Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[Nebraskagirl]

Oh my, I just did my first ever candling and saw 6 out of 7 eggs healthy and spider-ey looking!!!

What an amazing thing to see! Gosh, early days still but I'm LOVING everything about incubating so far. Gah! The wonder of it all............

Yeah! Congrats on that!!!!!!

 

[Nebraskagirl]

I hatched 3 girl Dewlap Africans sooooo cute ! ~ Will be a busy day at auction this weekend, bringing a bunch of babies in! You can't come down until I have sebbies to trade for your poms !


Glad I am not your patient

hatching is a blast, and there is nothing like seeing a little pip & zip !

Yeah, it will be a SLOW day for me on Sunday for sure! Dumb question here: How do you SEE the pip and zip? I know there is internally pipping, but then what? I have tried to understand the whole process and a little confused still. Is there anything I need to do for my two eggs (two days until hatch day) or just let nature take its course? I have not looked for air cells or anything like that. The eggs have been turning via the incubator every hour until yesterday. The incubator stopped turning them and I placed the hatching tray under the eggs and shut the top.

 

[Marty1876]

I bought a small bright LED flashlight. I place it against the large round end of the egg, and watch for a clear empty air, that will glow with your light. Usually its at the big end, sometimes the small. When a chick/duckling/gosling/etc internally pips, there is a clear little shadow moving about. If it hasn't internally pipped yet you will often see motion around the edges of the air sac.

It's a very very cool view!!! Search this thread for pics of internal pipping, we've got Loads and loads of them on here! I myself posted several last March or April. (last year)

 

[qwackers]

Thanks Marty, I've candled and all are wriggling around up near but I don't think in the sacs. Lazy blighters! Thanks for the reassurance. There was me think I may be lucky and have them all out by now! The stupid wild birds outside keep tweeting and making me think the lil ones are making an appearance. Darn them!
Nebraska girl I think we may have a hatch race if mine don't get a move on!
I'm interested to see pics if these dewlap Africans your on about too!

 

[qwackers]

Oh and all but one have very slanted sacs. I've 5 all together.

 

[Marty1876]

Slanted sacs is very good. So is motion on the edge. IT takes the naughtly things awhile to get out, so I just try to remember to walk away and allow them lots of rest time, which they take in profusion.

 

[qwackers]

Haha Yeh they are definitely taking their own sweet time that's for sure! Yeh movement is around the edge of the sac and slightly blurring into. On one of the 5 the sac looks flat on top still, there is movement but not as much.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

Thank you Marty! I appreciate it! I will do that. Qwackers-we might just race yet....ha! Good luck. The suspense is killing me and I still have to wait until Sunday. AHHH!

 

[EJPedrazzi]

Oh my gosh all these hatchings are so exciting!

Question: Metzer's printed out a copy of their guide to incubating for me when I picked up the eggs, and it says after day 7, you can lightly spray the eggs with room temp water, leave the lid off for a couple of minutes then continue as normal. I've heard about the spraying before but I just wanted to know if anyone does it, the benefits of it, is it worth the risk of cooling them down etc etc. Can you please let me know if you do it, and why?

Thanks! Can't believe how much I've learned in the last 2 weeks researching all this!

 

[psue]

Oh my gosh all these hatchings are so exciting!

Question: Metzer's printed out a copy of their guide to incubating for me when I picked up the eggs, and it says after day 7, you can lightly spray the eggs with room temp water, leave the lid off for a couple of minutes then continue as normal. I've heard about the spraying before but I just wanted to know if anyone does it, the benefits of it, is it worth the risk of cooling them down etc etc. Can you please let me know if you do it, and why?

Thanks! Can't believe how much I've learned in the last 2 weeks researching all this!

remember waterfowl mommas leave their nest to eat, drink, poo and bathe. So misting and cooling are just our way of doing what mom does.