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

[Mylied]

The last 2 ducklings hatched. So I have 6. I originally set 11 eggs. 3 were infertile, 1 an early quiter, 1 a late quiter. Not to bad. I'll post pics after they are all fluffy.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So now I’ve seen my cockerel doing his job but I have 4 broodies. My eggs that are due 2/24 I had 9 developing on day 10 candle. So I’m going to try a staggered hatch. I’ve never done one before. I put 13 eggs in today and marked them. At lock down I’ll move the 9 others to my janoel 12 to hatch. I would let my broodies have eggs but they are insisting on cramming 3 to a milk crate, I foresee broken eggs or trampled chicks. If I can convince someone to move to the bigger tote nest box, I’ll give them eggs instead of using the janoel.

Broody hens are a great help when you're trying to do a staggered hatch! Even if you just want to put the other eggs under them while the first batch is hatching and it will give you time to clean it out in between too if you decide you want to put them back in the incubator.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

The last 2 ducklings hatched. So I have 6. I originally set 11 eggs. 3 were infertile, 1 an early quiter, 1 a late quiter. Not to bad. I'll post pics after they are all fluffy.

Yay! I look forward to the duckling pictures!

 

[NNYchick]

Broody hens are a great help when you're trying to do a staggered hatch! Even if you just want to put the other eggs under them while the first batch is hatching and it will give you time to clean it out in between too if you decide you want to put them back in the incubator.

Ya that’s a good idea. I really do prefer to hatch with my broodies that’s why it took me so long to replace the janoel 12.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Ya that’s a good idea. I really do prefer to hatch with my broodies that’s why it took me so long to replace the janoel 12.

I love my broody hens too but I always have an incubator on standby because an untested broody is just that, untested.

I'm actually having a disagreement with my broody right now. I want her to settle into the broody pen and she just wants to go back to the coop, lol. She's been pacing there all day, I'm thinking this is probably going to break her broodiness but I would rather that than entrust an untested broody to chicks outside of the broody pen.

Most of my broody hatches went flawlessly mixed in with the flock but I had a couple go poorly and that's enough for me to proceed with caution with all new broody hens.

 

[FortCluck]

The last 2 ducklings hatched. So I have 6. I originally set 11 eggs. 3 were infertile, 1 an early quiter, 1 a late quiter. Not to bad. I'll post pics after they are all fluffy.

That's great! I checked my duck eggs yesterday and there's definite growth. Hopefully I can get at least 20 of them to hatch.

 

[LilyD]

Day 20 started last night at 9pm had a dog transport for the rescue and left this morning at 8am got home to my hatcher spiking it's humidity at 79% not sure why it decided to go up so high now but hoping it didn't do anything to the babies. If these guys follow my last batch they will start pipping and getting really active tonight into tomorrow night and fully finish hatching by Monday when I get home from work. Having to go to work stinks when you're hatching.

 

[wolfwalker]

Wow, I'm glad you found what works for you. It sounds like hatching can be really tricky in your area.

If I remember correctly these are some of your Isbar eggs is that correct? After having 5 hatch yesterday, from an assorted egg lot, I'm impressed with the breed. Why have you chosen this breed to focus on?

Actually, I am focusing on 4 breeds. French Black Copper Marans, Cream Legbar and the gold variant, Silverruds Blue, aka Isbar and Aloha's. I like the color variations of the SB and the egg colors are interesting.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Having to go to work stinks when you're hatching.

We need chicken maternity leave.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Well while one of the tools was being used in our garage, it tripped the electricity of the house and I nearly died thinking my incubator had gone off as it doesn’t re-start...

However, when I went in the incubator was running, rising back up to temperature and humidity (were both about half of what they should be) and it still said day 10 on the screen.

Except there was a symbol flashing on it and after I searched, it’s a blackout warning symbol to say the power had been cut out at some point.

I never knew anything about this being on my incubator but after I searched, apparently if the incubator blacks out due to power failure for a few seconds, it will remember the settings and start back up.

That’s awesome but what I don’t get is that the incubator was off for more than a few seconds!

I’m not complaining, I’m glad but just confused

Anyways my eggs have 10 days left, the 6 were growing strong when I candled on day 5.

I will candle for the last time on Thursday night. One did have a odd air cell but I’m just leaving it be and hoping it’ll make it through. If it needs a hand I’ll help but only once all the others have hatched.

I’m also going to try and set another 10 of the eggs from my flock tomorrow or Tuesday in hope at least one or two are fertile now.