Too Early for Feb Hatch-A-Long Thread??

[FortCluck]

Wow! I'm glad to hear your having such amazing hatch rates. I'd be thrilled with 90%. I personally feel health of the flock is the #1 predictor of a successful hatch. You can almost anything to those eggs and they hatch. If you have even a marginally maintained flock then your incubating need to be spot on to compensate.

By well maintained mean healthy young adults, ideal hen/roo ratio, dewormed on a schedule, allowed access to foraging, free choice high quality layer feed, and sanitary conditions in the runs and nest boxes.

I don't deworm, I haven't had a reason to yet for the past 2 years. My flock is very well maintained and cared for. Their very spoiled I have 2 roosters and 14 pullets/hens. They live on 7000 sq ft but I'm making it 9000 sq ft soon. They have half woods and half the yard for their run. Lots of bugs and berries. I feed Purina All Flock. I also feed their shells back to them, it creates the best shells I believe. I've used oyster shells and didn't see the shell quality I'm seeing now.

My birds are pretty much cared for the same as my dogs and cat. I even go outside and sit with them and talk to them

This is my prized possession. He's a Black Jersey Giant. He's the father of some of the chicks. I just love the way he looks and he's so massive.

 

[FortCluck]

I have a question. If my chicks are hatching through the night should I leave the light on or off? I know that sounds silly, but I want to know what is better.

I leave the lights off. Mine seem to hatch better in the night when it's dark.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I leave the lights off. Mine seem to hatch better in the night when it's dark.

Thank you! I'll remember that.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I have a question. If my chicks are hatching through the night should I leave the light on or off? I know that sounds silly, but I want to know what is better.

Not sure if it's better or not but they do seem calmer when the lights are off.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have a question. If my chicks are hatching through the night should I leave the light on or off? I know that sounds silly, but I want to know what is better.

I leave the light off, they don't need it and it reduces the pecking once you have some with their land legs and others still trying to hatch.

 

[Mylied]

I helped the chick that was zipping the other one needed a friend. It looks like it is all black I'll have to wait till it dries.

My humidity has been 18% I've added zero water this whole hatch because I was sick the entire time and I didn't expect family to upkeep my eggs. There were only 4 so it wouldn't be a huge loss to me. I did it as an experiment. I'm at a 90% hatch rate, I'm just waiting on this last egg to decide what it's doing. Also these eggs were not hand turned for the first 7 days while I was collecting. They just sat in the egg hutch my father made me. This was another part of the experiment. My father lived on a farm and he told me that you don't need to turn eggs before they go into the bator. He said they never did that in the old days. I only turn from day 1-14 then I stop turning, it's something he told me as well.

So far all his advice has given me amazing hatches. I'll be doing duck eggs so hopefully my 90% hatch rate will continue.

I never turn eggs before incubating and store them in the fridge. I get good hatch rates on chickens. Never even heard about turning eggs before incubation until very recently.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 2023895

This is the egg that was cracked and I put nail polish on it
The one above is from today

The one on the bottom is from 2 days ago
View attachment 2023896

Remind me again, I'm sorry I know you already answered. It's on day 7?

 

[PioneerChicks]

Not sure if it's better or not but they do seem calmer when the lights are off.

I leave the light off, they don't need it and it reduces the pecking once you have some with their land legs and others still trying to hatch.

Okay, I'll start leaving the lights off. Thank you!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Okay, I'll start leaving the lights off. Thank you!

Only when you're not watching. I have the light on all the time when we're in there watching them hatch. It doesn't hurt a thing, but if you're in bed anyway or if you have an overactive peep, lights off.

 

[AgnesGray]

I'm joining late! Started mine this weekend and will be hatching at the end of the month.