things i've learned as a beginner hatcher...

[City Chicken]

i have my second and third hatches in the incubator.

my first batch went well... despite my husband unplugging the incubator and causing a good deal of marital strife 8 out of 10 hatched. 2 were infertile.
my second batch... quail... hatching today, should have hatched 2 days ago, major temp flux with power outage and then spike to 103-104. only one hatch so far out of 20 and one more pip... but hey- some lived!

between the power outages, temperature and humidity flux and the rest of the drama...
i have realized...

1.they are much more resilient than i thought.
2.they will probably hatch even if there is not always optimal levels of heat and humidity.
3. don't give up on a batch, see them through to their hatching date and a few beyond, just to be sure
4. ...
i really think if i am going to keep hatching, i will have the learn to

RELAX!!!!

(anyone have a 'miracle they hatched' stories they want to share?)

 

[CrzyCknLady]

I have my first batch in a homemade incubator right now and it's funny - just last night I was thinking - these chicks are strong and determined. My temp/humidity is not super consistent but you know what - I've got tons of movement going on in the shells and they seem to be doing well. We will see what happens come hatching day but for now, I think I might be mimicking a broody hen with the variations inside the bator.....I just ordered a few more digital thermometers/hygrometers and I was not too happy to realize that the ones I had been using (two of the same kind) were showing humidity to be lower than what it was according to the other ones - I guess it's a good thing I am doing a "dry" incubation and was keeping the humidity lower.....

I am hopefully that the 23/24 of my eggs that look great end up hatching but regardless of the outcome, it is a learning experience and I'm trying to be relaxed about it.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

I'm on day 2 and it's driving me crazy!!!

Want to see something. Anything!! LOL

 

[Sally Sunshine]

i have my second and third hatches in the incubator.

my first batch went well... despite my husband unplugging the incubator and causing a good deal of marital strife 8 out of 10 hatched. 2 were infertile.
my second batch... quail... hatching today, should have hatched 2 days ago, major temp flux with power outage and then spike to 103-104. only one hatch so far out of 20 and one more pip... but hey- some lived!

between the power outages, temperature and humidity flux and the rest of the drama...
i have realized...

1.they are much more resilient than i thought.
2.they will probably hatch even if there is not always optimal levels of heat and humidity.
3. don't give up on a batch, see them through to their hatching date and a few beyond, just to be sure
4. ...
i really think if i am going to keep hatching, i will have the learn to

RELAX!!!!

(anyone have a 'miracle they hatched' stories they want to share?)

Good Luck with your Hatch!!

 

[City Chicken]

Thanks! Three quail have made it out so far on days 20-21... Hoping we are done by tonight!

 

[City Chicken]

I have my first batch in a homemade incubator right now and it's funny - just last night I was thinking - these chicks are strong and determined.  My temp/humidity is not super consistent but you know what - I've got tons of movement going on in the shells and they seem to be doing well.  We will see what happens come hatching day but for now, I think I might be mimicking a broody hen with the variations inside the bator.....I just ordered a few more digital thermometers/hygrometers and I was not too happy to realize that the ones I had been using (two of the same kind) were showing humidity to be lower than what it was according to the other ones - I guess it's a good thing I am doing a "dry" incubation and was keeping the humidity lower.....


I am hopefully that the 23/24 of my eggs that look great end up hatching but regardless of the outcome, it is a learning experience and I'm trying to be relaxed about it. 

 

I dry incubated my first batch. Turned out great! Good luck!!

 

[City Chicken]

I'm on day 2 and it's driving me crazy!!! Want to see something. Anything!! LOL

 

I know!!!!! So long to wait!!!

 

[stefan333]

My first hatch I was paranoid, but I ended up with 19 very healthy chicks out of 22 eggs. No problems with the hatch, either, other than being a little dragged out. That was with a cheap still air LG, manual turning 5 times a day. I too, have realized that they really are resilient, and here's a story to prove it: All my eggs hatched, so I thought, and I put every chick in the brooder. I turned off the incubator and stuck the dirty thing in my bathroom to clean it later. The next day I went to clean it out and freaked out when I saw this poor little pipped egg all dried out. In my excitement I forgot it. It was still wiggling, so I performed surgery by peeling off the shell, wetting the membranes with a damp sponge, and freeing my little Australorp. She was the antisocial runt of the bunch at first, but today she's about 2 months old and just as healthy and big as the others. Not every hatch has gone that great, especially when I decided to add the auto turner and fan (I should have kept the temp a little higher). I ended up with a bunch of chicks with unabsorbed yolk sacs who didn't want to come out. Once again I performed surgery, and they're all just as happy and healthy as the others. I've only had one chick die at hatch because she pipped at the wrong end. Other than that I, too, have learned to just relax and enjoy the hatch.

 

[esoaksranch]

Thanks for sharing, keep us updated. The best part of chickens is patience.... Lol

 

[tashtash]

i need to learn to relax. im stressing big time as i always stick my thermometer in the little hole at the top of bator but when i decided to place it on top of eggs just to see it said 36.1' i freaked out and that was on about day 5 6 ish. so now im on day 11 im just hoping they there ok. oh I've since day 5 turned up bator