September Hatch-A-Long!

[Heidisgran]

Quote: some incubators say count the 1st day as the day you set.....the chick will hatch when they're ready some 1or2 days before some 3 days later....I think some on here have had them hatch even after that so be prepared before and try not to get too upset if they are late haha!!

 

[Heidisgran]

So, I read the directions for my incubator when I got it about candling. All I thought I was supposed to look for is an area where light doesn't go through all the way, like a dark area, which is what I found. But I keep reading where people say they see movement or eyes!! What???? Maybe I didn't do something right!!!

you probably don't have a bright Candler! but even with a really bright light depending on the egg, the color, density etc... you may not see much....it's exciting when you do though

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: once you've candled enough eggs you can see when it's not viable anymore usually but the rule is if your not sure put it back in the incubator.....and don't forget the last several days before they hatch they get still and rest a lot in preparation.

 

[jnjmanning]

Lock down is tomorrow. I went ahead and put them in the hatching trays in the drawers. All 9 were moving good. Will start bumping humidity later tomorrow. All my silkies have been starting on day 19, so I need to be ready.

 

[epmchickens]

So if I understand, you have eggs that are on day 9 and eggs that are on day 5.
If that's the case, what I would do is do a dry hatch and then raise the humidity on day 18 or 19 and don't open until the bulk of the first group have hatched. Pull those chicks and check the air cell on the later eggs. Adjust the humidity accordingly. Then do a normal hatch with the remaining eggs. Hope that makes sense.

This is exactly what I did. I had my main group of eggs and added a few more over the following few days. I did a dry hatch, which august in pa means 40% humidity lol, and bumped it to 70% once I saw the eggs begin to wiggle. All my eggs that made it to lockdown hatched

 

[sonderah]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs

byc has a great candling page, it even includes a vid of a embryo moving so you know what to look for. i just did my day 5 candling and yes i saw everything from just veins to "eyes" to buncing baby to just dark egg. it depends on the egg color and shell thickness alot. thin shelled white eggs are the easyest.

Wow! That was awesome! I looked at it forever! Thank you!!

 

[chickydee64]

once you've candled enough eggs you can see when it's not viable anymore usually but the rule is if your not sure put it back in the incubator.....and don't forget the last several days before they hatch they get still and rest a lot in preparation.

I have candled lots....I just never see movement especially near the end........

Maybe I just catch them at nap time

 

[chippysmom327]

[COLOR=008080]Possibly both.......but should start the 22nd.and in case you don't know..............they can hatch over a few days.......[/COLOR]
[COLOR=008080]I keep mine in the incubator until day 25....................Good Luck[/COLOR]

3 weeks later on the 22nd

some incubators say count the 1st day as the day you set.....the chick will hatch when they're ready some 1or2 days before some 3 days later....I think some on here have had them hatch even after that so be prepared before and try not to get too upset if they are late haha!!

Thanks! I wanna skip a day or two of school so I can be there for when they hatch but my parents said no. But I'll just set on Friday. I'm going to a swap Saturday and may get a few hatching eggs. So they'll hatch a day after.

 

[DeannaA]

well! I have 4 incubator and eggs lining the edges that I have to hand turn

I have eggs balancing on other eggs.

 

[Bantamlover124]

I have eggs balancing on other eggs.

Holy eggs! How many do you get each batch??? That is way more than what I have ever DREAMED of