Setting eggs on FEB 10

[my sunwolf]

My little pride and joy serama

Such a pretty chick

I have a question, my guy who hatched early AM on Day 20 is really hungry (making the hungry peeps), now it is past 24hrs since he's hatched. Can he stay in the incubator for the full 48hrs? Can he stay in longer at all? I really don't want to open it because I have 2 more pips and don't want to mess them up, but really not sure when they're going to get their butts out of the eggs.

 

[bugglesmommy]

He should be okay but I had to take some of mine out before everyone hatched. They started getting crowded, hungry, grumpy and picking on newborns. None of my pips or babies got negativly effected, but I have a more humid climate and humidity pump so I didnt drop the % by much.

 

[bugglesmommy]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm 99% positive all of them were fertile and all were developing perfectly up until day 14 or so. I didn't candle them again til right before lock down and 2 all we could see was the clear big end where the air sack is on 2 of them (very dark), but 2 didn't seem to change since day 14ish. I did accidentally bump the 'bator a little to make them rock a bit, but it wasn't like they fell or anything, just a wiggle. Ugh I have 6 coming for my little girls Easter hatch a long contest and now I'm scared! I been hand turning them, should I invest in an auto turner to keep from opening the 'bator at all except for water refills? I know people hand turned them for years and years w/ success though, so that shouldn't be the entirety of it. so sad :-(

I just won an auction for some Polish eggs. It will be my first time with shipped eggs. I'd be happy to hatch with you again if you like? We can hope together!

 

[PoultryGirly]

Is this a good hatch rate for a first timer: 1 egg died at around 5 days, 4 were infertile, and 8 have hatched with the 9th pipping?

 

[bugglesmommy]

So out of the fertile eggs you only lost 1? Sounds like a great hatch to me.

 

[PoultryGirly]

So out of the fertile eggs you only lost 1? Sounds like a great hatch to me.

Yep, that's correct!

 

[my sunwolf]

We now have 7 chicks running around the incubator, with an 8th on the way. If all make it, that would be 3 chicks that hatch today, and 5 that hatched yesterday. One egg has pipped on the wrong side but is still pecking away at his shell; I'm not sure if he'll make it out.

So about 18/42 of my eggs were infertile, 5 died before Day 18, and I set 19 at lockdown. Now almost 8 have hatched. I'm going to leave them in for another day, but these seem like awful odds so far. Maybe my humidity was too low... eggs too old... temperature... something.

I have never done shipped eggs, and from the stories, I will probably only try them once I get better at this hatching thing.

 

[CowgirlHC]

Bugglesmommy which contest were you in that won the polish? That's so cool I'd LOVE to set with you again! Mine are being shipped Mon or Tues to arrive somewhere between Thurs-Sat. Still no pips here :-( I haven't a clue what happened considering on lock down we were dead on for at least 2 to hatch. Should I perform eggtopsy's come tomorrow evening? I'm so distraught.

 

[bugglesmommy]

I won an auction here on byc. I'm hoping they will get shipped pretty quick. What kind of eggs did your little one win? I have a 3 year old. How do you find contests like that?

Once they are past due with no pips do a float test before cracking them. Last time mine were late hatching on day 22, 23 ( the deformed one) and day 24. Better to wait to crack then accidently kill a chick.

 

[CowgirlHC]

I'm wondering if maybe my humidity needs to raise. Can I quickly put a wet sponge in, like a chinese fire drill with my husbands help? lol Someone told me if my humidity is too low it can cause delays, and an increase in humidity can fix things rather quickly. Maybe I can look real fast and see if any pips are on the underside while I'm in there. I'm not giving up just yet! We "like" a lot of poultry pages on facebook and BJs poultry hosted one and you sent in a story of your kids and their chickens. They had like 50 entries and had enough people donate 4-6 turkey's, chickens, and duck eggs to have 10 winners voted on by other company pages like backyard chicken coop, brinsea, etc. My little girls story was a lucky winner! They gave us like 6 breeds to choose our top 3 favorites from and we chose coronation sussex, swedish hens, and lemon cuckoo orpingtons. The other options were birchen marans, black copper marans, lavendar ameraucana.......maybe another one in there not sure.They're saying for all kids to set between 9 and 10 of March for Easter Sunday chicks