The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[gryeyes]

Wwll, stop the presses, I have another chick in the 'bator!

Today is Day 23, so my usual practice of waiting unril Day 25 before I declare it done is still valid (for me). Those last eggs get to rest in their nice, warm, moist environment for a couple more days.

16/24. Dang! That many hatched out of shipped eggs made me so sure they were done at 15.

 

[animalsroc4evr]

My 9 babies, yep homework getting pushed back into the morning I'd much rather hang with these babies

.


(took this pic quickly tonight and forgot to put paper towel down over the newspaper, but they weren't in there longer than it took to grab the paper towel up from their crate, graduated to shavings!)

 

[littlechicklet]

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!

Thank you. These were from my flock. I will try to go back and find the pics you posted. I love my mixed mutts just as much as my pure LF BBS and Buff Orps.

ETA: I put a folder on my profile page with more pics of them and I am sure as time goes it will grow as they do.

 

[Razadia]

Quote:

We make mistakes so we can learn from them. I lost most of this hatch because I forgot to tell my fiance not to leave the heater on because it was going to warm up that day and he didn't know any better. He was so upset with himself for killing my chicks, but it was my fault for not remembering to tell him the outside temps can and will effect the temp in the bator. I finally got him to stop blaming himself for what happened because he didn't know any better and it's one of the few things I left out when I was talking to him about how incubation works. He does his best to learn and that's more than I could possibly ask of him.

 

[mlm Mike]

Congrats to all the winners!

I have some great news! My appointment was today and they told me the results of the test and I DON'T have gestational diabetes!!!!! They said that I passed it with plenty of room to spare. It's such a relief to find out I don't have it.

That's great news!

 

[ceocka]

I need some ideas on a bigger brooder? I have the largest container I can find locally and in another week or so I'm going to need to upgrade, I was going to use a 6ft kiddie pool but that just seems so short....hmm. I dont want to make one out of wood, but does anyone else have any off the wall ideas rather than just a big box? Also for those that DO use giant boxes where is the best place to look you've found?

I use a water trough from Atwoods. I got a black rubber one. If it is in garage or outside I would try to find and old bath tub.

 

[CayuseRanch]

Ok took near 2 hrs tonight to catch up...Congrats to all with chickies I loaded up the bators again tonight.
hatchets annonymous here I come.

 

[misskeeter]

Ok took near 2 hrs tonight to catch up...Congrats to all with chickies I loaded up the bators again tonight.
hatchets annonymous here I come.

Hatchets? Eeep!

 

[mlm Mike]

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

I don't think you have to apologize for chick pics with this crowd. We just all ewe and ah, try to figure out what breed, and decide we need it now.

 

[Crooked-Creek]

We Changed Silver Laced Roosters about two weeks prior to the Hatch a long. Surprised to find out the new Silver Laced wasn't getting the job done. He only got 2 eggs out of 35 fertile. Oops!!!
Here is our final hatch count:
Started with 106 eggs.
47 eggs weren't fertile
59 eggs made it to lock down
7 Quitters
20 Buff Orpingtons hatched
14 Dominique hatched
2 Silver Laced hatched
16 Cochin hatched
52 Total Eggs Hatched