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

[fireman0298]

im tying to decide the same thing. cartons or laying them down. got to decide soon cause lockdown is tomrrw. love to hear some suggestions!!!!

 

[NaJoBeLe]

So I have a bit of a dilemma. Based on what I have read lockdown should be tmrw. However I'm not gonna be able to make that happen very easily. Would it be better to lockdown tonight or Thursday morning. Not sure that it will make much of a difference because I should be within about 15 hours either direction but just looking for opinions. Thank you and have a wonderful day. Oh and humidity at lockdown I'm looking for 60%??

 

[ronott1]

So I have a bit of a dilemma. Based on what I have read lockdown should be tmrw. However I'm not gonna be able to make that happen very easily. Would it be better to lockdown tonight or Thursday morning. Not sure that it will make much of a difference because I should be within about 15 hours either direction but just looking for opinions. Thank you and have a wonderful day. Oh and humidity at lockdown I'm looking for 60%??

Wait until Thursday.65 to 75% usually works well.

 

[roostereggs]

YAY!!! The Easter bunny laid 11 more eggs in my bator! 7 silkies and 4 Rhodebars (in addition to the 15 growing for the HAL). This is what dh said to me--->

But I said how can you be mad if the

did it??? This was me--->

.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

My Seramas are rocking!!!

It's day 17 for me, should I put them in the hatcher now instead of tomorrow morning? Last time I incubated, none of the LF eggs started rocking until after lockdown, and none of the LF eggs in the bator now are rocking, only the Seramas. This is my first time hatching them, so I could really use some advice!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think I noticed the movement has stopped around day 6 any ideas on the cause tho?

Could be a variety of reasons. Some just don't make it. I pulled 4 early quitters in mine.

Oh no! Have I screwed things up??? I just realized the blue tape on the hovabator I borrowed covered vent holes. I'm on day 16 and JUST took it off. I traced the air cells today (wasn't home day 14) and they look small. What do I need to do before lockdown???

Raise humidity and take the eggs out of the turner. Then keep out of the incubator.

4 pound 12 oz Walleye caught on Sunday.

Nice!

It was so funny! I had the first egg ever hatch out of my Brinsea Octagon 40. I move them to a Genesis 1588 for hatching, but missed one of the UofA Blues!

I was checking on the other chicks hatching in the Genesis and heard chirping coming from the wrong place!

I looked over at the tilted brinsea and there was a chick there! leaning against the lid. I had my oldest dd hold the brinsea a bit towards level and lifted the lid--the little thing flopped out onto the table.

The chick is in the brooder under the eco glow with one side removed so the it can easily touch the heater if it wants to keep warm.

For those keeping track of humidity, the brinsea is set at 35% and the chick was not stuck at all.

The UofA Blues are very healthy chicks!

Glad the chick is doing great!

From the brats!

Cuties!

Quote: You would be able to see around the egg for one near the carton. If it pips the wrong end, you won't see it if you are hatching in cartons.

Not the best lens and hand held, but here's the blood moon tonight from my back porch. Very cool watching the eclipse. She's still deep red. Beautiful.

Great picture! I tried to take a picture, but my camera wasn't cooperating. It was neat to see!

I'm going out right now but I have a question. I just realized that my pip is in the side of the egg. not the air sac. Is that a problem? And if it is what do I do?

It will be fine.

OK one more, I am going to bed.

Compilation of some images from tonight...




Very cool! Good night.

Very cool image!

Here are some photos I took as I helped one out that pipped at the wrong end.
Note the yellowish color of the membrane.


I guess I take that back about not having one move..just didn't show up on the shell,
but when I got into it a bit, there is a hole in the middle now. At this point, I am wetting
the membrane down really well.




I want it real wet so I can peel it away easier. I go real slow with peeling the shell.
I can see where the beak is.


Ooo, a lot of blood still left. So cleared the nostril and beak so that it can breath.





Let is sit for a few hrs. Or more, can't remember. I pretty much go by how the blood
vessels are looking .. and..if they start screaming. They will make more noise when
they are ready to get outta there. Most of the time. Then you peel some more,
slowly again, and you will be able to tell if the blood is absorbed.


