Will be setting eggs tomorrow April 8th. Any body else?

[Vnctan]

Today was Day 11 for me. I was incubating the eggs in my homemade incubator using a light bulb and dimmer for heat and thermostat but it was fluctuating too much so I bought a Hovabator forced-air with turner for $60 (Great deal - YAY!) and they've been in there for the last 5 days but I just bought 3 dozen Cayuga, Khaki Campbell, and Mapgie eggs today so I candled and culled to make room - none of them looked to be devoloping (not that I'm surprised, from about Day 4 I knew they were doomed, stupid homemade incubator - I would have been a heck of a lot better off saving my money and time and buying a real one, well you get what you pay for). I cracked them all open and not one was good, there wasn't even anything that slightly resembled an embryo. I am waiting until Day 14-18 to toss the goose egg because it might still be good (although being the eternal pessismist I highly doubt it) and will be setting the new eggs in the next week. Wish me luck. God knows I'm gonna need it.

 

[Chicken Chat]

Vnctan- Sorry about your duck eggs and having to start over.

That is rough.

 

[Vnctan]

Thanks I appreciate it. I am hoping that now that I have a Hovabator I will actually be able to get some to hatch. As this point I think if one hatched I'd be ecstatic.

 

[Chicken Chat]

I have a pip this morning!!!!

I am hoping that the little one is out by the time I get home from work. Come on babies..... How is everyone else?

 

[Alaska animal lover]

Today is day 21 for me, and they started popping out last night. I have 15 out and lots more pips!

 

[NancyP]

Well about a week and a half to go. I am running this batch at a lower humidity (40ish) and the air sacks are looking good. Hows it going for the rest of you?
Nancy

 

[gardenak]

Hi- I hadn't seen this thread until today- I set eggs on 4/7 & 4/8. I started with 40 eggs and got rid of a dozen non starters a week ago. Monday we went into lockdown. Yesterday I was adding water (with a turkey baster through the vent) and saw an egg move! Too cool. This morning while having coffee I heard a "peep" and dashed to the bator for a look see- there were 2 pips! I can't wait to get home from work this afternoon to see what else is happening. I was so thrilled I went to the "chicken store" and bought the girls out in the coop some alfalfa for a treat. I told them they were going to have nieces!

 

[Chicken Chat]

Glad to hear there is some action going on. I love hatch day. Today is technically day 21 for me but my babies started pipping and zipping yesterday. Three hatched yesterday and one this morning. The one this morning scared me. He pipped yesterday afternoon at the wrong end of the egg. This morning, no further progress, but no suprise. I put the others in the brooder and started carefully removing some shell. There was some blood but not a lot so I wrapped him in a wet cloth and back in the incubator. An hour later he plopped out on his own.

Here are the three in the brooder. Salmon Faverolles.

edited because I can't spell.

 

[gardenak]

3 hatched by the time I got home from work yesterday- 2 Delaware and a SL did fine. During the night an EE hatched but the top part of the shell shrink wrapped to its head. I waited an hour after I spotted the trouble and had to make the decision to intervene. I made a post and got a bit of help- I turned the hot shower on in the bathroom and got it warm and humid- 84 degrees, 80% humidity. I pulled the little trouble makers out and put them in the brooder and went to work on "Shelly" (frmly known as Shell-Head). I took a Q-tip dipped in warm water and softened the membrane that was stuck over it's eye and nostril-when that bit softened I gently started chipping away at the shell. The entire procedure took an hour. The office is pretty close to home so I just ran and checked on everyone- they are fine. After a 2.5 nap (hatching can be so hard!) Shelly was running around the bator.

 

[Chicken Chat]

gardenak- congrats on the babies and good to hear that Shelly is up and running around. What we won't do for the fluffy butts.