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

[rebelINny]

lol we will see, I'll try not too but if he flogs me again I'm gonna consider it again

He is the roo in my avatar. He is a gorgeous rooster and takes real good care of his hens (from predators) that is the biggest reasons he hasn't been beheaded. But occasionally he tries to take over my head rooster position

and I have to put him in his place again

Jamie

No beheading ! No beheading!! At least until after the awards have been shipped! PLEEEEEEASE?

 

[rebelINny]

I'm going to an egg swap today woohoooo!! Bringing 3 dozen of my own eggs and bringing home 3 dozen other breeds (hopefully some turkey and guinea) YAY!!! Plus I'm doing a swap when I get there with someone I met here for quail YES!

On another note I WILL NOT have my eggs in the upright position during incubating ANYMORE!! I lost so many eggs this last hatch due to having done that and most the chicks were ready to hatch but turned wrong in the egg

I lost wheaton americaunas, lav orpingtons, and EE's as well as three turkey!!! I never had that may turned backwards in eggs when I layed them flat. 3/4 of my hatch was like that! And yes I had the fat end up. Back to laying flat eggs, less room, but better hatch rate.

 

[Arielle]

So now I see I have a zillion eggs to offer up...moving over to the 24 hour thread to post some buy it nows!!

Renee, where is the 24 hour thread??? I'm feeling in need of chocolates !

 

[ChooksChick]

Renee, where is the 24 hour thread??? I'm feeling in need of chocolates !

I put my listings HERE, but I haven't any chocs on there...pm me what you're looking for in Chocolates...I'm in project mode with this color.

 

[karimw]

Hi! I'm in! I just set some LOVELY eggs from ChooksChick today. Silkied Ameraucaunas, with a gold laced Orpington, and a... GASP.... chocolate Orpington! Hooray!

I would be on pins and needles for a batch like that!

I'm going to an egg swap today woohoooo!! Bringing 3 dozen of my own eggs and bringing home 3 dozen other breeds (hopefully some turkey and guinea) YAY!!! Plus I'm doing a swap when I get there with someone I met here for quail YES!

On another note I WILL NOT have my eggs in the upright position during incubating ANYMORE!! I lost so many eggs this last hatch due to having done that and most the chicks were ready to hatch but turned wrong in the egg

I lost wheaton americaunas, lav orpingtons, and EE's as well as three turkey!!! I never had that may turned backwards in eggs when I layed them flat. 3/4 of my hatch was like that! And yes I had the fat end up. Back to laying flat eggs, less room, but better hatch rate.

I'm with rebel on this. My last hatch with shipped eggs was dismal. I kept them upright and didn't turn for the 1st 4 days then tipped them 2-3 times a day until lock down. I also did the dry hatch (in a forced air Genesis 1588) and the air cells were great. Nearly all developed and quit late or died unpipped. Many pipped in the wrong place. I had to assist the few I did get to hatch and the chicks are not nearly as robust as the non shipped ones.
Next time I'll start them upright to heal the air cell then lay them down and hand turn until lock down. The dry hatch part was OK I think.

 

[Arielle]

Bantam Babes I also agree with Ron: the air cell development is the key. Ron has posted a super diagram that is VERY important. No matter what humidity you start with, the egg MUST develop the air cell to be the size indicated in this beautiful diagram. THIS IS THE KEY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I personally followed Chookschicks hatching information the first time as I read far too many sad stories about chicks NOT hatching and drowning in their shells. My FIRST hatch was 50% and my most recent 25/31 was 80%.

Unless you are in a particularly dry area, like a desert, the dry incubation method works super well IMO.

The important thing is to watch the air cell development. Look at the chart that shows how big the air cell is supposed to be at different days of incubation.



If the air cell is not at the correct place on the correct day, then adjust the humidity up or down. 30% works for me.

