Setting Eggs Sept. 24th-Oct. 4th-Last Hatch of the Year. Anyone care to join me?

[chicks4fun]

All of my chickens run straight to me if they see me outside.

That always makes me feel so good when they do that. I think they hope I will feed them but I like to pretend they are coming to me

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

The big last hatch of the year is going up there too. my cooler-bator is about maxed out now with 30 somthin in there now.

 

[Brookhavens]

So my baby may just be napping

I had heard they do rest but for how long? Ooops just reread and see 24 hours. I need to be patient. It is not my strong point. I am acting like a kid about these eggs.
Why do they shrink wrap anyway? My broody gets off her nest and her chicks usually hatch. I will wait until tomorrow but I fear I already messed up. I just went into lock-down and I am afraid I was late and thought that their humidity hasn't been up for long enough to help them. One egg has the tiniest pip and it's been that way all day.
If you open the bator do they always get shrink wrapped? My humidity is at 68-70% right now. I keep trying to drip water with a straw onto a wash cloth. I still have my plugs open and the temp is steady. I just get so crazy with worry when I have eggs hatching.

They shrink wrap because after they externally pip, the air in the incubator has direct contact with the inside of the egg. If there is not enough humidity to keep that membrane moist then it starts to dry out and molds to the chick. If it covers the nostrils the chick can suffocate. That's why it is so important to keep the humidity up during lockdown. As long as you went into lockdown before the first pip (which you did) you should be fine.

 

[debchick]

I talk to my eggs, I swear I imprint them chicks on me before they hatch. All of my chickens run straight to me if they see me outside.

OMG I went downstairs to check the little critters so I was talkin to them and I was saying here chicky chicky and one started wobbling I about fell over LOL everybody go try go talk to your eggs we can be egg whisperers

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

OMG I went downstairs to check the little critters so I was talkin to them and I was saying here chicky chicky and one started wobbling I about fell over LOL everybody go try go talk to your eggs we can be egg whisperers

 

[novanod1966]

congrats on all the new chicks..... my 2nd batch of mille fleur d'uccle bantam eggs will go into lockdown tomorrow (the 16th).

my 1st call duck batch will be next (the 23rd), then the 2nd call duck eggs go in lockdown the 25th, after that i have 3 more mille fleur eggs .......

oh please, please, please!!!

 

[LakeBird]

So far we have 3 out of 7 hatched. 1 BO for sure 1 BO/PR for sure, the third is lighter but not as light as a BO I think. I know that 1 of the BO eggs has not hatched. I original set 3 BO and 4BO/PR eggs. We'll see. They seem very healthy <3

Awww...

 

[LakeBird]

If you have to intervene then it is very important to make sure you do not tear through blood vessels in the membrane as the chick will bleed out...when they are ready to hatch the chick stops all blood passing through the veins around the membrane so they can cut a zip throu it...
A lot of people will say never interven but I do and have not regretted it yet....all the little ones that I have helped have made it and grown up just like everyone else...but it is a gamble...

I intervene too. When I take out a chick, the humidity drops in my incubator. I've tried misting, throwing in a wet towel...etc but somehow some of the pipped eggs membrane still dries out. All the ones I have helped have made it.

 

[LakeBird]

I heard that!!! I just found this thread and am pretty much new to chickens and BYC and I am getting some comfort while I am waiting on my eggs in lockdown, First hatch. I have 6, 3 Leghorns and 3 RIR's. I very nervous. Three of them are rocking.

Welcome!

 

[LakeBird]

Once they pip it can take a good 24 hrs for them to wake back up and start to zip...take it from me...stay out of the bator...I was told that and one hatch I didn't and I shrink wrapped the last chicks...they will hatch but if for some reason they don't then it was for the best...
It is really hard but after a number of hatches I found that leaving them be is best..(even though I didn't today!)
Do what I say and not what I do!

Seriously, I would suggest that you leave them in the incubator if you are new to hatching or don't know when to intervene. You could cause more harm than good. I learned that from my first hatch and second hatch and...etc...