Setting 41 on 6-15, 7-8, 7-31, and 8-23 feel free to join in at any time

[RubyNala97]

FYI, I have unsubscribed, so have fun.

Why?

I can see it a little, I think. I'd say Walnut is right. I bet it won't cause a problem.

And I think what he was trying to say about drawing down is where I've seen the air cell curve along the edge, in addition to just getting larger. I can candle thru the window too and the cell will sorta look "droopy" from that side angle. Not taut like yours still is. But it definitely has increased greatly since your last pencil marking! I seriously can't wait to see these peas!
Didn't you start this thread?

Yeah that pic came out to dark. I could see it in the picture on my phone but once loaded it, I realized it just looks like a dark photo!! I understand better what you are saying about the draw down. I guess they are "starting" to draw down, is that fair to say? I'm going to candle each night so hopefully I will see what you guys are talking about. I just know with my chicken eggs, they don't look like that untill I'm already in lockdown. So I was really surprised to see that much air cell growth, before lockdown, you know? Thanks!

 

[WVduckchick]

Why?
Yeah that pic came out to dark. I could see it in the picture on my phone but once loaded it, I realized it just looks like a dark photo!! I understand better what you are saying about the draw down. I guess they are "starting" to draw down, is that fair to say? I'm going to candle each night so hopefully I will see what you guys are talking about. I just know with my chicken eggs, they don't look like that untill I'm already in lockdown. So I was really surprised to see that much air cell growth, before lockdown, you know? Thanks!

Oh they are definitely getting close! And looking great. And I've only seen what I was describing a few times. Not in every egg. Well, I can never see in all of mine through the window. It depends on placement since I only have small windows on 4 sides. Not that beautiful Brinsea dome! Lol

And after re-thinking.. As I often do when my fingers act quicker than my brain, what I was thinking may be after an internal pip, when the membrane droops because the air cell has been punctured. So that could be totally different! Lol

 

[RubyNala97]

Oh they are definitely getting close! And looking great. And I've only seen what I was describing a few times. Not in every egg. Well, I can never see in all of mine through the window. It depends on placement since I only have small windows on 4 sides. Not that beautiful Brinsea dome! Lol

And after re-thinking.. As I often do when my fingers act quicker than my brain, what I was thinking may be after an internal pip, when the membrane droops because the air cell has been punctured. So that could be totally different! Lol

Ah! I've never seen an internal pip before! (And I'm dying to see one). I was told on the pea board to candle for the internal pip. Because a lot of times the peas need help making an external pip. So hopefully I will get to see this!! I'm excited!

 

[WalnutHill]

Once the air cell draws down, internal pip is imminent. I've candled my turkey eggs up until external pip and find that draw down occurs as the last of the amniotic fluid is swallowed by the poult. Draw down is lesser and later in very large eggs (for the breed) and more and earlier in smaller eggs, likely due to the proportionately smaller volume of fluid.

The first two of my turkey eggs are drawing down, and at the same time there is only a thin line of amniotic fluid. It's time to move them to lockdown.

 

[RubyNala97]

Once the air cell draws down, internal pip is imminent.  I've candled my turkey eggs up until external pip and find that draw down occurs as the last of the amniotic fluid is swallowed by the poult.  Draw down is lesser and later in very large eggs (for the breed) and more and earlier in smaller eggs, likely due to the proportionately smaller volume of fluid.

The first two of my turkey eggs are drawing down, and at the same time there is only a thin line of amniotic fluid.  It's time to move them to lockdown.

So would you say this egg is "drawing down" or that the air cell is just growing? I'm really curious to know so that I do not post misinformation or my own misconceptions. If its not drawing down, then why has the air cell grown so much in 36 hrs? Today is lockdown. Thank you, I'm still just learning.

 

[WalnutHill]

Generally the air cell is centered at or near the tip of the large end of the egg, and is symmetrical. Nearing hatch time, the air cell will begin to tilt so that it reaches farther down from its original center on one side. Shortly before hatch, when the amniotic fluid is absorbed, the outline of the air cell will usually develop irregular margins where it contacts the chick. Internal pip is imminent at this point. Your egg is drawing down. If you candle again in 8 hours you will see further development.

There is still another membrane between the air cell membrane and the chick that contains the blood vessels. When the humidity is sufficiently high the membranes will remain pliable and the chick will be able to pip through both to complete the internal pip.

 

[RubyNala97]

Generally the air cell is centered at or near the tip of the large end of the egg, and is symmetrical.  Nearing hatch time, the air cell will begin to tilt so that it reaches farther down from its original center on one side.  Shortly before hatch, when the amniotic fluid is absorbed, the outline of the air cell will usually develop irregular margins where it contacts the chick.  Internal pip is imminent at this point.  Your egg is drawing down.  If you candle again in 8 hours you will see further development.