Ron
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Quote:
Edited to add the air cell chart

If you missed it, this is the air cell chart. Adjust humidity up or down based on the chart and day of incubation:



Ron


Edited to add: The air cell will be Clear or lighter at the big end of the egg. I don't know why they added the colors

Because the colors are fun!!! Thanks Ron, for posting this diagram, I usually have a black and white copy sitting next to the incubator for comparison during candling.

 

[ronott1]

Sorry about the poor hatch rate.

I have been hatching constantly since Feb. I have hatched Marans, two SG Dorking Batches, EO Basque Hens and Cream Legbars. None of them have pipped the wrong end. The Marans hatch had 5 dead in the shell and they were local eggs. I don't think the problems with hatching had anything to do with hatching in cartons. Something else caused them to pip wrong. One of the consequences of shipping eggs is a poor hatch rate; eggs may have been scrambled on the trip. The egg does not have enough energy to give to the chick after working hard to reassemble itself.

What I am saying is they would have pipped the wrong end any way and most of them die even when you help when they pip the wrong end.

So just to give another real world example about hatching in cartons(I use plastic egg trays now) mine has been positive for five hatches of shipped and local eggs. The best thing to do is to try both and see what works best for you.

Have a great hatch. I set SQ Partridge Rocks and Heritage RIR egg on Thursday. I have five cream Legbar eggs hatching next weekend.

Ron

I'm going to an egg swap today woohoooo!! Bringing 3 dozen of my own eggs and bringing home 3 dozen other breeds (hopefully some turkey and guinea) YAY!!! Plus I'm doing a swap when I get there with someone I met here for quail YES!

On another note I WILL NOT have my eggs in the upright position during incubating ANYMORE!! I lost so many eggs this last hatch due to having done that and most the chicks were ready to hatch but turned wrong in the egg

I lost wheaton americaunas, lav orpingtons, and EE's as well as three turkey!!! I never had that may turned backwards in eggs when I layed them flat. 3/4 of my hatch was like that! And yes I had the fat end up. Back to laying flat eggs, less room, but better hatch rate.

 

[yinepu]

BUT! BUT!... Alright. I think I will go with the normal settings this time and then try the dry hatch next batch.

if this is your first try I would suggest going with a dry hatch (less problems.. no drowning or sticky chicks).. and since you're in Virginia I am 90% sure you have higher humidity than I do...

 

[mothrhen]

Ok guys, I'm having a hard time getting enthused for setting my eggs. . . My last hatch was so abysmal, with the shipped eggs. The local eggs I threw in just for fun for a friend ALL hatched just fine. Having every single box of eggs spend the day traveling our local roads on the mail truck makes me ill. Every box was clearly marked to hold for pick up. Last hatch, I hatched dry for the first time but, without adding water my r/h stayed at 30-35%. I was fine with that. Temps were stable as usual (confirmed by excessive amounts of thermometers). Maybe I'll do as karimw and rebel and only have them on end until the air cell heals and then hatch them on their side. That means I'll have to hand turn tho. . .

Decisions, decisions. . . Any thoughts, comments? I really need to motivate. Somebody

me.

 

[mothrhen]

Sorry about the poor hatch rate.

I have been hatching constantly since Feb. I have hatched Marans, two SG Dorking Batches, EO Basque Hens and Cream Legbars. None of them have pipped the wrong end. The Marans hatch had 5 dead in the shell and they were local eggs. I don't think the problems with hatching had anything to do with hatching in cartons. Something else caused them to pip wrong. One of the consequences of shipping eggs is a poor hatch rate; eggs may have been scrambled on the trip. The egg does not have enough energy to give to the chick after working hard to reassemble itself.

What I am saying is they would have pipped the wrong end any way and most of them die even when you help when they pip the wrong end.

So just to give another real world example about hatching in cartons(I use plastic egg trays now) mine has been positive for five hatches of shipped and local eggs. The best thing to do is to try both and see what works best for you.

Have a great hatch. I set SQ Partridge Rocks and Heritage RIR egg on Thursday. I have five cream Legbar eggs hatching next weekend.

Ron

Now I have to consider this!! I just bought plastic egg trays to hatch in. . .