The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[Daniel1974]

Well I give up. This was my second time with an incubator and no success again. I am not sure what I'm doing wrong. I was told it might be my humidity. I had it at 40% until lockdown and then put it at 60% (duck eggs). Temps were steady at 99.6F. I might try one more time, but if that doesn't work out I'm sticking with my silkie mommas.

You can't Give up it took me 3 times to get it right and that 3rd time I was at 100% Hatch rate, 10 eggs 10 Chicks.

 

[michaelf]

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE!!!

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
I only get to eat a bunch of good food if I cook it, and at this point it's

Quote:
WELL....I don't have enough bad words for the news I have to give.

When I was down there last I bumped one of the setting hooks on my incubator, and since they have butterfly lock-nuts, it oughtn't have mattered...and I couldn't see that I made any change...it requires you to really turn it to make changes. It's not sensitive like the dials on LGs or anything like that. Fortunately (most of the time) this is an antique Sportsman older than I, and it's robust and not wimpy in any way.

Unfortunately, this incubator has seen so many owners and uses that the threads on my top temp thermostat wafer have been nearly stripped, and when I bumped it the setting was changed by about, oh...




















12 degrees.


I pulled them all out and put them on the cold concrete floor of my basement to cool them as quickly as possible. I had 3 pipped, and one seemed to be alive, but no peeping. I carefully popped the top of the egg with my flashlight and opened a hold int north pole. It was pipped and breathing, shallowly. No blood in the veins, so I pulled it upright so it could cool to a livable temp quickly. I placed it back in the now cooler incubator.

I eggtopsied all of the 74 other eggs for this hatch date carefully, and there was another pip that was alive but still lots of blood in the membrane, so I put it back in. There were another 4 or 5 that were still alive, but weakly. I left them, as well. I left any that still had a chalky membrane, despite no signs of life. There were maybe 8. The rest had gone. It was awful.

I also had over 200 other eggs I'd set Monday. I have poor hopes for those but will leave them and candle later.

Very bad words. I had some amazing eggs in there. Amazing.

I was going to set some auctions tonight, but I'll be setting all of the eggs instead.

 

[mstricer]

Oh no Chooks, I'm sorry, i hope they make it.

 

[mlm Mike]

Well I give up. This was my second time with an incubator and no success again. I am not sure what I'm doing wrong. I was told it might be my humidity. I had it at 40% until lockdown and then put it at 60% (duck eggs). Temps were steady at 99.6F. I might try one more time, but if that doesn't work out I'm sticking with my silkie mommas.

If I recall correctly, the humidity should be much higher for duck eggs, about 55% (relative humidity) during first 24 days then 80+ during lockdown.

 

[Maah]

FINALLY! My hatch is done.

8 eggs were set... 8 eggs hatched! (4 barred rock/brahma cross (barrock obrahma's -LOL), and 4 easter egger/brahma cross)

Wow, I think I needed a whole bottle of wine & half a container of Tums for this last kiddo! The other 7 chicks hatched yesterday, the 8th just hatched... but it seems perfectly healthy as far as I can tell. Phew! Today is day 21 technically... so I guess it's ok, but it sure made me nervous. LOL

I'm going to let it rest in the incubator for a bit before I put it in the brooder with the other chicks.

...Now it's nap time...!

 

[lericson]

Well I give up. This was my second time with an incubator and no success again. I am not sure what I'm doing wrong. I was told it might be my humidity. I had it at 40% until lockdown and then put it at 60% (duck eggs). Temps were steady at 99.6F. I might try one more time, but if that doesn't work out I'm sticking with my silkie mommas.

What type of incubator are you using? I have a still air LG, I am hatching out ducks (Pekin) for the first time, I kept my humidity between 40-50% the whole time til lockdown, All but one made it to lock down, I have it at 60% now and have some pips. I have a still air incubator and kept my temps around 102 during incubation (but its an LG so really they were all over the place). What type of ducks are you trying to hatch?

 

[michaelf]

My sqh RIR hatching eggs came today.!!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

I only get to eat a bunch of good food if I cook it, and at this point it's

WELL....I don't have enough bad words for the news I have to give.

When I was down there last I bumped one of the setting hooks on my incubator, and since they have butterfly lock-nuts, it oughtn't have mattered...and I couldn't see that I made any change...it requires you to really turn it to make changes. It's not sensitive like the dials on LGs or anything like that. Fortunately (most of the time) this is an antique Sportsman older than I, and it's robust and not wimpy in any way.

Unfortunately, this incubator has seen so many owners and uses that the threads on my top temp thermostat wafer have been nearly stripped, and when I bumped it the setting was changed by about, oh...




















12 degrees.


I pulled them all out and put them on the cold concrete floor of my basement to cool them as quickly as possible. I had 3 pipped, and one seemed to be alive, but no peeping. I carefully popped the top of the egg with my flashlight and opened a hold int north pole. It was pipped and breathing, shallowly. No blood in the veins, so I pulled it upright so it could cool to a livable temp quickly. I placed it back in the now cooler incubator.

I eggtopsied all of the 74 other eggs for this hatch date carefully, and there was another pip that was alive but still lots of blood in the membrane, so I put it back in. There were another 4 or 5 that were still alive, but weakly. I left them, as well. I left any that still had a chalky membrane, despite no signs of life. There were maybe 8. The rest had gone. It was awful.

I also had over 200 other eggs I'd set Monday. I have poor hopes for those but will leave them and candle later.

Very bad words. I had some amazing eggs in there. Amazing.

I was going to set some auctions tonight, but I'll be setting all of the eggs instead.

Oh no, that had to make you more sick than you already are! So sorry. You know how they say misery loves company? Well, maybe I can help. I set 60, I have 10. I couldn't believe how many died during lock down! Everything was looking good. Who knows? One of my worst hatches so far. At least I got 10. I hope you get your 8.

So there is my final count... 10 hatched. But they are cuties. Will post pictures later or tomorrow.

 

[Shellz]

Oh no, that had to make you more sick than you already are!  So sorry.  You know how they say misery loves company?  Well, maybe I can help.  I set 60,  I have 10.      I couldn't believe how many died during lock down!   Everything was looking good.  Who knows?   One of my worst hatches so far.    At least I got 10.  I hope you get your 8. 

So there is my final count...   10 hatched.       But they are cuties.  Will post pictures later or tomorrow. 

So sorry Chooks! That is just awful! I think I have 7 dead post lockdown as well. They'll stay in the bator just in case. This was not as good a hatch for me as my first. That'll teach me to try something new. Oh well, I keep learning from each experience. Next hatch will be with a better incubator.

Happy for those with their little beautiful chicks! So adorable! Can't wait to put my bator trio of chicks with the first 2 in the brooder!