Set eggs April 3rd, who's with me!!??

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I have PIPPING!!!!!!!!

Woohoo! Good luck!!

Ok, my bator is set for next hatch! 28 eggs!
This is what I learned from my last hatch:
-disinfect bator really well between hatches (done.)
-let shipped eggs settle before setting, then leave the turner off for a few days (I'm going to try 5 days this time)
-No candling until day 7. I think they're too fragile before then.
-I'm setting my incubation humidity at 30%. I did totally dry last time, and some of the eggs lost too much moisture.

Fingers crossed for all the new batches! Spirited, my Polish are blue and silver laced. I hope they hatch this time. I have the worst luck with Polish eggs.

 

[SpiritedFarm]

I have PIPPING!!!!!!!!

Yay! Let us know how it's going!!!

 

[Frost Homestead]

My Broody Hen #2 sat April 2nd, two hatched last night, but Mama had them hidden. This morning I saw two, one is black with lighter lower tummy/butt, the other is chipmunk. This afternoon I went out and saw chick #3, thought it was a Buff (all yellow) but then I saw the legs (feathered) Boy was I surprised!
As I sat & watched the new little ones, I noticed a EE zipping, and out plopped a new baby!

This Mama is sitting on 19 egg, do not know how many will hatch, just taking it day by day, and hoping that a hen will go broody soon, so I can give the remaining unhatched eggs to that Mama.

That is SO precious!! Congrats!

 

[Frost Homestead]

Well done everyone!! Brooster and i have just both loaded up the bators again and will be expecting in 3 weeks! Anybody else in??

I'll be loading up the 'bator as soon as I have enough eggs, which should be tomorrow or the next day at the most. I'm definitely IN!!

My last broody has 2 eggs under her and both of them have pipped! They're due today so they're right on time

This is her third hatch in a row, she kept stealing eggs from the other broody after I took her chicks the *second time. She must wanna be a Momma so bad, she's been in there for several months! Once these are done she's getting locked out of the nest box!

 

[Frost Homestead]

I hatched a bunch Tues and refilled my bator

total hatching hysteria I know but I cant stop

somehow I managed to miss your post, Oh MY that's a lot of Marans!

 

[Nikkipar]

It iss exhausting being born... 7 Buff Brahmas so far

 

[Frost Homestead]

Awhhhhh! Welcome to the world little chick!

 

[Frost Homestead]

Here's the last chick that hatched from my batch. It took well over 24 hours and this little one was shrink wrapped (literally like super-glued to the membrane) I decided to help it out since there was no bleeding at all. Poor thing was covered in hard yolk like stuff that matted its fluff down. I left it in the incubator for a while before taking it out in the hopes that it would fluff up. Eventually I gave up and had to wash it off gently because the yolk or whatever it was prevented the little chicks fuzz from getting fluffy when though it was dry.

It's happily in the brooder now with the other chicks and seems to be doing well. I was afraid of drowning the poor thing when I washed it so I left its head. You guys think that once the feathers start to grow out it wont matter? I don't want to put it through the stress of washing its head and face.



Here are the first 5 that hatched, the little one was still in the incubator.



And here it is in its cute chick glory, nasty matted head and all. Maybe after it gets another couple days older I'll go at it with a wet Q-tip

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I had a similar situation with my last hatched chick. She had pipped 26 hours earlier, and was still peeping loudly, so I decided to help. She was totally shrink wrapped. After I got her out of the shell, I left her in the incubator for hours, and she just laid there. When she was dry, I moved her to the brooder. I didn't think she was going to make it. And she looked terrible, matted up, patches of fluff missing. She didn't move for about 18 hours. But here she is on day 3! A robust Buckeye! Fluffy and cute as her siblings.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Oh, and one thing that helped with the matting...rinse with warm water, wait till dry, comb with an old toothbrush