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

[coop410silkies]

I get up, go stare at the incubator, and the eggs are just being eggs.
I think I see a wiggle, but it could be just a trick, and the eggs are just sitting there.
I imagine I hear faint clicking, synchronized waves of it, and the eggs are just sitting there.
I believe I may be obsessing myself into insanity, here.

Meanwhile, there are several bird nests in the trees and bushes outside my windows that are taunting me with sudden chirping bursts, cruel things. 

Congratulations on all those with early chicks!  Post lots of adorable chick pictures to distract the rest of us while we wait. 

Same here.

 

[GAGE]

When I left for work this morning we had three out (1 oe, and 2 bcm) with 2 more pips.

 

[ronott1]

Ok, my humidity is going up and up with each hatch and pip. 1st hatch pumped it up from 65-71, when I took the chick out it went down to 60 but then after the second hatch its at 74 now. I think the 2nd chick was a little wet. At what point do I open the bator to cut down on the humidity? There is only one Sharpie sized vent and its not blocked.

75% is fine--watch for condensation on the window. If you see it, humidity is going too high.

 

[Cynthia12]

Our roo is a welsummer, our hens vary. Is the welsummer characteristics dominant? Will we be able to tell pullets vs cockerels at an early age??

Sorry, new to this breeding/hatching experience.

I don't raise them, but have had them to hatch. The girls will have that pretty eye liner go all the way back from her eye. Like an Egyptian.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

My hatch is over .

Final chick count: 1

So I ordered a new incubator, I'm sick of loosing chicks before they hatch!

 

[Cynthia12]

Congratulations! And more to come!

Yes, 13 babies now. Whew, what a night!

 

[coop410silkies]

Well, yesterday morning I got up to find my incubator at 103 degrees and 16% humidity. I fiddled with it, got it adjusted and everything was perfect when I went to bed last night. I was just hoping some made it through that temp spike.

This morning I got up to find my incubator at 94.6 degrees and 75% humidity. 

It started raining overnight, which increased the humidity in the house and the incubator, and the temperature is much cooler in the house this morning than yesterday. 

Will any of my chicks make it at this point? I'll be here waiting patiently. Or not so patiently. 

I have had some chicks hatch after dips into the 80's, spikes to 106, and humidity drops to 16%, but the overall hatch rate was disappointing. I am most grateful for each chick who survived my blunders, and I know they are the hardiest of the hardy, maybe even special. Don't give up on your hatch and expect a few miracles.

 

[SimplyLogan]

Almost everyone has hatched except my Heritage Deleware's...... only three of them hatched. I'm hoping the remaining ones are just taking their time. I really wanted these. I only have three other shipped eggs that have not yet, but most of these are sitting there unhatched...

 

[ronott1]

I don't raise them, but have had them to hatch. The girls will have that pretty eye liner go all the way back from her eye. Like an Egyptian.

wellsummers are not listed as being auto sexing so determining gender at hatch will be iffy. A lot of breeds are in the 80% range for determining gender--which is not high enough to try selling only pullets. Partridge Penedesenca is the same way. I had one that looked like a cockerel that was actually a pullet.

 

[Cynthia12]

Congratulations on your new Easter chicks!

I hope the rest are out this morning!

Thank you..13 now..others pipped.. more to go..what am I going to do with all of these babies?? Ey? lol...