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

[Joshua G]

OK, I have a question. All of you guys that hatch at around 60-65% humidity at hatch, are you guys of the strict no opening the bator from lockdown on? I've been formulating this thought for a while, when asked opinions we all give what works for us, but we focus on just one aspect of hatching. Person "a" says I have great hatches at 60-65% humidity at hatch. person "b" lives right next door and has like conditions inside for hatching, but says, "I need mine at 70-75% humidity at hatch".  What we are not seeing is person "a" has strict no opening bators during hatch so that humidty is sufficient for them. Person "b" is a meddler and opens to add water, or fix something that in his mind just isn't right, so at 60-65% he is loosing more humidity when "meddling". Or Person "a" will not assist a hatch or remove chicks until the end of the hatch, and person "b" will jump in and assist if they feel neccessary and can't stand having 8 chicks running around in the bator so removes them.
So I started wondering if the ones that have the successful hatches at lower humidity are in the hands off after lockdown group. Because when we offer someone an opinion, we use our own idiosyncrasies as a guidline to why it should be done that way.
When we make our suggestions we have no clue if they are a bator meddler or not...lol 

Well said.

 

[KimboB13]

Just had my test hatch. 14 out of 15 eggs hatched. I am so proud.

If you are new to incubation, like i am, i highly recommend "Permaculture Chicken: Incubation Handbook". It was so, so helpful and only 99 cents on my kindle.

 

[Nomibear]

Start of day 20, we have our first pip!

 

[Sambi89]

I had my incubator in my spare bedroom. I went into lockdown on day 18 and bumped the humidity up to 75% and started my humidifier in the room at the same time. I figured that the rooms humidity would be around 50% (I've measured it before for my tropical plants that live in that same room) and that way when I opened the incubator it wouldn't dry anyone out too much. I took my chicks out after different amounts of time, but always letting them dry off for at least an hour inside the bator. I let them finish drying under the brooder lamp. I had all 13 eggs hatch. I really think having the humidifier going in the room helped to keep from drying out the others. I had the bator open for about 3 minutes to remove 7 chicks and the shells at one time and it didn't even phase the others.

 

[campingshaws]

Do y'all prefer hatching eggs upright in cartons or laying on sides? My first hatch I did in a carton. I'm day 12 on my current hatch and I'm considering putting a towel over the screen, and laying the eggs on that. BUT this hatch is already going so much better than the last, so I guess I'm hesitant to change anything.

 

[Jessshan8]

I prefer to lay them on their sides to hatch with the largest part of the air cell upward. This way they just have to push out of the shell if upright they have to climb out of the shell. Not sure if it is really a big deal or not just the way I like to do it though.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I prefer to lay them on their sides to hatch with the largest part of the air cell upward. This way they just have to push out of the shell if upright they have to climb out of the shell. Not sure if it is really a big deal or not just the way I like to do it though.

x2

 

[campingshaws]

I prefer to lay them on their sides to hatch with the largest part of the air cell upward. This way they just have to push out of the shell if upright they have to climb out of the shell. Not sure if it is really a big deal or not just the way I like to do it though.

Did you have a problem with chick soccer knocking pipped eggs out of position? My last chicks tended to rush a freshly emerging chick and trample it in encouragement.

 

[Cynthia12]

x2

X's 3

 

[Razadia]

I'm actually going back to hand turning for this hatch. I have very little luck hatching in cartons. It's time consuming, but completely worth it.