Who's hatching around Jan 10? 1st try, Could use the "moral support!"

[turtle1173]

Awesome Brahampooter!! How exciting and great pics!!

Today is day 20 for me. This morning around 11-ish, I noticed one egg rocking and I saw a pip on the side when she pushed. No more progress on that one since nor anything with the others.

Don't worry too much willowcol. Sometimes they are just stubborn. Or they pip where you can't see.

Good luck to all and keep it up!!

Shane

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I still don't know if I should take these chicks out tonight. The others are only on day 18. (these were day 19). If they don't come early, I'm looking at Friday. And what if they're late? Isn't that too long to leave these chicks in the bator? (of course it is). So it may be best to do a quick grab and go tonight and give everything a chance to settle back down for the others. Right??

 

[willowcol]

Thats what I would do. As long as the other eggs have no pips in them they should be fine.

Edited to say if the eggs are only on day 18 and the others have all hatched I would not worry about the humidity and get the babies out. Don't you have to open it to turn them til day 19 anyways.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Well..yesterday was day 18 for the bo's. today is day 18 for the rest. I thought I was gonna turn until last night and stop for everyone. But I heard peeping and freaked out. So I stopped turning everyone yesterday (late afternoon). Stop turning on day 18 right? Last three days..no touchy. Well they never got the memo that they were due on Thursday. The others are due on Friday. Maybe they'll be early too? IDK.
I'll take the chicks out tonight if there are no pips anywhere else.
Better go set up a brooder. They're sooo early. Next time will go smoother.

The chicks have been doing a fine job of knocking the other eggs around in their cartons. They're mostly tiny eggs, so lots of wiggle room.

 

[willowcol]

Yeah you stop turning on day 19, I usually turn for the last time day 18 right before bed then I don't turn anymore. Seems funny though since after the 1st chick hatches it starts rolling them all over the place and they still manage to hatch. Still no pips or peeps here. THey are not rocking anymore either. Either they are all resting and are in the spots they need to be in or my humidity was off and they have drowned. I need to get a new Term. with humidity. I think mine is off and should have had 2 for humidity just to be safe. Good luck with your 2nd hatch. Hope everyone elses hatchs are going well.

 

[shelleyd2008]

You should never spray a chicken's egg! If you need to take chicks out, check very carefully before opening to make sure there are no pips in the other eggs. If there are no pips, they will not dry out. Have a glass of hot hot water ready to fill up the reservoirs/sponges, this will help your humidity and temp come up fast! The chicks can stay in the bator up to 3 days before the have to be removed, but if the others aren't due for another day or so I would take the hatched ones out. But check very well to make sure there are no pips!!! If they are pipped and you open it, that's when they dry out!! Good luck!!

 

[tonini3059]

I have 7 call duck eggs and 14 mixed eggs going to hatch on the 14th. This is my first time also...I'm so nervous I heard calls are hard to hatch.

 

[Suellyn]

Brahampooter... TOOOO cute!!

Did you get the chickies out? how are they doing?

I am dying for something to rock, peep, or pip.. too early tho, only at end of day 17. These last few days are going to take FOREVER, reminds me of my 9th month of pregnancy which lasted for, like, 3 years...

Do you know what color Silkies, Willowcol? My 4 are white, saw the parents, were gorgeous cotton mega-puffballs!

ShelleyD2008- Question about the spray bottle thing: What I got out of the posts that talked about it was that they didn't spray the eggs, but did a quick mist in the air to compensate for the fact that they opened 'bator lid (I forget the exact situation, egg emergency, though). Said it kept the humidity from crashing. ?? The other suggestion was the "hot/wet towel" thing, don't know, hopefully I won't have to do EITHER. ??

Oh, and I am still "on the fence" as to whether or not I should put eggs into styrofoam egg carton to hatch out... On one hand "Mama Hen" leaves them on their side, not "big end up", on the OTHER hand, she is sitting on them so although I'm sure they have some "wiggle room", they are not being slammed around by other chicks stumbling around... ?? Thoughts or input anyone?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have always just layed them on their sides, and the chicken eggs I have hatched has always had one that didn't out of those that went to the hatcher. I agree on the mama hen thing though. The eggs might be on their sides, but they are not getting moved all over. I think I'll try the egg carton thing with mine and see how that does. All the eggs I have now are shipped, so I'd like to hatch as many as I can!
I have not heard/read either one of those things for humidity. If you open it quickly and fill the water reservoirs with hot water, as soon as you close the bator the humidity will shoot up. If the other eggs are not pipped it won't hurt them to open it. If there is a pipped one and you need to take chicks out, you can always put some water on your fingertip or a q-tip and wet the exposed membrane. Just be sure not to get water in the hole the chick made. I always take my chicks out when they are dry, unless someone is actively hatching.

 

[Suellyn]

My hubby had a good idea that is kinda a "middle of the road" approach to the "how to hatch out" dilemma, it probably wouldn't work for a large hatch due to lack of space, but I might try it for mine (only hatching 10 eggs, plenty of room in incubator).

We have some styrofoam "boards" that are about 6" wide, a couple feet long, and only about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick (they were packing material from some shower doors we bought). If I cut them to size, to fit into the bottom of the 'bator, then cut holes in them (1 hole for each egg) that are a little larger than than the egg, I could set the eggs in THAT to let them hatch.

I don't know if I am explaining it very well, but basically, the eggs would still be laying on their side, but would be set down into the styrofoam "hole" (which would only be 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep). They would still have some "wiggle room" since the hole would be a bit bigger than the egg, but the styrofoam would act as a "bumper"... if a chick is stumbling around in there, at least the eggs can't roll FAR, or smash into each other. ???

Does that make any kind of sense??

edited to add: Shelleyd2008.. You said you usually have an egg that doesn't hatch, do you think it got knocked around a lot, or is it just kind of a "random" thing??