Kristi26
In the Brooder
Hi everyone!
I just hatched my first batch of chicks EVER this month. I used the styrofoam hovabator with fan and auto egg turner. All went really well, honestly. I put in 14 eggs. Candling at day 10 showed that just 1 egg had stopped developing and had a blood ring. I tossed that one (sadly) and continued on. At the very end of day 18 as day 19 began, we went into lockdown. Hatching began about halfway through day 20 and continued on through the midway point of day 21 (today). So far, 11 of the remaining 13 eggs have hatched. 1 is pipped but not hatched. 1 is doing nothing yet.
The oldest chick is up to 31 hours in the incubator. I know they can make it another day and a half in there. I guess I'm getting anxious or nervous for them? Maybe feeling bad because they sound bored in there? Plus the older chicks are walking all over the younger ones...banging into the two remaining unhatched eggs (I know, it's normal, but ugh).
Should I move them? I was thinking about giving that pipped egg through to this evening. It pipped this morning...but maybe I should wait until morning and then see where we are? I don't want to mess anything up for those two remaining eggs but I also don't want to leave the hatched chicks in the bator longer than necessary. What should I do? Seasoned hatchers, what would YOU do?
Thank you!
One more thing to add- Do you think the humidity is still okay in there considering I haven't been able to add any water since lockdown started Monday afternoon? The water level is looking low. So moving them tonight would give me a chance to add water and a hot, wet paper towel to the incubator for the remaining two eggs.
I just hatched my first batch of chicks EVER this month. I used the styrofoam hovabator with fan and auto egg turner. All went really well, honestly. I put in 14 eggs. Candling at day 10 showed that just 1 egg had stopped developing and had a blood ring. I tossed that one (sadly) and continued on. At the very end of day 18 as day 19 began, we went into lockdown. Hatching began about halfway through day 20 and continued on through the midway point of day 21 (today). So far, 11 of the remaining 13 eggs have hatched. 1 is pipped but not hatched. 1 is doing nothing yet.
The oldest chick is up to 31 hours in the incubator. I know they can make it another day and a half in there. I guess I'm getting anxious or nervous for them? Maybe feeling bad because they sound bored in there? Plus the older chicks are walking all over the younger ones...banging into the two remaining unhatched eggs (I know, it's normal, but ugh).
Should I move them? I was thinking about giving that pipped egg through to this evening. It pipped this morning...but maybe I should wait until morning and then see where we are? I don't want to mess anything up for those two remaining eggs but I also don't want to leave the hatched chicks in the bator longer than necessary. What should I do? Seasoned hatchers, what would YOU do?
Thank you!
One more thing to add- Do you think the humidity is still okay in there considering I haven't been able to add any water since lockdown started Monday afternoon? The water level is looking low. So moving them tonight would give me a chance to add water and a hot, wet paper towel to the incubator for the remaining two eggs.
It's just like a little production line! 
I'm doing good thank you Amy and so are the polish! Hope you are too? As usual busy busy with one thing and another. Got my first hatch of the season done, 6 polish and 10 Brahma for the Easter Hatch a Long 