There is still another membrane between the air cell membrane and the chick that contains the blood vessels.  When the humidity is sufficiently high the membranes will remain pliable and the chick will be able to pip through both to complete the internal pip.

Ok, thank you! I'm going to go ahead and go into lockdown. I am excited to see an internal pip because I've never seen one before but this hatch (since it's peafowl) I plan on checking every few hours incase the internal pip does not become an external pip in 24 hrs. Then I will make a small air hole in the egg. I can see movement of the chick underneath the egg where the air cell is the smallest. I can see the outline of the chick on the underside, like you described. It's not a smooth line. I'm so excited to hatch a different kind of bird! Thanks again!

 

[NTBugtraq]

I'm over my little tantrum...sorry about that.

So I had hatches in my styro bator starting on Day 20 continuing to Day 23. I have 60% and put them in the brooder. However, within days, those that had hatched on Day 23, and some who hatched on Day 22, died. As of today, I have a success rate on that set of 35.29%...or 12 of the 34 fertile eggs. I won't say electrolytes in the water would have helped as those that died did not take to getting water or food. Yes, I could have hand watered each of the 9 chicks, but given I hadn't let the temperature or humidity go out of whack during the hatch I wanted to see if they would thrive on their own. Hatching on Day 22 and Day 23 indicates, to me, some other problem...I mean the oldest egg was only 8 days old, had been constantly turned, and kept in a cool area (60F) with a fairly stable humidity.

So as a comparison, my Brinsea chicks have been kept upstairs, near a window. I set the temperature alarm to go off if the temp raised 1F...it has never gone off. The humidity has been kept at 45% through the hatch. I only weighed and candled on Day 8...ideal weight is 4.95%, my average was 5.52%. I thought today was Day 18 for the Brinsea hatch, but in fact its Day 19. When I went this morning to take the rails and foam out, I had 8 pips...and lots of chirping. At 6:00pm today my first chick was completely out of the shell...and fairly dry, so it probably hatched at like 3:00pm or so (I was out at the time). 44 eggs on their side in the Brinsea really jams them together...the chick is having to lie on top of eggs. Anyway, at max humidity it is 72% right now, after I checked the eggs and put the lid back on it was at 58%...so it seems to be hovering where I need it to be. It doesn't take long to get back to 65%.

During my first styro hatch I ran at 50% humidity and didn't check weights. My first hatches were on Day 19 also. Not conclusive of anything, but certainly suggestive.

Just to close a loop, the 3 three-week-old chicks that I put in with my, then, 7 week olds have all died. No obvious pecking or physical harm, so I have to believe they weren't able to get to food. I did see them all drink water several times. I have a fence inside the young birds coop, which I intend now to turn into another coop...to protect the smaller birds from the larger. The future hatches are going to be closer together, and I hope to have day olds going in with 3 week olds in the brooder...hopefully this will help day olds learn to water and feed, and the older chicks to get along with younger ones. No guarantees, but its worth a try. Also, if the hatches are bigger, then there are more birds of a given age trying to mix with the existing flock. This may dissuade the older birds from being bullies. Finally, I am thinking about culling my young layers (they're 11 month old now) as they are huge compared to my 3 yr-olds, and make formidable foes for any younger birds. I will do this as soon as I can find replacements.

Hope your hatches are doing well...assuming you're still subscribed of course.

 

[WalnutHill]

I am a firm believer that styro bators have been planted to ensure that people don't succeed in overpopulating the world with chickens (or quail, or pheasant, or turkey...). I think I had about a 5% hatch rate last year on turkeys using just the styro bators (2 LG 9200s, one forced air, one still air) and went to 5x that with my homebuilt. Not to say it's not possible, but success is improbable.

Mixing chickens is a challenge. Safety is in numbers, but having birds that look the same seems to help a lot too. I am mixing black and white and brown partridge birds into a flock of production reds...not easy. My Broad Breasted White turkey baby got in with the big birds, the 8-12 week old turkeys and breeders, and was killed. Yet there are two Midget Whites the same size that are part of the flock. So I think that the panic shown by the youngsters is what gets them beat up or killed, and the "escape hatch" fence is the way to prevent that. And put food and water in the safe zone.

I've hatched out four turkeys yesterday, doing well and already pre-sold.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Mixing chickens is a challenge. Safety is in numbers, but having birds that look the same seems to help a lot too.

Well, there's a challenge since all my chicks are of like 5 different colorations. But I do hope that numbers make a difference.