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

[Teacherchick18]

So, I turned off my turner this morning and then this evening I was going to remove it and set the eggs for lockdown. Well I grab the lid off and to my utter shock I have 4 eggs pipped and one of them is cheeping his little head off! I freaked out and put the lid back on as fast as possible. After a few minutes of collecting my composure I decided that I had to add water. (The reservoirs were empty and humidity was around 20%) I really quickly removed the turner and added some water and then reset the lid. It all took about a total of 4 min tops. Please tell me I didn't just kill all those babies! They aren't supposed to hatch until Fri/Sat at the earliest. I guess I should have looked more closely instead of assuming they weren't coming out for another few days!

 

[Happy Chooks]

So, I turned off my turner this morning and then this evening I was going to remove it and set the eggs for lockdown. Well I grab the lid off and to my utter shock I have 4 eggs pipped and one of them is cheeping his little head off! I freaked out and put the lid back on as fast as possible. After a few minutes of collecting my composure I decided that I had to add water. (The reservoirs were empty and humidity was around 20%) I really quickly removed the turner and added some water and then reset the lid. It all took about a total of 4 min tops. Please tell me I didn't just kill all those babies! They aren't supposed to hatch until Fri/Sat at the earliest. I guess I should have looked more closely instead of assuming they weren't coming out for another few days!

They will be fine. Deep breath!

 

[Cynthia12]

This is only my second hatch. Notice tht alot mark aircell bfor lockdown. Is it really important? I mean after a couple hatch out and roll all the others around its not gonna do any good to mark em, right? Shouldn't the chick position itself to hatch? I jus lockd down and hope someone can answer these questions for me. Thanks!!

A lot of folks mark their air sacs, to keep track of how the air cell is growing. Gives them an idea as to how to adjust..or not, the humidity. I am like Happy Chooks. Don't do that, until, lock down. She may not even do it then, but I like doing that on the ones that have high air sacs..up the side or sides..then I put the air sac half and half on the up side. Hope that made sense.

 

[ajohnso1]

This morning I was going to turn my eggs one last time and put them on lockdown. I decided to put some paper towels under them to keep the bottom of the incubator under the hardware cloth from getting dirty (it is a homemade styrofoam incubator). When I got home from work my humidity was only in the 30s so I decided to remove the paper towels. Now its around 60. I guess I'll just have a filthy incubator. Did I see someone say they used shelf liners? How do you keep your incubator clean?

 

[bantambury]

marshie is still going strong on the 3 eggs she is sitting on! they are supposed to hatch the 29th...9 days after easter.

I haven't candled since day 7.....so I hope everything is still ok.


she is such a cutie!

 

[tommysgirl]

D

I literally loled

 

[Teacherchick18]

They will be fine. Deep breath!

Thanks! I still see rocking in most of the eggs and hear a little cheeping every now and then, so thats a good sign right? I wonder if the mama hen was sitting on these guys a couple days before I got them? I mean day 18 maybe one or two pips but, out of 7 eggs four is a high percentage! Oh well, happy early easter to me!

 

[cpegram]

I have 22 in lock down..all dark eggs so have my fingers crossed!

 

[Cynthia12]

This morning I was going to turn my eggs one last time and put them on lockdown. I decided to put some paper towels under them to keep the bottom of the incubator under the hardware cloth from getting dirty (it is a homemade styrofoam incubator). When I got home from work my humidity was only in the 30s so I decided to remove the paper towels. Now its around 60. I guess I'll just have a filthy incubator. Did I see someone say they used shelf liners? How do you keep your incubator clean?

Yes, use the liners for the bottom, makes for a lot easier clean up!

 

[PAchickenlover]

I have eggs wiggling but no pips yet...... Seeing everyone else's chicks is making me so anxious!