter in color and the chick seems small compared to the others but I can still see veins and I think I saw the chick move.
I have a serama x EE egg that looks like it has a healthy chick, but the air cell is really big and misshapen. I worry the chick wont have enough room to turn and pip. The other eggs have better air cells but they are all saddle shaped.

I'll try to take a picture of air cells during nap time.................. or I might pass out with the child, we'll see which way it goes
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Don't throw any eggs out yet, some of the eggs just may not be showing this early on, I've had it happen before. I'd wait till day 10
just to be sure.

I will leave them in for now and keep fingers crossed. I have 6 more coming tomorrow so hope I have better luck with those.
 
My current batch is scheduled to hatch on Saturday. I have another set of eggs that are due to hatch the following Saturday. I have put week old chicks and day old chicks together for several times and it has worked out fine. I just give them something interesting to play with so they don't notice too much!


I am disappointed with my eggs. Today is day 5 and I candled the 6 la bresse eggs, it appears that only 2 are showing veining. I know it's common for shipped eggs to not develop well due to being shaken during transportation, but really disappointed that only 2 have made it so far. And who knows if either of those make it to hatch.
I went ahead and ordered another 6 from a different breeder, they should be here and ready to incubate by Thursday, which will be 1 weeks difference between the 1st batch going in. Will I be able to brood these chicks together if there is a week between them?
 
I am almost day 19. Eggs went into lock down yesterday. They are Australorp eggs. I had 12 but I think 2 are late quitters but I left them in just in case (they didn't smell). 

I have my brooder set up and ready to go....

Managed to get my humidity up to 65% in the incubator (I was hoping for 70%) but it really didn't want to go any higher. Hoping it is still up there when I get home in a few hours. I added a sponge (under the vent area so I can get a straw in and get more water on it :))  Getting close now but its this waiting game. And now the humidity really matters so im afraid if it drops I wont know until too late. Nothing I can do about it though so just hope all goes well. 

I certainly don't plan on staying at work any longer than I have to for the next few day though (Im a high school teacher so I dont usually leave straight away) :)

Come on chicks :fl


I've got my incubator to stay pretty steady since I've been back. Opened the top and reset the temp (as hard as it is it must be done sigh!) and candled as I did so, was gonna lose heat anyways. So looks like things are all back to being fine, knock on wood! Been a pretty steady (compared to before) 99.98-100.2 on the digital thermo but the little red one has stuck at 100 that's right by all the eggs. Hopefully that's good haha! It's been raining since we got back, the hens weren't happy I didn't let them out and the humidity inside raised from 30ish to 40ish!
I need to remember that sponge trick! I've heard of it before if your humidity really doesn't want to go up or its hatching time but right by the vents never thought of that!!! I bought a few for washing my show chickens feathers a few days ago but I can spare one for the incubator! ;) How's lockdown going? The humidity stay pretty nice now? Hopefully everything's going good and maybe you get an early birdy that'll make the rest wanna pop! Are the Australorps from your own flock or someone else's? :D
 
I've got my incubator to stay pretty steady since I've been back. Opened the top and reset the temp (as hard as it is it must be done sigh!) and candled as I did so, was gonna lose heat anyways. So looks like things are all back to being fine, knock on wood! Been a pretty steady (compared to before) 99.98-100.2 on the digital thermo but the little red one has stuck at 100 that's right by all the eggs. Hopefully that's good haha! It's been raining since we got back, the hens weren't happy I didn't let them out and the humidity inside raised from 30ish to 40ish!
I need to remember that sponge trick! I've heard of it before if your humidity really doesn't want to go up or its hatching time but right by the vents never thought of that!!! I bought a few for washing my show chickens feathers a few days ago but I can spare one for the incubator!
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How's lockdown going? The humidity stay pretty nice now? Hopefully everything's going good and maybe you get an early birdy that'll make the rest wanna pop! Are the Australorps from your own flock or someone else's?
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At day 19.5 now. (I set them at 5pm so its not truly day 20 until then. its 8.30am now). Temp and humidity staying constant. I topped up both the water troughs in the bottom (through a top up hole in the side) and made sure the sponge was still wet last night and this morning. Humidity at 65%.

No sign of activity when I left for work this morning so still waiting. Hoping I have at least an external pip tonight :)
 
At day 19.5 now. (I set them at 5pm so its not truly day 20 until then. its 8.30am now). Temp and humidity staying constant. I topped up both the water troughs in the bottom (through a top up hole in the side) and made sure the sponge was still wet last night and this morning. Humidity at 65%.

No sign of activity when I left for work this morning so still waiting. Hoping I have at least an external pip tonight :)


This is eggsciting!
 
Lockdown for me tomorrow night! Eeeeek! This never gets old. All my air cells look decent for shipped eggs and for the first time, I don't have any saddle cells. No idea how I managed that stroke of luck. I can't wait to see everyone's fluffy pictures!
 
Lockdown for me tomorrow night! Eeeeek! This never gets old. All my air cells look decent for shipped eggs and for the first time, I don't have any saddle cells. No idea how I managed that stroke of luck. I can't wait to see everyone's fluffy pictures!
I know
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I am pretty excited. Just want the day to be over so I can get home and check on them. Really hoping for some sort of movement tonight!! Come on fluff balls :)
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All the best for you lock down to hatch
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