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

[Math]

Does construction noise affect hatching eggs? The house behind our home was demolished on Friday and today they started digging the ground. The equipment is heavy and noisy and so are the dumpster trucks that are picking up the debris. Because of the noise none of my hens laid today and are huddling in the coop. I am worried it will have a detrimental effect on the hatching eggs in the incubator. Has anyone read anything about it? 

P.S. When they dig, even my floor shakes so its pretty heavy and noisy equipment.

Good luck and God bless your chickens. I know stress is very destructive to chickens but I know little about how to handle the situation. Maybe vitamins in the water and your presence will help sustain your chickens through the stressful period. Give them treats, maybe. God bless.

Maybe the noise won't affect your unhatched chicks since they are inside the house and still inside the egg shells. I hope they be okay. When is your hatch day?

 

[bamadude]

Moved the first 77 to the hatcher. I set the remaining 35 the next day after these. Do tomorrow they'll go into the hatcher.

Best of luck on your hatch....especially my grandchicks.

 

[JoyfulPromise]

I am putting my eggs in lockdown tomorrow evening, which will be the middle of Day 18 for me. I can't WAIT for that first little peep, and pip...

Aaand... I now have TWO broodies that just started out in the flocks that I will be giving the babies to once they hatch so they can be raised by real chicken mommas!

I am THRILLED - I was really hoping for broodies in time for the hatch. One is a Buff Orpington (they are my BEST mommas), and the other is a Barred Rock. I am not surprised about either, because they are both almost year old pullets that I hatched last year, and their mothers were both broody last year also.

Oh, and my Silkie is thinking about going broody too!

So I have 1/2 dozen of her eggs saved to give her once she settles down for good.

Funny thing, I was telling some people at our church that I will have chicks hatching this week, and several families want me to call them when they start hatching so they can come and watch! We will have a chick hatching party! LOL!

Counting down to Hatch Day......

 

[Math]

I go into lock down tomorrow.   Here we go, more questions coming up. 

Remember everyone..condensation on those windows during lock down is a big...NO NO.   Some get confused because of their thermometers' reading wrong..they keep adding sponges, glasses of water, rags..what ever they can to get those numbers up on that thing.  If you are having problems at this point..lock down..remember if you see even a little bit of moisture collecting on the windows, then get some of that stuff out of there.    And then, get a better thermometer for the next time. 

Thanks for the reminder. I didn't know the excess condensation was that important.
However, I calibrated my thermometer today and it was right on target at 32.0 F in ice water.

 

[Razadia]

Almost forgot. Temp was at 104 last night.

At this point I blame the chicks moving around and getting bigger. Everyone is still kicking around and doing good.

 

[bamadude]

Almost forgot. Temp was at 104 last night. :/  At this point I blame the chicks moving around and getting bigger. Everyone is still kicking around and doing good.

Dont toast my grandchicks

 

[Razadia]

Quote: It shouldn't be a problem now. I turned it down.

In other news, my chicks are on their way!

 

[WalnutHill]

Does construction noise affect hatching eggs? The house behind our home was demolished on Friday and today they started digging the ground. The equipment is heavy and noisy and so are the dumpster trucks that are picking up the debris. Because of the noise none of my hens laid today and are huddling in the coop. I am worried it will have a detrimental effect on the hatching eggs in the incubator. Has anyone read anything about it?

P.S. When they dig, even my floor shakes so its pretty heavy and noisy equipment.

We moved to the country in 1995, and starting in 2001 it started becoming the suburbs. Three seasons a year, for the last 14 years, we have been beseiged wth all kinds of construction noise and vibration. We also live on a busy two lane road with about 15,000 cars and trucks a day (they've made it a truck route) that rattle the house. Haven't ever had an issue with background noise or even barking dogs when incubating and hatching.

 

[NikkiCole5]

It's true, their super parent strength comes right out. 
I go into lock down tomorrow.   Here we go, more questions coming up. 

Remember everyone..condensation on those windows during lock down is a big...NO NO.   Some get confused because of their thermometers' reading wrong..they keep adding sponges, glasses of water, rags..what ever they can to get those numbers up on that thing.  If you are having problems at this point..lock down..remember if you see even a little bit of moisture collecting on the windows, then get some of that stuff out of there.    And then, get a better thermometer for the next time. 

I had a homemade incubator last batch and someone told me the condensation was good? Is it different with homemade versus store bought?

 

[ronott1]

I had a homemade incubator last batch and someone told me the condensation was good? Is it different with homemade versus store bought?

Condensation is an indication of too high humidity--over 80% or so. The danger in having too high humidity is a lack of oxygen. Oxygen levels go down as humidity goes up.