White Silkie Hatch - January 7 - BAD news!

[turtle1173]

This is my first attempt at hatching Silkie eggs. Anyone have any advice or anything you would like to offer?

Anyway, today (Sunday) is day 4. That puts hatch day at January 7th.

Oh, by the way, I've got 21 of these beauties!! Woo Hoo!!

I've never had more than 2 hatch during any batch of eggs, so I'm hopeful I'll do a little better this time.

Shane

 

[willowcol]

Good luck! I put 18 Silkie eggs in the bator on Thursday, So we are due about the same time. I think the temp is the most important part. I have had pretty good hatches so far so I am hoping this one goes well also. If you don't have a turner then remembering to turn several times a day is important, I keep my humidity around 45 the first few weeks but if its lower or higher I don't stress over it really. I just think the most important part is getting the humidity up before hatch, and no matter what stay away from the bator. I learned the hard way to not open it. It is not worth a bunch of chicks so sticky they can't move or zip because the humidity dropped from opening it. So from now on no openning the bator til they have all hatched or its been long enough and there are no pips left.

 

[turtle1173]

Hey, great, it looks like we are hatching on the same day.

My first few batches of eggs I did, I hand turned 3 times each day. It got to be a little taxing to be home to do that, so I bought a turner. Much much easier but I didn't do any better on my last hatch. However most of the eggs were scrambled when I candled at day 10. The egg turner sure can't undo that, LOL.

Shane

 

[willowcol]

No, can't unscramble eggs no matter how hard you try. I had a batch I bought last month like that. I got 19 silkie eggs, 10 were broke, 6 scrammbled. out of the 3 I had left 2 died a few days before hatch and I got 1 chick. That however was the only time I had a really bad hatch. This batch I thought I was getting 8 eggs from the add, but great christmas surprise it was 18 when I unwrapped them and none broke (double christmas present). We can be hatch buddies, so when the day comes we have something to do other then touch the bator.

 

[needmorechickens!]

You are gonna love these babies Shane, they are so cute. I hatched my first ones this year and didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary with the incubation. They are about 6 weeks old now.
Who did you get them from? (Mine are from KentuckySilkies)
What kind of 'bator are you using?
~Rebecca

 

[spencer creek]

My first hatch at Silkies, or anything for that matter.

I have 7 whites due the 8th. It will be a miracle if I get anything. I have never done this and am attempting with a styro-bater. They were shipped in very cold weather and took 4 days. I will say they were packaged perfectly.

Have you candled? I read I should do so today. I have watched about 100 youtube movies on the subject.

 

[turtle1173]

I don't know too much about the seller. Her first name is Ruth and she lives a little west of Springfield, MO. Her white silkies are beautiful.

I have an older hova bator incubator that really holds temps good. I got a turner a couple months ago. That sure makes everything easier.

I probably won't candle till day 10. That way, I can be a little more sure of what I'm seeing. Of course, with white eggs it will be easier anyway. That means this Saturday. By then we are already half way done!! Woo Hoo!!

Willowcol, my experience is rather similar. I ordered 8+ eggs and she sent me 21, LOL

Shane

 

[turtle1173]

I candled several eggs last night and need some advice. A couple were clear

and another couple had air cells at the big end with a dark spot in the middle or maybe a little more towards the bottom.

My question is, when I would rotate the egg, the aircell would move around also along the big end. I mean you could see the edge of the cell move/rotate when I would twist the egg. Is this normal or does that mean my egg is scrambled?

I couldn't really make out any veins on the 4 or 5 I candled. I figured it would be easy with white eggs. Maybe all my eggs are bad that I looked at.

BTW, today is day 8. I wasn't going to candle till day 10 but... well, I wanted to do a few last night when I was thinking about it

Comments?

Thanks and Merry Christmas everyone!
Shane

 

[willowcol]

I candled mine tonight too and saw veins in a few but not all, so i would give them all a few more days and candle again. Not sure about the airsac moving, but as long as its at the big end it should be ok. Still new to incubating so don't know alot.

 

[erin0415]

I have some marans due on the 7th. I candled them last night, but it was hard to see anything. Two of them in particular looked like they were not good, but i left all of them in there just in case. They were mailed in really cold weather, so I am worried they may have gotten too cold in transit. I now have 13 2 month old silkies that are just beautiful. I will probably get a few more in the spring to mix up the genetics a little. Good luck everyone on your hatches!!!