The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[TJordan]

Sign me up I'll take two pullets ;

X2

 

[flocktastic]

[COLOR=008000]Three days to hatching!![/COLOR]
[COLOR=008000]...or less if you set early![/COLOR]

Even my 6 yr old is counting down!!

 

[misfit acres]

Even my 6 yr old is counting down!!

That's awesome!

 

[junebuggena]

I thought I heard something too, but wasn't sure if it was from my other babies in the other room. Wishful thinking? Too soon yet. But, by tomorrow night, I could hear something.

No chicks in the house. I'm sure it came from the incubator.

 

[BantyChooks]

NNDDD we have internal pips and drawdown!!

 

[Gray Angel Farm]

Good Morning everyone...
I woke up to 7 little chicks this morning out of 13 eggs and it looks like at least a couple more will hatch today. I had a day where my power circuit tripped my outlet and the temp dipped to 65 degrees so I'm waiting until the weekend to see what happens with the other 6 eggs. I was so worried as day 18 was approaching and I didn't see the temp rising that I had done something wrong, but I see I'm just a worry wart. I'm also happy to report that 6 of my momma goats have had their kids. We had 2 a week ago Saturday, 2 this Saturday, 4 more on Monday and then yesterday a first time momma dropped triplets, but sadly one is very weak as they are all so small and momma doesn't want the weak one. To my surprise she made it through the night and momma let her nurse this morning with my help, so I'm not giving up on momma and the weak one yet. Gotta go feed hungry momma goats and get brooder set up for the chicks. Have a blessed day, God Is So Good To Us!!!!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Yep!

I have 4 eggs due to hatch today. Two were already hatched and out of the eggs this morning when I woke up (well, one was, the other snuck out about 30 minutes after when I checked again). I kept these eggs in a carton throughout incubation since the air cells were bad after shipping and left them in the cartons at lockdown since a couple were still a bit saddle shaped at day 18. I honestly wasn't certain on two of the eggs which side of the saddle was supposed to be angled up, and I believe these are the two eggs that haven't hatched yet. All four chicks were kicking at lockdown, the first two hatched already, but these other two haven't even pipped yet from what I can see. I'm wondering if I guessed wrong and they're pipping on the opposite side of the saddle air cell than I thought. They're in a refrigerator style incubator so I can't really see the other side of the eggs to see if there's a pip. I'm wondering if I should peek in to investigate if I don't see any action by this evening (It's about day 20.5 for them right now, it'll be day 21 officially this evening). Hopefully I won't have this problem at all with the HAL eggs since they're in a foam bator and I can look in from the top to see pips.

Any peeping? How long since the first 2 hatched? How is the humidity?

I am getting so nervous about lockdown. I have some eggs that I can see the chicks moving and growing really well, but there are others I am totally unsure about. What do I do with them?! I won't candle again until tomorrow before I put them in, but I don't know if they should go in or not?!

If in doubt, leave them in.

Quote: Ditto!

Quote: Open in the Brinsea.

Quote: I have 2.

I have 27 eggs due to hatch on the 27th, can I still join the Easter hatch a long?!

Welcome!

Hello everyone! I have a question. One of my hens just went broody and she is almost 1. This is the first time she has gone broody and I was wondering if it is a good idea to put some eggs from the hatch a long under her. I'm going to put the eggs in lockdown tonight and would like some advise. Is it unnatural to give a hen eggs when they are about to hatch or will she accept them no matter what stage? Also she is sitting on all dummy eggs right now.

It's always a gamble with new broodies. You can give her a couple of eggs for her to hatch, or wait until some chicks hatch and slip them under her at night.

Someone please reassure me that I'm not completely crazy for driving an hour and a half each way to pick up more hatching eggs.... Lol

Not at all crazy.

MY DUCKS ARE HATCHING!!!!!!!!! Was gonna do lockdown tomorrow evening so I did my routine check of the bator and added a touch of water. Than I heard a cheep cheep. Upon closer inspection one of the Ancona had an external pip. Oh crap better raise the humidity and get that turner out as well. Did a quick candle of them and saw 2-3 internal pips on more ducks.

I'm gonna have ducklings soon

Ducklings!

Hi there! Is it too late to be added to the group?

I set my eggs on March 1 - and by set, I mean I switched three, small, unfertilized silkie eggs with six gorgeous, full sized, fertilized eggs while the mama silkie was eating. I really wish I'd had a video camera on her when she returned to find the new eggs!

She has sat faithfully on them ever since. When should I expect them to hatch and do I need to do anything for them since she has cared for babies before? I mean, besides food and water and making sure they don't have pasty-butt? Also, at what point do I give up on the eggs ever hatching? Thank you for your advice!!

Welcome! Make sure she has food and water at chick level. She will teach them to eat and drink.

Just noticed DH mixed in the chick feed with the layer feed. He said he filled the bin two days ago. It looks like what I've been feeding is mostly chick feed but with layer crumbles here and there. I'll be getting flock raiser on Thursday to prevent future mishaps. So will my chicks be ok till Thursday?

Should be okay, but I'd get new food as soon as you can.

 

[fisherlady]

Good Morning everyone...
I woke up to 7 little chicks this morning out of 13 eggs and it looks like at least a couple more will hatch today. I had a day where my power circuit tripped my outlet and the temp dipped to 65 degrees so I'm waiting until the weekend to see what happens with the other 6 eggs. I was so worried as day 18 was approaching and I didn't see the temp rising that I had done something wrong, but I see I'm just a worry wart. I'm also happy to report that 6 of my momma goats have had their kids. We had 2 a week ago Saturday, 2 this Saturday, 4 more on Monday and then yesterday a first time momma dropped triplets, but sadly one is very weak as they are all so small and momma doesn't want the weak one. To my surprise she made it through the night and momma let her nurse this morning with my help, so I'm not giving up on momma and the weak one yet. Gotta go feed hungry momma goats and get brooder set up for the chicks. Have a blessed day, God Is So Good To Us!!!!!

Sounds like you have been blessed and are going to be very busy!!! Good luck on the remaining eggs and the weakling

 

[Eps32]

Can't wait to post pics of fluffy Orust chickens. Day 20 and 3 are out and doing great.

 

[MandyFitch]

Thanks so much. The nest and (still eggs) are about four inches off the ground Once a chick jumps down, it won't get back up to mama. I figured chicks would stay with her for a day or two so maybe the rest would hatch. All the eggs were laid on the same day.

Should I move the eggs and mama at this point to a nest on the floor? They are protected from other chickens in a closed off "wing" of the coop.