The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[JackieandChicks]

Are you all pulling the chicks from the incubator as they hatch? I have 6 more eggs to go, 4 Marans, and the 6 that are in there are racing around in there.

 

[Cynthia12]

They are cute though, and looks like a nice hatch going on Euarto!

 

[Cynthia12]

Are you all pulling the chicks from the incubator as they hatch? I have 6 more eggs to go, 4 Marans, and the 6 that are in there are racing around in there.

I always snatch them out real quick.

 

[ozexpat]

I rarely ever snatch them out.If so its as i am evaluating viability of eggs left on a drawn out hatch.

The stability of the hatch environment outweighs my need to hold a fluffy butt.

Chicks will be fine in the hatcher for up to 72 hours.

 

[NotAFarm]

Right now I have a dead chick and a missing egg and one pip. The stress is getting to me.

As far as the missing egg goes, my broody hens, especially ones that have had clutches before, will often eat an egg that wasn't developed or quit early. They know when an egg is dead and see it as a danger to their chicks. When a fully developed chick pips and then dies, you will find under her or pushed out of the nest away from the remaining eggs/chicks.

 

[Scrambles55]

Thank you i guess im a little jealous everyone else got chicks...but i have seven more in the bator and three swedish duck eggs under a broody.

You have more left than I do. I have 5 to go.

 

[hockeydad6791]

I had 2 external pips when I left for work this morning and I just got home to 7 chicks in the incubator!!!!!! 2 more are zipping as I type this woot woot happy chicken dance!!!!

 

[HarrietB]

As far as the missing egg goes, my broody hens, especially ones that have had clutches before, will often eat an egg that wasn't developed or quit early. They know when an egg is dead and see it as a danger to their chicks. When a fully developed chick pips and then dies, you will find under her or pushed out of the nest away from the remaining eggs/chicks.

my broody did that a few days ago, my partner opened up the coop to see that one egg wasn't under her. We put it back in thinking that it was a mistake because this is her first time being broody! She hasnt kicked it out since so i guess we will have to just wait and see. It baffles me how they know these things, we once had a broody who was killing the chicks as they hatched, we managed to scoop a few up and save them, when they hatched it turns out they were deformed. To this day im amazed how she knew before they had even finished hatching!

 

[Scrambles55]

As far as the missing egg goes, my broody hens, especially ones that have had clutches before, will often eat an egg that wasn't developed or quit early. They know when an egg is dead and see it as a danger to their chicks. When a fully developed chick pips and then dies, you will find under her or pushed out of the nest away from the remaining eggs/chicks.

That sounds like what happened. There are no egg shells. There is a little dried yolk on one egg, but I left it be. They all passed the sniff test. The coop is closed off and I have food and water in there for her. This is my first hatch of any kind, so ya... I am stressing. Thanks for the info. I feel better knowing what could have happened.

 

[Scrambles55]

I had 2 external pips when I left for work this morning and I just got home to 7 chicks in the incubator!!!!!! 2 more are zipping as I type this woot woot happy chicken dance!!!!

Happy for you and your chickies!!