The 10th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!!

[ChickenFox]

Thank you so much for the link. I want to make one now.

The one I made is different from the style listed there but the chicks seem to be loving it all the same.
I simply bent some HC into shape then strapped a heating pad with a cover onto the under side using a couple small bungie cords folding the extra cover up over the sharper edges to keep the babies from hurting themselves.
Plugged it in, turned it on high and introduced the chickies. Haven't heard a single peep while they're under but I see them darting out to get food and water then darting back under to warm up. A couple occasionally decide to chill on top for a bit before heading back under.
I feel much safer about leaving the house than I ever did when I had the red heat bulbs. Plus not having a light on 24/7 means they'll adjust to normal day and night cycles.
As of yet I'm not seeing any drawbacks to using the MHP but this is my first time with one.

 

[MROO]

4 of my six silkies hatched. I have two eggs to go. One has a pip and the other I don't see a pip but I have seen it move. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I was expecting a low hatch rate because they were shipped but not so.
Oh and my dog decided she wanted to be in on the fun and had her puppies this last Monday.

Beautiful babies - both two- and four-legged!

 

[starri33]

Hi, was just told I should have joined up with the hatch along I set 6 eggs, one was clear and I have one that I believe stopped, but so far I have 2 hatched and hoping for the others tomorrow is

was suppose to be hatch day

 

[ronott1]

Ok I decided to open the DIS. I kinda wished I hadn’t. Pretty sad and very dead. Fully formed, black feathers, they looked perfect other than both had some fluid in the membrane. One hadn’t finished absorbing and the other didn’t start.

So really opening didn’t tell me anything and I think next time I won’t try to find out.


Ok now I think I will go take pictures of my chicks to cheer myself up.

You could use a hatch analyzer to see what the likely causes are but if there are only one or two like that it would not likely help improve hatch rates.

 

[ronott1]

Hi, was just told I should have joined up with the hatch along I set 6 eggs, one was clear and I have one that I believe stopped, but so far I have 2 hatched and hoping for the others tomorrow isView attachment 1746111 was suppose to be hatch day View attachment 1746110

It is nice having you hatch with us!

 

[starri33]

It is nice having you hatch with us!

Thank you, I'm glad to be here

 

[NanaKat]

First out. More to come. My temp dipped a lot one cold day here and we are done heating with wood so this room got cold. Other than that temp seems spot on. Set about 3pm on Saturday, first faint chirps were 4am, first pip 8am, first out 6pm.

Honestly folks, if your hatching most or all chicks full day early your running temp a tad high. Didn't seem to hurt anybodies hatch rate though.

My GQF is an older style and it is a huge cabinet. It has been in use now for 6 years. I have a calibrated thermometer on each of the trays and usually use the top five stations instead of the eight available.
There is a difference of .5 degrees between the top tray and station 5. I try to rotate tray stations when I candle. I also rotate each tray front to back.
I still have 11 viable eggs to go for tonight in to tomorrow. Two are pipped. First time ever to have this many hatch a day early. Glad they are all healthy bouncing bundles of fluff.

Up to 6 Turkey poults! And 2 more pips. Still no chicks, afraid they are all dead.

Hoping for good results!

I have two thermometers in my incubator. I ran it 99.3-99.5 the whole time. Last hatch happened the same with my silkie blasting out at day 19 so this time I lowered my temps. It was more around 100degrees last hatch... it didn’t make a difference.


This is day 21 right? Not sure if I should keep the ones I think are DIS for a couple more days or take them out. I have one egg in there that is due May 1st.

I usually candle the eggs on the due date and leave the questionable eggs for 24 hours past the due date. I've had late bloomers.

The one I made is different from the style listed there but the chicks seem to be loving it all the same.
I simply bent some HC into shape then strapped a heating pad with a cover onto the under side using a couple small bungie cords folding the extra cover up over the sharper edges to keep the babies from hurting themselves.
Plugged it in, turned it on high and introduced the chickies. Haven't heard a single peep while they're under but I see them darting out to get food and water then darting back under to warm up. A couple occasionally decide to chill on top for a bit before heading back under.
I feel much safer about leaving the house than I ever did when I had the red heat bulbs. Plus not having a light on 24/7 means they'll adjust to normal day and night cycles.
As of yet I'm not seeing any drawbacks to using the MHP but this is my first time with one.

Thank you for the comments. I was thinking about making one for my ducklings that will hatch later this week. Now may add one for the next hatch of chicks that won't go to broody hens.

 

[Spartan22]

Day 22 on Brinsea Ovation 28 EX, all 9 hatched but one of 10. Had to Help chick #9 (Olive Egger) that got shrink wrap dry this morning which was weird because the humidity reading was @70%. The last egg had internally pipped but couldn’t make it, by the time I helped it was too late, the yolk was not absorbed totally and was lifeless.

On Mini II day 20, one hatched when I came home @7pm

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi, was just told I should have joined up with the hatch along I set 6 eggs, one was clear and I have one that I believe stopped, but so far I have 2 hatched and hoping for the others tomorrow isView attachment 1746111 was suppose to be hatch day View attachment 1746110

Hi starri glad you made it over here!

 

[starri33]

Hi starri glad you made it over here!

Thank you, I'll have to join in on the one in June, this is my absolute last hatch till around the 5th of June..lol, then I break out the big guns, my 24 count incubator.