December 2023 hatch-a-long

[DovesFlock]

That’s such a cute idea if you don’t mind I’ll try that on my next batch. Maybe with a pencil (since it’s usually what I got handy lol)

 

[I Like Turkeys]

1 baby hatched today out of The 5 eggs set to hatch. They all looked alive when I put them into lockdown, and humidity is in the normal range for hatching, so fingers crossed they hatch tomorrow.

this same thing happened with the Halloween hatch . 1 chick on the day I set them to hatch, the rest a day or two late. My turkeys hatched early for that clutch. Maybe my birds just hate hatching on holidays.

 

[Finnie]

1 baby hatched today out of The 5 eggs set to hatch. They all looked alive when I put them into lockdown, and humidity is in the normal range for hatching, so fingers crossed they hatch tomorrow.

this same thing happened with the Halloween hatch . 1 chick on the day I set them to hatch, the rest a day or two late. My turkeys hatched early for that clutch. Maybe my birds just hate hatching on holidays.

Your incubator temperature might be a tad low. If you are getting good hatch rates and the chicks are healthy, no need to change that. But if your survival rates are low, you could experiment with half-degree increases over your next few hatches and see if you can find a sweet spot.

I find that my turkeys almost always hatch a day or two early. If I set chickens and turkeys to hatch on the same day, the turkeys are finished before the chickens start.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Nice New Years eve.

 

[I Like Turkeys]

Your incubator temperature might be a tad low. If you are getting good hatch rates and the chicks are healthy, no need to change that. But if your survival rates are low, you could experiment with half-degree increases over your next few hatches and see if you can find a sweet spot.

I find that my turkeys almost always hatch a day or two early. If I set chickens and turkeys to hatch on the same day, the turkeys are finished before the chickens start.

Going to try that!

I had another chick hatch. Both are healthy, with zero issues so far. I’ve noticed when I have chicks fail to hatch, it’s usually towards the end when they’re in lockdown. Usually fully formed, without visible defects. What I get to hatch usually varies depending on breed/species. The polish have been healthy once hatching. I’ve noticed their hatch rate has been low throughout the entire process though.

The Polish I was talking about are hatching fairly poorly in comparison to a lot of my other breeds. With the turkeys I was hatching in October, most simply weren’t fertile, and a bunch more failed to get through incubation. What I had make it to the end hatched alright, but could be better. I saw hatch rates with them drop towards the end of the 2023 breeding season as well, maybe incubator and fertility both to blame. I’ve noticed a few to hatch early, but not a majority of them. My mixed chickens hatch amazing, on the other hand. I was hatching so many, it was overwhelming.

 

[Finnie]

I saw hatch rates with them drop towards the end of the 2023 breeding season as well, maybe incubator and fertility both to blame.

That could be. Another thing I’ve noticed is that my ambient humidity changes with the season. I would have good hatch rates in the spring, and as summer progressed with higher humidity, my hatch rates would go down because of chicks drowning after pipping. My basement humidity seems more constant, so I have had less of that trouble since I moved hatching operations down there.

 

[gimmie birdies]

People put nail polish on eggs, which is stinkier than pen.
So I just don't worry about it.