This baby did real well. No problems with this one.

I just want to clarify for those new to hatching. Just because a chick pips the wrong end, it doesn't mean it needs help. I've had several wrong way pippers hatch on their own.

visuals are great for me. I was wrong about the second pip. When I opens it on that end for humidity I noticed it was just the piece of egg shell that it broke off not a hole so she's still in the middle. Should I help her now or wait a few hrs?

Wait. Hatching takes a long time. Give the chick time to do it on it's own.

Should there be so much visible space at the bottom of an egg at this point?

Two of the eggs, the two large ones have a lot of empty space on the bottoms of them, and small air cells at the top (we know what caused that though). Just wondering if the bottom being empty is normal. I can't believe there is still movement in some of the eggs! I feel badly, like I am making them suffer but there is no choice at the moment, we can only hope!

Tomorrow is lock down!

There should be some visible space at the bottom right now. Keep them in there.

Quote: I've had wrong way pippers hatch on their own. They can still do it!

Just look at the eggs from various angles, also look for pieces of shell. Personally, I don't ever assist, but some do. If you get to that point of having a low pip ask about it here, be patient before assisting if you choose to go that route. Watch what others are currently doing with their low pips. Also read Sally Sunshine's guide to assisting hatches. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Ditto. I will only help if they are zipped and get stuck due to humidity. (it's only happened once) Otherwise, they have to hatch on their own. I've helped in the past and every time I did, I ended up putting the chick down. So I decided not helping was right for me. Plus, I'm breeding and need strong babies.

BooHoo three more quitters - and the marans to boot. Can't wait until this weekend to see what I have !

I've asked this before - those of you who have the eggs in cut cartons, do you put them down on the floor of the incubator at lockdown?

I hatch in cartons.

So I have a bit of a dilemma. Based on what I have read lockdown should be tmrw. However I'm not gonna be able to make that happen very easily. Would it be better to lockdown tonight or Thursday morning. Not sure that it will make much of a difference because I should be within about 15 hours either direction but just looking for opinions. Thank you and have a wonderful day. Oh and humidity at lockdown I'm looking for 60%??

Thursday morning will be fine.

 

[Happy Chooks]

My Seramas are rocking!!!

It's day 17 for me, should I put them in the hatcher now instead of tomorrow morning? Last time I incubated, none of the LF eggs started rocking until after lockdown, and none of the LF eggs in the bator now are rocking, only the Seramas. This is my first time hatching them, so I could really use some advice!!

I've never hatched seramas, but it looks like they hatch at Day 19. Definitely move them if you hear cheeping.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I did my final candle last night and removed 3 early quitters. (welsummers) 30 eggs in my bator going for hatch, and a few in my friends bator. Looks like I'm going to have a lot of chicks. Only had 4 quitters and zero clears.

For those that were wondering about my barnevelder fertility - I set 18 eggs, all 18 developed, removed 1 blood ring = 17 still going for hatching.

 

[BridgetBarger]

My 5 eggs are all wiggling, i did not notice this last time do they usually wiggle a couple days before hatching.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Oh no! Have I screwed things up??? I just realized the blue tape on the hovabator I borrowed covered vent holes. I'm on day 16 and JUST took it off. I traced the air cells today (wasn't home day 14) and they look small. What do I need to do before lockdown???

REMOVE ALL TRACES OF WATER!

4 pound 12 oz Walleye caught on Sunday.

AWESOME!!!! she delivered!!! whatcha use?

Quote:
UGHHH KEEP IT!

This is our 15 ft boat inside the toy hauler AND the ATV is in there also.

NO WAY NO NO NO this is so hilarious!! I LOVE YOU!!! OMG I have to show this to DH!! What a great idea ha ha ha

WE HAVE ONE More PRIZE for a contest!

ANNOUNCING a Mini CONTEST
to be HELD FRIDAY EVENING 9pm Eastern time!
Watch for the post ON THE MAIN HAL Thread at 9!

PRIZE: BYC 6 Month GFM

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shake de booty!!