Setting Feb 16, want to join in>Hatch-Along

[hokankai]

Too cute!!!

 

[pcreel]

I did a quick candel and see movement still. I see their beaks near the middle to larger end of the egg by the air space. Air space seems large. eggs are not moving though. Maybe they are late chicks.

 

[maryhysong]

whoopie! Tomorrow is day 21 but I woke up to one out of the shell and came home from work with another one out. On pins and needles for the other 8! Has anyone else noticed that the smaller eggs hatch first? this seems to be a trend with my hatches

 

[LeBlackbird]

whoopie! Tomorrow is day 21 but I woke up to one out of the shell and came home from work with another one out. On pins and needles for the other 8! Has anyone else noticed that the smaller eggs hatch first? this seems to be a trend with my hatches

That's interesting, My largest eggs popped out first!

although in previous hatches, I've had all sorts of size eggs hatch out first, there's no consistency with my crazy bunch!

 

[Triple Willow]

I'm a mama! LOL I set 18 Australorp eggs in the pm on Feb 17th. This is the first time I have ever hatched eggs and the first time I have even had chickens in years! I woke up this morning and I thought I heard a bird outside my bedroom window that sure did sound a lot like a baby chick. After I finished breakfast I was checking out the eggs there in the kitchen and holy moly, a baby and it's early!!! lol Boy I'd love to get it out now ...but I'll wait the 24 hrs. Not having any idea what I was doing, I was really afraid I had killed them all long before now. lol A couple others have pipped so maybe, just maybe I'll have good luck. This is so cool.

 

[MommaSampson]

I'm so mad at myself I can't stand it right now. I had to leave to get some things for my daughter's birthday party tonight and when I came back 2 chicks had hatched out and climbed in the water bowl I had in there and had drown.

I apologized to them and prayed for forgiveness cause I feel like if I had been here they would still be here.

 

[hokankai]

Man, a LOT of drownings lately. Here are some suggestions on how to avoid accidental drowning:

a. don't put a water dish for the chicks inside the incubator. They can go 24+ hours without it. Wait until they are ready to go into the brooder and have their footing

b. keep all dishes for humidity covered with something, like wire, or make sure the sides are too high for any sized chick to wiggle into

c. when you put water in the brooder, put marbles in the tray to prevent accidental drowning. They should only be able to put the tip of their beaks in the water

Hopefully this helps somebody with their next batch .

 

[LeBlackbird]

I'm so mad at myself I can't stand it right now. I had to leave to get some things for my daughter's birthday party tonight and when I came back 2 chicks had hatched out and climbed in the water bowl I had in there and had drown.

I apologized to them and prayed for forgiveness cause I feel like if I had been here they would still be here.

Oh my gosh! I'm horribly sorry to hear that!

Don't beat yourself up about it, it was an honest mistake!!

I offer water 24 hours after all my babies hatch, and I have a little quail waterer that they can't get hurt in (They have room to fit their beaks in and that's it) Here's what it looks like. It holds a quart of water at a time, which is fine for very young chicks that don't eat or drink much...
(google images pic)


UPDATE!!!!
I now have 2 buckeyes, 3 NHR (very disappointed in these babies. Feathered shanks on the first, other two look like they have curled toes. maybe inbreeding???) and a light sussex out! 2 more buckeyes on the way!

 

[frankensusan]

Aw man, sorry to hear of the drownings. I use a 1/2" deep dish with water not even covering the layer of marbles for the first few days. Nothing in the incubator that they can get into.

I have 2 more zipping right now, 20 minutes before I have to leave for a class.. UGH!

I wanted to witness the hatch of at least one this time. My coffee is ready, time to keep ruining my eyes staring at the cracking shells!

Susan

 

[UrbanMamaHen]

I think my hatch is complete. They started to hatch Wednesday night. Here are some pics. I had five Silkies, three EE/OEs, and one Cream Legbar - my first ever. Of 11 that went to lockdown, 9 hatched. This was from a total of 27 eggs, half were shipped eggs. Of the 13 shipped eggs, only one hatched - my lone CL. Of the 14 local eggs, eight hatched out of nine that developed. This is the worst hatch rate for me. I've had an average of 50% hatch rate on shipped eggs before, and close to 90% on local eggs. This time, even the local eggs were only about 65%. I think the cold weather affected fertility, and being shipped made it worse. My previous hatches were in the summer and fall. I hope everyone else has better numbers.