The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[victoria7668]

[COLOR=000080]Welcome to the 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long![/COLOR]​

It's that time again! Every year, hundreds of members come together to set eggs to hatch on the exact same day - the day BEFORE Easter. As a group last year, we had 10,585 eggs set for hatching! If you are new to hatching, this is a great way to get a lot of help, tips and advise. Join in the fun for the largest BYC Hatch-a-long of the year! [COLOR=A52A2A]Set Chicken eggs on Saturday, March 14th at Noon (whatever time zone you are in)[/COLOR] Other poultry breed setting dates listed below... [COLOR=333333]We want to hatch on April 4th, [COLOR=B22222](the day BEFORE Easter Sunday)[/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]button quail: 16 days to hatch; set March 19th coturnix quail: 18 days to hatch; set March 17th seramas: 19 days to hatch; set March 16th other bantam and LF: 21 days to hatch; set March 14th bobwhite quail: 23 days to hatch; set March 12th call duck and other bantam ducks: 26 days to hatch; set March 9th[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]pheasant: 22 to 29 days; set March 6th - March 13th mallard (derived) duck,goose, turkey, guinea, peafowl: 28 days to hatch; set March 7th goose: 28 to 32 days to hatch; set March 3rd - March 7th muscovy duck: 35 days to hatch; set February 28th emu: approx. 53 days to hatch - set Feb 10th (for you "serious" hatchers)[/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]TO JOIN the hatchalong simply post in this thread that you wish to enter and we will add you! Set dates for each type of domestic fowl are listed above.[/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]This thread is our main chat thread for the hatchalong where you can find anything from new friends, awesome incubation help to the most detailed educational discussions possible and how could we forget the laughter and fun! [/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]This post of the Hatchalong (1st post) will be updated as we move along with all the important information you will need.[/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]But if you find yourself with a question just post it on the thread, everyone is helpful! [/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]ALL CONTESTS ARE HELD IN SEPARATE THREADS,[/COLOR] [COLOR=800080]TO ENTER each contest YOU MUST VISIT EACH CONTEST THREAD, READ THE RULES AND ENTER THE CONTEST, SIMPLE![/COLOR] [COLOR=333333][COLOR=000080]If you end up not setting any eggs, please let us know! It makes it easier for our record keeping and we don't have to try to track you down![/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=333333][COLOR=2F4F4F]Places to find hatching eggs:[/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=333333][COLOR=000000]BYC Buy ~ Sell ~ Trade Section: [COLOR=B42000][COLOR=0000CD]Chicken Hatching Eggs[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]JUST IN TIME HATCHING EGG AUCTION: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/754077/just-in-time-hatching-egg-auction-and-bin-thread/2100_50[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333][COLOR=4B0082]Contests![/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #1: Guess How Many Eggs Will Be Set![/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]Winner: Auroradream26[/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #2: Random Posting Contest[/COLOR] 3 random dates and times have been chosen. If your post is nearest to the secret time, you win! [COLOR=000080]Winner #1: SoManyHats[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]Winner #2: chicken pickin[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]Winner #3: KYTinpusher and Myfourladies - it was a tie![/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #3: Photo Caption Contest #1[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]1st Place: Peep-Chicken[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]2nd Place: Razadia[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]3rd Place: CountryHeart06 and SpringPeeper[/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #4: Easter or Hatching Fictional Short Story Contest[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]1st Place: leslea[/COLOR] [COLOR=000080]2nd Place: Scruffyfeathers[/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #5: Broodies and their Babies[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ir-babies-contest-2015-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #6: Natural Egg Photo Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...egg-photo-contest-2015-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #7: Cutest Baby Fowl[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/955900/contest-7-cutest-baby-fowl-2015-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #8: Funniest Chicken Picture Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...y-picture-contest-2015-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #9: Flapper Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...est-for-the-2015-byc-easter-hatch-a-long/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #10: Poultry with People Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...th-people-6th-annual-easter-hatch-a-long/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #11: Dustbathing Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...contest-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #13: Photo Caption Contest #2[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...est-2-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #14: Wet Poultry Contest[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...for-the-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Contest #15: Guess How Many Will Hatch[/COLOR] To enter, go here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...l-hatch-6th-annual-byc-easter-hatchalong/0_50 [COLOR=FF0000]Thank You to @mlmddh , @sumi , and @ronott1 for helping me with this year's Hatch-a-long![/COLOR]

Where do we post our hatch rate? Just on the thread?

