THE MOTHER'S DAY HATCH-A-LONG!!!! The last day to join in and set eggs with us is April 28th.

[1hotmoma]

It's been a non hatching day here. No more babies...yet.. I still have a few more days until the next batch is due. They are on lock down also. My friend called me tonight and said that the eggs she got off of me hatched. She wasn't sure how many. She was so excited!!! I'm excited for her!!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: You are not the only one. I have seen the recommendation over and over.

THere are many university websites with tons of info on dev of the eggs. THEY NEED OXYGEN. THey suffer die of at couple of stages during development, not just at the end. However, at the end is when they need the MOST oxygen.

Don't be too hard on yourself, you were trying to do right. Now you have found another way, a method that will net you chicks.

Well came home from work to a Wheaten Ameraucana hatching

there's still hope. So I don't hover over the hova-bator

get it. I
went outside to play with my baby turkeys, man are they fun .

After that I went to check on momma and her babies, and here is what I found one the gate

Momma and babies were scratching around so I thought I would share my first generation Olive Eggers

they are nice chicks I was kinda surprised at the nice feathering and now I think I know whose chick it is, well maybe, I have bad Marans rooster (he came from a dark egg) but would be on any Marans breeders cull list. Bad chest, very little feet feathering, and oh yeah white tale feathers, well he's over my EE's. I choose the bluest eggs and bam here they are a week old today.

Now I must go hover over my hova-bator

My first olive egger eggs started arriving last week. First one, then a second is laying. Today one of those girls suffered to drop a huge jumbo egg. I packed a dozen eggs for my mother and my boys enjoyed showing her the fun colors.

I am so much like you. I had 18 days without touching it--then realized my husband was running the humidity high all that time and I haven't stopped touching it since I was supposed to lock it down. I also accidentally bumped it and the eggs rolled (there are only three in there) . Anyway they were all alive on day 17 and I'm sure my motherly love has since killed them! I've also put sponges in and taken sponges out. It's crazy!

Yup, it's crazy!! I do wonder if a broody stops turning her eggs. I bet she doesn't.

Quote: THe LG has 8 vent hole in the top and bottom. I am careful to make sure the holes are never blocked and I keep it on a solid surface, never carpeting or cloth under it. I actually have it on legs of styrofoam to make sure plenty of air flow under the LG to the vents. THere are 8 vents on the top to let out the hot air and that pulls in the fresh air from the bottom. WHen I placed a PC fan I punched new holes, careful to not obstruct the vent hole. I can actually increase the ventialtion by opening or closing the red plug over the fan. I will have to check the instruction booklet, but I think the design was that the plugs are for moisture control not ventilation. Will recheck that.

 

[Arielle]

THis is from the online manual for the LG. BOTH red plugs should be out at the start of lockdown.
So these are not about controlling humidity

Remove both of the incubator's ventilation plugs three days before hatching. Keep the moisture rings filled to increase humidity. Open the incubator when the chicks are hatched

 

[Cynthia12]

I don't use the plugs at all. Even during incubation..just get the humidity and temps where I want them, then keep the plugs out. I even made two more holes in the top of one of my bators to keep the air circulating more.

 

[Arielle]

I thought about making more holes too!! What size did you make? Pencil?



Yeah! 1 pip !

 

[chickenteacher2]

I love hearing all the stories and advice. Second time hatcher here.....mine don't go into lockdown until Wednesday - ish. They are "due" Saturday the 19th. So, is the consensus to use a carton to hatch or the cheesecloth/shelf liner stuff? I have both. I live in the dry desert, so should my humidity still be at 65%? I had only 2 out of 12 my first hatch and have been reading up on all the advice. I have candled them, but honestly, as far as the air cell thing - I'm not sure if mine are doing well or not. I've seen the photos, but I don't know if mine have enough space (?) or what? Anyway, I hope to see them this time....last time in the classroom, they hatched overnight and before I arrived in the morning. So, I will (like you all) be attached to my bator next weekend. I will be taking pics like the proud chicken mama I am.

Eggcited (like the Franken-eggineer)

to see what comes out of some of my eggs. I am expecting some cochins, an Aracauna mix with NE game, and maybe some silkies (if I am lucky).

Just moved my first babies (almost 3 weeks now) out to the garage in a larger brooder thing.......am having a little chicken separation anxiety.

But, can't wait to have their pen ready for them. Found one already flew out of his containment area today.

 

[crazypetlady]

I have 21 out

15 of my own barnyard 5 look like barred rock pullets. 2 look RIR the rest amers.

Shipped
I blue barred rock.
1 MF d'uccle
3 OEGB/Serama
1 LFX large fowl mix


More pips

My eggs
OE
LFX

Silkies

Choc egg layers

D'uccles
Lav amers.
Blue barred rocks
RIR

2 zips silkies

I love my new (old) redwood bator. And this new dry hatching seems to work well.

I have ad more than I can count of zero. Hatches or bad hatches in the past. I'm so done with the styro bators. I'll get some pix up soon.

 

[ghostwolf]

We went into lock down yesterday at 7am. Total hatched out by this morning 7am - 14 total. With more still to come - 12. We just put more in lock down this morning at 7am and hoping these go as well also.

 

[ghostwolf]

Was taking a picture of the new babies and my two dogs had to come over and say hi to them so could not resist the shot.

I have 12 on here because a friend of mine hatched out some BCMs for me, the other 10 are from my hens.

This is Tony and Molly. Tony is the bigger one. They like to play mother hen if they here them peeping.

 

[novanod1966]

didnt know there was a signup for a Mother's Day hatching....)
if i'd have known i'd have signed up as i set 12 ring neck pheasants, 8 red golden pheasants, 18 valley quail, 6 assorted laying hens and 6 assorted bantam eggs to hatch that day.
mine are due as i speak. some a day or 2 late and some a day or 2 early. i already have 6 ringnecks hatched out in a brooder along with 3
assorted bantam eggs. oh well, maybe next time i'll pay closer attention to the thread titles....... i'm just now getting used to the site and my incubator.

don