Set eggs 3/5. Looking for others to hatch with!

[CALI CHICK]

Don't we just love our sweet husbands. I told my dearest FIRST thing this morning while he was still sleepy. I said I have good news for you honey (now keep in mind during this story he wants another baby really bad, we just haven't had luck.....I think we're a wee bit too old) so he says you're fertile? I'm like, yeah, I am. I have eggs......and if I'm really lucky they are going to hatch little chicks. I think he was way too tired to care what I had been up to!!!! So right before we walk into church this morning, I was like, yeah, I have about three dozen eggs coming this week. He just kind of looked at me. I was like well, I bought two dozen last night. It was just too perfect to pass up. You can't kill another human being right in the church parking lot......that would be SOOOOO wrong!!!!!! He's so sweet. He's on the phone to TSC asking about incubators right now.
I keep weighing the eggs in the bator and the banty eggs look good. The Rhode Island Red eggs seem to be a little behind in losing weight so maybe it's not a good idea to do both kinds at once? I'm not sure. It is a little difficult because the first batch I weighed in ounces and it only weighed to the nearest .05 and then I realized I should have weighed in grams to get an exact measure. I have changed that now.
I am off to search on here about LG incubators.
Happy Sunday, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and my husband has NO time to build houses for the chickens. He has so many urgent projects before that. Don't worry, we have a garage, LOL. I am definitely totally winging this.

YEP, I'm totally relating to you (and your DH), WWC! Except in my DH and my case it was me that wanted another baby...he just likes trying. Of course, I know I'm too old now (born 1969-you do the math) so we've even done foster care. After 5 months of trying to make another child "fit" into our family (which she wasn't) the social workers saved my insanity and placed the child in another home.

(I'm sorry, but, it was SO challenging on my son and the little girl really didn't want a "brother" either.)

ANYWAY, I say all that to say that having chickens this last year has been my therapy in so many ways. When I get them as chicks or eggs, I get to care for them and my nurturing, "mothering" instinct kicks in. The chickens have provided hours of relaxation, entertainment and joy. And, everyone in my family gets involved whether it's cleaning the coop, putting them out in the tractor or eating their eggs-hehe! I'm really grateful that I have a husband that puts up with my chicken addiction, mainly because he knows they make me happy!

 

[JulieNKC]

I keep telling hubby I traded with someone. I sent them eggs and they sent me some.

I have more hatching going on today. The rest of the ducklings in the incubator are hatching. One's zipping, 2 internal pips, and one I can see trying to internal pip.

These are duck eggs I'd had in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, and decided to set as an experiment. Set 4, still have all 4 going. Can't wait to see these guys.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I keep telling hubby I traded with someone. I sent them eggs and they sent me some.

I have more hatching going on today. The rest of the ducklings in the incubator are hatching. One's zipping, 2 internal pips, and one I can see trying to internal pip.

These are duck eggs I'd had in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, and decided to set as an experiment. Set 4, still have all 4 going. Can't wait to see these guys.

Awwww, lucky ducks (literally) How exciting! Where are more pictures? Do ducks hatch the same as chickens? It sounds like they must with the pipping and zipping that you're describing. Do they make little quack sounds or more of a chirp?

 

[crazysilkielady]

I have blue ,black and splash silkies in bator.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I have blue ,black and splash silkies in bator.

Yeah, me too! How many eggs do you have? I set 24 BBS silkies @ midnight Friday.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Yeah, me too! How many eggs do you have? I set 24 BBS silkies @ midnight Friday.

Wow! You guys were busy chatting while I was off to TSC. I did not end up buyig that incubator. I think I will stick with what I have. If I'm going to buy one, it at least needs to be something more than what I have.
Cali Chick, taking care of chicks takes care of my mothering needs also. I think I'm like a broody hen too. And I love only having to raise it for a few short weeks and when I want to go out I just close up the barn doors......PERFECT! Better than a dog too in a lot of ways, except I can't snuggle with it in bed late at night.
JulieNKC, that is funny. I never would have thought of telling anyone that, but I can see how it would work

And I am so jealous of hatching duck eggs after being refrigerated. What kind of incubator do you use? I know ducks require more humidity, but what do you use for poultry, if you incubate it? Please blow hatching dust my way......I need it. I have 36 possible lives depending on me with approximately 36 more on their way. Share any and all secrets

 

[JulieNKC]

Awwww, lucky ducks (literally) How exciting! Where are more pictures? Do ducks hatch the same as chickens? It sounds like they must with the pipping and zipping that you're describing. Do they make little quack sounds or more of a chirp?

