Set our second hatch Saturday 5/12/12

[Avonshire]

Well the other thing I find hard is there are lots of different opinions out there on how to do it. I think it is an art to some extent. I keep telling myself I will do the best I can and see how it goes. Have fun at work! I have a couple more pips now and they are all in good locations so I think they will be good.

 

[Beckymca]

Yea for pips!!!!

Yes, there is some art to this, agreed 100% and tons of opinions too.

I have faith we will both get it in time!!!! I can't wait to check in. I might try to sneak on from work if it's a slow night, so keep the updates coming!!!

I candled the batch I set on 5/24 last night and there are 23 LB's and 8 Dorkings. I pulled 2 LB's, the Dorking were soooooooo cool to candle!! Very light cream to white so I saw a lot of movement in them, fun!!!!

Lock down for them on the 11th/pm and hatch expected 14th-16th. So it won't be long before I freaking out again, lol.......

 

[Beckymca]

Also at room temp I had one reading 70*, 3 reading 72* and my digitals read 72.7 and 73* so hoping I can get better control over my temps and humidity in the future.

 

[Avonshire]

OK good luck to you! lol! I have the same problem--the therms saying the temps are all over the place. I decided to stick with my digital. Although it is the only one I can't calibrate with the ice thing. I might buy one of those egg therms or incubator therms. OK so I have 6 chicks. One more is trying to hatch right now. I have two more good pips and one pip that just started. My bloody pip is the one that is hatching right now. It also pipped in the wrong end--I am amazed it is still hatching. I also have not taken any of my chicks out. I soooo want to but I also do not want to mess up the last few pips. It is getting crowded in the bator though! Lots of broken eggs and chicks running amok! Good fun and my hatch looks like it might spread out over 3 days--which is kind of fun too!!!

 

[Beckymca]

Congrats!!!!!!!! Post pics when you can!!!

 

[Avonshire]

ok I am up to 10--I will post pics tomorrow. I had to help one out. It had pipped 32 hours earlier, was still alive but just could not get out. Oh and my egg that pipped last early this evening already hatched--it was fast! That is how I like it!! I don't know about the other eggs and their lack of activity but I will give it another day or so and see if anything is going on. I might candle them tomorrow and see if there is any movement. Some were questionable at lock down but some looked great! That leaves me 8 eggs that have done nothing. Anyway I am tired since I did not sleep much last night. I am going to be worried all night about the little ones but hopefully they will survive the night. Oh and my babies are soooo soft. I did not get that with my first single baby hatch. That bird was sticky for a long time!!

 

[Beckymca]

Yippee!!! So glad you got some chicks!!! Post pics when you can!!!!!

 

[Avonshire]

OK here are 7 of them. The last 3 are still in the bator drying out. The one I helped is actually doing ok this morning--yay!!! Overall a much better situation for my second hatch!! However for now I do not feel the need to do it again!!! At least for a while!!

eta--forgot the picture!!!

 

[Beckymca]

Soooo cute!!! I'm glad you at least got some chicks!! Are they all keepers? Or for sale?

I delivered the 5 Ameraucanas ( I hatched for a friend) and the 7 Light Brahmas to their new owner today. Also sold the 6, 5 week old LB's that I had bought back from a friend. They left today as well. Down to my 12 adult LB's (11 hens and 1 rooster) and the new chicks, 8 Salmon Faverolles and 2 Dorkings.

My next batch of 28 LB's which will likely be for sale, and 8 Dorkings that I will keep, should start hatching on the 11th. So the fun will begin soon for me again, lol.... Actually pulled to LB's so already down to 26 there.

Then 23 LB's which will also most likely be for sale, and 5 Birchen Marans that I plan to keep will be hatching on the 20th.

I am on the hunt for different Salmon Faverolle eggs if anyone sees this and can recommend a good source. Possible more Dorking eggs as well. I may also look for more Birchen Maran eggs this year too, but I'm not sure any of my 5 eggs will hatch. I got my eggs, then got called into work that same day, then had a horse down with colic that night, took off for work the next day, then remembered I had eggs that needed to be unpacked, turned and started. So I may have screwed them all up before they even hit the bator. Time will tell.

 

[Avonshire]

Wow Beckymca--you have a bunch of fun ahead of you. In some ways I am jealous of the fun and expectation that is coming up for you but at the same time I have my hands full. No mine are all mutts so I will keep the hens and do whatever people do with roos. Not really looking forward to that though. I keep trying to talk my friend into letting me hatch for her but she has not taken me up on it!!