The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[chirpingcricket]

Final update for me:

42 eggs set
19 removed before going into lock down
23 went in lock down
21 chicks hatched: 14 EEs, 2 OEs, 6 BBS Orps (the pic in the incubator was the last hold out)





Sorry for being a pic hog but I am elated since this is my first time ever incubating eggs

Congrats!! It's a neat feeling, my first time as well. Love the pics. I posted birth pics, they are not quite so cute at that point, but I thought they were beautiful! Your EE's look alot like mine. Did you order the eggs or were they from your hens? I'm going to try and follow along with your pictures etc. Mine are about 10 days or so. Enjoy!

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Ok, set 64 eggs................. lots & lots & LOTS of clears & a few quiters

18 made it too lock down

4/4 Australorps
4/4 Araucanas......................... Thanks Deb & Ray, the babes are soooooo fluffy !!
5/6 Speckled Sussex...............Thanks GableBabble the babes are feisty little buggers
4/0 EE/OE's

Total hatched 13

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Ok, set 64 eggs................. lots & lots & LOTS of clears & a few quiters

18 made it too lock down

4/4 Australorps
4/4 Araucanas......................... Thanks Deb & Ray, the babes are soooooo fluffy !!
5/6 Speckled Sussex...............Thanks GableBabble the babes are feisty little buggers
4/0 EE/OE's

Total hatched 13

Oops, meant 0/4 EE/OE

 

[acemario]

Final count:
25 Set---------------------------9 Hatched!

1 Wheaten Ameracauna
1 Olive Egger
2 French Black Copper Marans
5 Barnyard Mix (White California x Barred Rock, Red Sex-link, Rhode Island Red)

 

[cuppycake]

Still nothing for me, but I have seen a bit of rocking (well, maybe it was my imagination, haha). I'll give them until Friday I guess.

 

[Razadia]

Never, I repeat NEVER assume anything when it comes to hatching chicks! I had dark brown eggs in my hatch (set the 9th at noon) and I decided I would Just go ahead and pip the rest of the egg, and if no movement go ahead and see what happened. Well the first eggs few eggs I pulled were in fact dead, 1 piped internally but died before it could pip externally, the others didn't absorb the yoke. Well the next egg I piped saw no movement and proceeded, only to find it was alive, but bled to death (please no lectures as my stomach instantly started hurting and still hurts bad enough knowing I killed the poor baby

), it's poor feet were crooked but that doesn't make me feel better knowing it died because I was stupid . My 6th egg is alive, had pipped internally but not externally, found the beak then wrapped the egg in a moist paper towel with just the beak out and left it alone. I didn't touch the green egg in there, I saw blood vessels in it yesterday when I candled it and don't need anymore heart break tonight.

My advice LEAVE the eggs alone until the 25th day!

And since the last 2 eggs are likely not to hatch today (I believe the cut off was today for hatched outs counting), if at all, my final hatched number is as follows:

SET: 6 duck eggs and 16 chicken eggs (all mutts)= 22 eggs total
2 clears pulled before lock down (1 duck and 1 chicken)
1 quitter (chicken egg, quit day 10-11)
The rest went into lock down (and all had chicks in them, just quit for various reasons)

HATCHED: 9 (3 ducks and 6 chicks).

I will post a picture of my babies tomorrow morning for proof, they are settled down under their ecoglow and I have a ton of homework to attend to...

This is what originally led me to BYC. I knew next to nothing about chickens and we had just had a hen hatch some chicks. She left the nest with the chicks and I went out to discard what was left. I found out the hard way that they don't always hatch when the others do. It also gave me a greater appreciation for my birds and led me to love them. I've since learned how to candle and float test when I'm not sure. I trust the float test more than I trust myself. Every egg I tossed after doing it yesterday morning was dead. I had two left over, but they ended up dieing too.

Anyone else notice that the spell check isn't working?

 

[animalsroc4evr]

I know it is sad that you lost a chick but I would have done the same thing. It isn't your fault! It isn't like you woke up that morning saying I want to kill a baby chick today. You love them all. Don't worry. Things happen for a reason and maybe the reason is so YOU can save more chicken lives in the future by warning all of us now!

very true! thank you for making me feel better

 

[Happy Chooks]

Never, I repeat NEVER assume anything when it comes to hatching chicks! I had dark brown eggs in my hatch (set the 9th at noon) and I decided I would Just go ahead and pip the rest of the egg, and if no movement go ahead and see what happened. Well the first eggs few eggs I pulled were in fact dead, 1 piped internally but died before it could pip externally, the others didn't absorb the yoke. Well the next egg I piped saw no movement and proceeded, only to find it was alive, but bled to death (please no lectures as my stomach instantly started hurting and still hurts bad enough knowing I killed the poor baby

), it's poor feet were crooked but that doesn't make me feel better knowing it died because I was stupid . My 6th egg is alive, had pipped internally but not externally, found the beak then wrapped the egg in a moist paper towel with just the beak out and left it alone. I didn't touch the green egg in there, I saw blood vessels in it yesterday when I candled it and don't need anymore heart break tonight.

My advice LEAVE the eggs alone until the 25th day!

And since the last 2 eggs are likely not to hatch today (I believe the cut off was today for hatched outs counting), if at all, my final hatched number is as follows:

SET: 6 duck eggs and 16 chicken eggs (all mutts)= 22 eggs total
2 clears pulled before lock down (1 duck and 1 chicken)
1 quitter (chicken egg, quit day 10-11)
The rest went into lock down (and all had chicks in them, just quit for various reasons)

HATCHED: 9 (3 ducks and 6 chicks).

I will post a picture of my babies tomorrow morning for proof, they are settled down under their ecoglow and I have a ton of homework to attend to...

I'm sorry. Many of us have experienced that, myself included.

 

[animalsroc4evr]

This is what originally led me to BYC. I knew next to nothing about chickens and we had just had a hen hatch some chicks. She left the nest with the chicks and I went out to discard what was left. I found out the hard way that they don't always hatch when the others do. It also gave me a greater appreciation for my birds and led me to love them. I've since learned how to candle and float test when I'm not sure. I trust the float test more than I trust myself. Every egg I tossed after doing it yesterday morning was dead. I had two left over, but they ended up dieing too.

Anyone else notice that the spell check isn't working?

Next time I will try the float test, I've never done one (although I've heard and read around it). I love my birds so very much too, I will be more cautious next time that's a guarantee, just sad this one paid the price because of my armature self... Such is life I suppose.

 

[animalsroc4evr]

I'm sorry. Many of us have experienced that, myself included.

Makes me feel a little better knowing I am not alone

... I'll be way more careful next time and make sure I wait the full extra days and when I do check/discard I do it very very carefully.