The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[Dahlisgrams]

Are the eggs that were set on the 9th at noon the only eggs eligible for best and worst hatch rates?

 

[chicken fever]

Four hatched! wahoo!

 

[TnT Poultry]

I came home from work and 2 have hatched and another 14 have pipped, only 2 havnt pipped. They are hatching earlier than my previous 2 hatches. All looks good.

 

[TnT Poultry]

...

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My third one just hatched, this is the one that pipped the wrong way, it hatched with a gush if fluid and still has yolk? Connected, it looks more like intestines than yolk. It seems strong at the moment, but I'm thinking this one may not make it. Any suggestions why this may have happened? Several have pipped on the sides. I did the same with this hatch, same incubator, settings ect. Input?

 

[ceocka]

At which point do each of you give up or try to assist?
I have read the hatch assist thread/article, but it is now day 23 (I set them 3/6 8:20pm) and I did get out the eggs and candle, I marked all air cells quickly just for any future assisting. I noticed that almost all of these eggs have larger air cells that are lop sided half way up the egg, to me giving less room for the chick to even move. I looked and listened for any life going on in the egg last night and heard or seen NOTHING There is 6 silkie eggs left in there, and the 7th is hatching this morning(it had a pip for some time) ....But as of last night with the other eggs I seen no movement, no noise and no internal pips - they all do appear to be full of a full term chick from what I could see.

That means they could pip soon. Be patient

 

[Chick Li]

Good Afternoon, well it has been kind of rocky with my first home made incubator use. First #1 and 5 egg were not good. They are out and have 14 left. Then yesterday, day 18 in the incubator and the temperature and humidity gauges to haywire. For about 15 minutes the temp read 114 and the humidity started to go down. I had perfect temp and humidity all morning then bam! The controls won't work. I had another temp/humidity gauge inside for a fail safe and it was reading the 114 and the outside one wouldn't stop blinking. It did start raining for a little bit, I don't think it was the culprit. the third thermometer on the outside was reading 96 the whole time and the inside ones finally when down to 111 then 103. Yes DH and he wanted to be sure about everything. So last night he reread the manual for the Zoo Med Hygro/Therm and put the alarm on. Today we have been sitting at 55-60 for humidity and temp 98. I took the advice from this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/156559/how-to-raise-humidity-in-incubator-help and have aluminum container sitting under the heat source with water and sponges in it. I hope the humidity comes up. On a better front the little black cochin is still sitting on her four eggs. No peeps yet. She is happy and will even let me look under, i did this 4 days ago and they are very heavy. Her hatch day is tomorrow. I am praying. The incubator should hopefully start hatching between Sunday. - Wed. I am hoping. If they hatch it will be a total of 16 eggs.

Well it took my DH about 40 more minutes to fix the humidity control, and these poor little chick are our guinea pigs. Yes, temp. is finally between 98 -100 F and the humidity is at 70%. We have to learn to gauge the level of water in the water container. That was one of our culprits. We are using a larger container for the water and it had gotten to low. It didn't look low to us, but it was to low for the mister to work. You live and learn. Now I just hope the little chicks live. I want to hear peeps!

Congrats to all of you who have chicks hatch.

I know my hen Licorice will join you. I am just worried about these in the incubator. I also have 100 mealworms growing in two bins and have had eggs laid. Just three days ago I saw little white and reddish-brown worms.

At least something is hatching. We are definitely rethinking our cooler incubator.

 

[CayuseRanch]

Bad day...bad day... but not with the eggs (atleast I hope...havent checked on them again)
My two boys at home 15 & 17 had a childhood friend (17) get killed tonight in a car accident. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected. The driver one of his friends was driving recklessly. The father of Hunter (the one that passed) died several years ago and mom has had a tough time as she is blind. She relied on hunter for everthing...groceries, get to work etc. This has been a devestating evening, but... I post so you go hug your love ones, life is too fragile not to shower your loved ones with affection, and lecture lecture lecture your teenage drivers about reckless driving and wearing their seat belts. Please God take me before I ever lose a child.

 

[Jucknath]

First one out. 15 minutes into day 21. First time incubating.
36 more eggs to watch. manny have pipped.

 

[Chick Li]

Thank you CayuseRanch for letting us know. Tonight I will taker her up before the Lord in prayer. This is a tragedy. I will also pray that your sons will be able to find the peace and solace their hearts and mind need.

 

[ceocka]

I

Oh, quick story. Last year we bought some chicks for the first time. However, our WL turned out to be a roo, and our city doesn't allow us to keep roos, so we adopted him out to a farm in a little town a few miles away. Well, we got about a dozen of his flocks eggs to set in this hatch. 5 of the 11 went into lockdown. Well, I just got a phone call from the owner out there. Here's how the conversation went: Him: How are the eggs doin? Me: Good! Five are in lockdown and we're just waiting for some sign of movement! Him: Oh, that's great. Hey! Gotta question for ya. Me: Ya? What's that? Him: How would you like to hatch some turkeys.....? Me (in my mind)...: Um... heck yes!!! Woot woot! Turkeys?!? Really?!? Me out loud: I'd love to! I guess we'll wanna see how these ones turn out though! Him: Ya, my buddy has a turkey that's made a nest in the horse hay, so he said he'd just give me all the ones that have collected there. Me: Yeah, that would be sweet. I probably couldn't keep them, but I could incubate them for you! Him: Right on. I'd raise them up, and you could even keep one. Maybe you could name it Thanksgiving! Me: Deal! So.. what does this mean?... If I have a successful hatch, I'll be setting turkeys!!!!

I would love to hatch some turkey eggs!

So ugly it's cute? Little naked neck Mohawk chicken. Totally tuckered out.

oh my that is the cutest necked neck. Oh how bad I want them.