 

[mlm Mike]

Yes, just post your number hatched in the thread. Thank You.

 

[bantambury]

Genius! I need this... How did you make that??

sooo...what i did was take plastic craft mesh and cut it to the height to where it doesnt touch any of the incubator lid stuff when its upright in there. then i stood up the pieces how i wanted them to be and let hot glue drip onto them and let them dry. then i put it in the bator to see if it fit and trimmed extra stuff down. its actually really easy. my only hope is that the heat element wont melt it and the air circulation can still get through

since i have multiple small batches of different breeds in this hatch, i found this the easiest way to let them hatch so i can tag them. i just hope it works...

heres the birds eye view of it

i dont think ill be putting anything in the center square one, just for my viewing's sake

 

[ronott1]

This is an egg that was under a hen. I took it and the other one and put them in the RCOM. The other egg was quite big, and had a slightly odd shape to it, so I'm thinking that maybe they are from a maiden hen. Here are the two eggs side-by-side.


-Kathy

Yes, young hens have more problems. For chickens they listed it as causing quite a few hatch problems. For large fowl chickens, I will not incubate egg unless they are over 45G. I prefer them to be closer to 55G though.

 

[drott3]

Only 5 of the 12 Creole cochin bantams and 1 turkey egg made it to lock down. Going to be a long 3 days.

 

[Happy Chooks]

the more i think about it...i shouldve set on the 15th instead of the 14th. all my eggs always hatch 1 to 2 days early. once ones out, they cant stop! LOL

i go on lockdown tomorrow and im so excited! i have one egg i DID set the 15th...but its it ok to go on lockdown a day early?
i cant wait to see how the hatch divider works...

Yep, that's fine. That's why I chose to get rid of the "first hatched" contest when I took over this hatchalong. Some people's incubators run hot and they hatch early, some run low and they hatch late. There are too many variables to hatching to worry about having the first chick out IMO.

I forget if I posted this before, but one baby has a sideways air cell. Like, Half of the egg is completely air cell.

Everything except the air cell is filled up today. I thought he would pass away today, but when I checked this afternoon I got a little glimmer of hope that maybe with a little luck he miiiight make it. I'm still pretty doubtful though.


Anywho, I've been saving eggs and have about 2 dozen saved up to set on Sunday. My parents were like "why can't we eat these?" and I was like "i'm hatching them?... surprise?" and they were like "what why" and all I had to offer was "*shrug* fertility check?"
See, a hatch used to be a big deal; now it's just "whatever, as long as you pay for supplies and then sell them all at the swap".

With the air sac on the side, be sure to lay it on it's side for hatching. It may not make it, but give it a chance to try.

 

[Happy Chooks]

So..........my review on my soap mold. It makes nicely shaped rectangular soaps and my soap smells nice. However, I obviously need wayyyyyyy more practice getting it out of the mold. I'm not sure if I like the silicone liner, but the soap came out of the liner pretty easily - it was the divider bars that were difficult. At first, I tried cutting the soap out, but that didn't work so well. So, I just moved the divider bars until I could get the soap out. Some bars now have a fingerprint in them.

Time will tell if I love it or not.

 

[casportpony]

Here is one of mine:

Modern Game Bantam with her chicks and Muscovy Ducklings

-Kathy

 

[Razadia]

So, after hours of freaking out and losing it, my chicks arrived at the PO. 28 healthy chicks. I still need to get some pics.

 

[chicken pickin]

So, after hours of freaking out and losing it, my chicks arrived at the PO. 28 healthy chicks. I still need to get some pics.

So glad they made it safe. Cant wait for the pics! What kind of chicks do you get?