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

[Sambi89]

Sorry I've been AWOL these past few days. My dads doing worse. More damage from the strokes than thought. I'm so tired.

I'm so sorry TJordan.

 

[Sristi]

No time to read everyone's updates, maybe later. I was very happy with my hatch. I set 16 eggs, all were fertile. I set all 16 into lockdown, even though I didn't see movement in all of them. 11 hatched unassisted, 2 were assisted, one of those is still in shell and I'm debating whether to keep helping. Last time I helped ducklings out all the way, they died anyway a day later. So for now 12/16 hatched. And now for some cute pictures:

 

[karib574]

Pretty good hatch, for my first time! I set six lavender orpington eggs. Pulled one before lockdown. The rest hatched and are looking good! Here are the first two.

 

[Sueg4332]

my hatch is over. a lot of un-fertile, some sticky at the end. opened the last 12 eggs . they were beginning to shrink wrap. 8 lived 4 dead when open . Have total later of what hatched
have to get this horse deal finished off this morning.
have brahma/N/N crosses
amerucanas
RR
farm yard mixes marans
white marans
probably other breeds
total later

 

[Chickenluver106]

So if I set my eggs at 8:30 ish PM 21 days ago will they hatch at 8:30 PM or just anytime in the day

 

[The Cottages]

Final count from the Cottages Assisted Living and Memory Care. One location hatched 8, and the other location hatched 6. 14 TOTAL! ( 20 had made it to lock down) We will keep the chicks in the brooder boxes for a week or 2, and watch them grow!


Black Copper Marans, Buff Orpingtons, Olive Egger Large

 

[Chaos18]

So if I set my eggs at 8:30 ish PM 21 days ago will they hatch at 8:30 PM or just anytime in the day

They'll hatch when they are ready to.

 

[Chickenluver106]

K thanks

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:
what breeds were they Allisa?

Sounds like humidity was too high or you tried to loose weight at the end? I have noticed if you try to loose too much weight at the end it can turn albumen as well as not enough weight loss.

Remember I run at a calibrated 100.5-100.8 temp in the bator, I start with 30-35% humidity and adjust as needed AFTER day 7 and...... You know you can think out of the box, Keep an eye on the air cells more than just day 7 14 try checking every two days AFTER day 7, keep a closer eye on them if you need to. As far as malpositions they were shipped and air cells can get screwy and not allow them to turn. also narrow eggs or pullet bullets dont allow them enough room to turn and pip.

see if this helps you CHICKS Wet? Sticky? Stuck? Yellow Gel? What did I do Wrong? post #25379

CHICKS Wet? Sticky? Stuck? I wrote this when discussing some things about call ducks this mornin... sharing here.


There are two types of sticky chicks

Sticky embryos, BIG Wet, or Mushy Chicks (embryos may be smeared with egg contents / yolk residual present) (yellow jelly/jello or other fluids) HOWEVER, a green and gray tinted fluid can be caused from osteomylitis or meconium)
causes: any/all combination of the following:
high average incubation humidity
low incubation temperature
lack of sufficient ventilation
too many drafts of outside air in the hatcher
BREED ISSUES: Always avoid cross breeding in breeds that carry lethal genes.
are we aware of Lethal genes for this breed of duck Rav?



Quote:

Embryos sticking or adhering to shell
causes: in any/all combination of the following:
Low incubation humidity (especially during hatching)
Excessive ventilation~ reduce rate but maintain minimum air exchange to prevent suffocation of embryos.


To confuse you a bit more, the amount of water that a chick has in its own tissues (not the albumen) has been shown to increase during incubation under perfect conditions; however, rate of egg water loss is found to have no effect on embryonic water, how could this be if we get big wet chicks from high humidity? Makes you think outside the box, perhaps it is in fact LOW TEMPS not the hearsay on humidity? Although AGAIN combination is usually the factor.


TEMPERATURE: Incubation temperature is one the most critical factors during embryo development, AGAIN studies have shown the optimum temperature is more 99.9. NOT FORGETTING that also its optimal to drop in temps during hatch, as I suggest in my article Hatching Eggs 101 in the lower day 18 section. So it may be worth a shot for you, and I am not clear on your temps or calibration, Hammond found that a bit higher incubation temps increase chick initial body weight believe it or not, at the higher temp 99.9 the higher the rate of egg water loss in the first 16 days of incubation. What I have found is when I incubate at a slightly elevated temp 100.5 calibrated I have much cleaner hatches. They found that its the opposite with low temps, body weight of chicks were less. Then you get into the additional factors of adding low high temps with humidity and ventilation.... Best we can do is work these areas to achieve absolute and relative weights. IN KNOWING THAT and then factor in that EACH EGG & breeds are different in age, air cell size, genetics etc.

I run at 100.5 calibrated spot on temps, rotating eggs n the bator often.

Researchers have found that lowering temperatures will prolong incubation,
HOWEVER it is favorable to do so at the end of incubation.
Day 19 & 20 Temp Min 98.0 Max 98.5
Day 21 Temp Min 97 Max 98.0
for more information please refer here:
PAGE 42
http://www.hubbardbreeders.com/media/incubation_guide_english__030374800_0945_07012015.pdf​

This is what am EGG from a good chick hatch looks like! your goal post #14673








Empty shells -
a valuable source of information click HERE


The Cuticle removal in hatching eggs as a means to reduce weight loss: Has actually been found to increase embryo weight during incubation and has direct relationship between rate of egg water loss, embryonic metabolism, and growth during incubation. But that warning of contamination is there if you dont follow cleaning procedures correctly. Chlorine treated eggs were not altered either. So with all that it is found that cuticle removal can be an effective method for increasing growth and egg weight loss.

 

[Lozuufy]

Sorry I've been AWOL these past few days. My dads doing worse. More damage from the strokes than thought. I'm so tired.