I sold 8 of them yesterday. They all went to the same lady so I'm pretty happy. They'll be staying together. I still have 2 blue ones who will be going to another BYC member. Usually they drag it out hatching. They internal pip then don't external pip for 24-48 hours, then it takes another 12 hours to start zipping, and 24-48 to zip and get out of the shell. They peep. Like a chick kind of, but louder. They are messier too, but they are so cute. Tougher than chicks too. I only use a heat lamp for a week inside, they don't get pasty butt or cocci or worms or anything like chicks.

Wow! You guys were busy chatting while I was off to TSC. I did not end up buyig that incubator. I think I will stick with what I have. If I'm going to buy one, it at least needs to be something more than what I have.
Cali Chick, taking care of chicks takes care of my mothering needs also. I think I'm like a broody hen too. And I love only having to raise it for a few short weeks and when I want to go out I just close up the barn doors......PERFECT! Better than a dog too in a lot of ways, except I can't snuggle with it in bed late at night.
JulieNKC, that is funny. I never would have thought of telling anyone that, but I can see how it would work

And I am so jealous of hatching duck eggs after being refrigerated. What kind of incubator do you use? I know ducks require more humidity, but what do you use for poultry, if you incubate it? Please blow hatching dust my way......I need it. I have 36 possible lives depending on me with approximately 36 more on their way. Share any and all secrets

I just use an lg, still air, no turner, or silkies. I dry incubate unless it's winter and the air in the house is dry. Somewhere between 30-45%. During summer it's 45% with no water. I add water when I have internal pips to get it to 65%, and when they hatch it'll raise more. I almost always have multispecies staggered hatches going on, so I just incubate everything the same.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

I sold 8 of them yesterday. They all went to the same lady so I'm pretty happy. They'll be staying together. I still have 2 blue ones who will be going to another BYC member. Usually they drag it out hatching. They internal pip then don't external pip for 24-48 hours, then it takes another 12 hours to start zipping, and 24-48 to zip and get out of the shell. They peep. Like a chick kind of, but louder. They are messier too, but they are so cute. Tougher than chicks too. I only use a heat lamp for a week inside, they don't get pasty butt or cocci or worms or anything like chicks.


I just use an lg, still air, no turner, or silkies. I dry incubate unless it's winter and the air in the house is dry. Somewhere between 30-45%. During summer it's 45% with no water. I add water when I have internal pips to get it to 65%, and when they hatch it'll raise more. I almost always have multispecies staggered hatches going on, so I just incubate everything the same.

Uhhhmmmmm......Kansas City???? I don't think that's too far for me to zip on over and bring my incubator and eggs and take a three-week course in egg hatching.
Adorable ducklings. You are making me want some. Is that paper litter on the left?
How do you know when they internally pip?

 

[JulieNKC]

Uhhhmmmmm......Kansas City???? I don't think that's too far for me to zip on over and bring my incubator and eggs and take a three-week course in egg hatching.
Adorable ducklings. You are making me want some. Is that paper litter on the left?
How do you know when they internally pip?

It's woodstove pellets. A friend on here uses them so I tried them and they work great for brooders. They're only $4 a 40lb bag, and it's way less dusty and messy than shavings.
I candle them, and you can hear them clicking if you hold the egg to your ear. Then I add water and stop turning all of them that are supposed to hatch. I still open the incubator really quick to turn the other eggs since I have staggered hatches, and mist with warm water when I do that.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

It's woodstove pellets. A friend on here uses them so I tried them and they work great for brooders. They're only $4 a 40lb bag, and it's way less dusty and messy than shavings.
I candle them, and you can hear them clicking if you hold the egg to your ear. Then I add water and stop turning all of them that are supposed to hatch. I still open the incubator really quick to turn the other eggs since I have staggered hatches, and mist with warm water when I do that.

Wait a minute!!!!!

What days do you candle the "lockdown" eggs on to hear for internal pips? And do you leave all the eggs in the bator, the incubating eggs that are on days 1-18 and the hatching eggs, days 18-21? And I've thought about misting with warm water, but then I read it was not good for eggs. Do you mist all the way through or just at the end or just the eggs that are getting ready to hatch? I have so many questions. I am going to think on this and post again tomorrow. But I would like to say if they had a blue ribbon icon, I would be giving you one.......let's see what they have that might work

I like this one....KUDOS!!! How many years have you been hatching? How many times a day do you turn the eggs days 1-18?
Yes, I'm full of questions. I'm so intrigued.

Ha, ha....I like this one for you too.
And I'm going to look into these woodstove pellets. How many weeks do you keep the chicks on them? I am so tired of the dust of the pine shavings and kicking it into the food and water so bad.
Thank you for the information.