Set 3/9/12 HATCH ALONG!

[bobbi-j]

Finally got my eggs locked down. I started with 41 eggs. Out of those 41, 4 were obviously clear at first candling on Day 8. One more clear on Day 14 check. The 36 I have left all appear to be developing, but I have 8 that I have labled DD (developmentally delayed). These 8 eggs have so much clear space at the bottom of the shell, I can't see how it's possible for there to be a fully formed chick in them! But they're all still alive and jumping around, so I'll give them some time. I'm even willing to give them an extra week after the others hatch, just to be sure. I may candle them after the others hatch, just to see how they're doing. After 24 hours of humidity at 30-40%, I'm much more comfortable with the size of the air cell. I put them in egg cartons, and have a thermometer on each side of the incubator, between the eggs, on the carton. Now it's just the waiting game.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

So It's 19 day in Lockdown! I don't hear anything, no pips....just waiting! I thought I saw moved from one of the eggs and got excited, but maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. How is everyone doing?

 

[Domestic_goddess]

So It's 19 day in Lockdown! I don't hear anything, no pips....just waiting! I thought I saw moved from one of the eggs and got excited, but maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. How is everyone doing?

My eyes are not playing tricks on me, Eggs are wiggly! How exciting....

I started with 34 eggs and now I'm down to 20 and I just keeping hoping and praying for at least 5 to hatch, or I'll be sad.

 

[bobbi-j]

Oooh! Excited for you! Nothing happening with mine, but I noticed the temp was down a bit (98*) this morning. Bumped it up a hair, so we'll see what happens. Are your eggs on their sides, or in cartons? (I know you mentioned which method you were going to use, but I'm too lazy to go back and look) I wonder if they can wiggle hard enough to move them when they're in cartons?

My eyes are not playing tricks on me, Eggs are wiggly! How exciting....

I started with 34 eggs and now I'm down to 20 and I just keeping hoping and praying for at least 5 to hatch, or I'll be sad.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Oooh! Excited for you! Nothing happening with mine, but I noticed the temp was down a bit (98*) this morning. Bumped it up a hair, so we'll see what happens. Are your eggs on their sides, or in cartons? (I know you mentioned which method you were going to use, but I'm too lazy to go back and look) I wonder if they can wiggle hard enough to move them when they're in cartons?

They are all on thier sides. I heard about the cartion idea and just too nervous to try, with this being my first ever hatch. I tried to video the wiggles, but of course while I was taping they didn't wiggle..lol..If I can capture some wiggles I'll post it.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Oooh! Excited for you! Nothing happening with mine, but I noticed the temp was down a bit (98*) this morning. Bumped it up a hair, so we'll see what happens. Are your eggs on their sides, or in cartons? (I know you mentioned which method you were going to use, but I'm too lazy to go back and look) I wonder if they can wiggle hard enough to move them when they're in cartons?

bobbi-j, interesting that you should mention your temperature going down. Do you think it was because the night is cooler? One of my digital thermometers on the floor went down to 95. It had been reading 97. My probe, which is hanging at the tops of the eggs is averaging a little lower also. I haven't made any adjustments yet though. I'm using a still air, so it is a mathmatical exercise in finding "averages" everytime I want to find my exact overall temperature-hehe! The top level is averaging between 100.9 and 101.1 and the floor thermometers were about 97. That makes my overall temperature about 99*. Maybe I should bump up the temperature. I just get nervous when I see the probe thermometer go up to 102,

even if it's just momentarily!

I still reach in and kind of turn the eggs in the carton to ake sure they aren't stuck (since there aren't pips yet, I think it's OK). I wondered too if they could wiggle in the egg cartons? There is a little space around them since I cut the cartons down and poked out airholes, but I don't know if they can actually move the egg from it's stationary position. I'll be watching though.

Keep up the updates. This is so exciting and agaonizing waiting!

 

[bobbi-j]

DG - This is my first try with the cartons. I'll let you know how it goes.

CC - I was thinking maybe the temp went down because the eggs are a little lower in the incubator than they were when I had them in the egg turner, so not as close to the heating element. I was concerned earlier about a difference in temps from one side of the bator to the other, but they're even now, so I think it was the turner motor causing it. I have a circulated air incubator. It's the first time I've used it, so it will be interesting to see how the hatch turns out. Humidity was up to 80% this morning - I'd like to see it come down to 65%. Our house is kind of dry, so that will help. Happy Hatching!

 

[SierraView]

2 more days!

I build a brooder box, hope my husband will put a nipple watering system in before the chicks hatch.

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[CALI CHICK]

Ooooh that looks GREAT!

Very nice brooder....even the cat wants to curl up and get cozy in there!
Thanks for the great idea too.

2 more days!

I build a brooder box, hope my husband will put a nipple watering system in before the chicks hatch.

​

 

[SierraView]

I've caught Sugar Bear sleeping in a brooder with chicks before. I was so lucky she didn't want to kill them, I think she's just to lazy to hunt.