The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[harrellkd]

I am getting so nervous about lockdown. I have some eggs that I can see the chicks moving and growing really well, but there are others I am totally unsure about. What do I do with them?! I won't candle again until tomorrow before I put them in, but I don't know if they should go in or not?!

 

[akaruby]

For lockdown is 98 degrees too chilly? My cabinet bator hatching area is about that temp. I have another incubator I can use for lockdown if that is too cold.

 

[flocktastic]

For lockdown is 98 degrees too chilly? My cabinet bator hatching area is about that temp. I have another incubator I can use for lockdown if that is too cold.

I'm curious about lockdown temps too - does everyone leave the temp the same as you had it though out the whole process? I've been running about 99.8 the whole time...is that ok for lockdown? Do I need to increase/decrease? I'll be increasing humidity to 65% for lockdown...

 

[Sahwithchicks]

First peafowl egg of the season!

fiiiiiiiiinnnnalllllyyyyy

 

[ronott1]

I'm curious about lockdown temps too - does everyone leave the temp the same as you had it though out the whole process? I've been running about 99.8 the whole time...is that ok for lockdown? Do I need to increase/decrease? I'll be increasing humidity to 65% for lockdown...

Leave the incubator set as is. The temperature may go down a bit because of the increased humidity but do not worry about that! Temps can go to 97 at hatch and be fine.

It is very important to make sure that there is plenty of ventilation now. I vents are closed or plugs are in, remove them now. Also make sure that the inlet holes are all open. They can be blocked by towels and other debris. The room that the incubator is in should have air exchange too. For example, if in a closet, the door should be opened a couple of times a day to let fresh air in.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sally had a great post on it recently i had thought and thought it said a tiny bit cooler can help hatch rates and i think it said 98 was the low 99 high so 98 in the cooler should be fine. But obviously most people probably don't turn the temp down as i think its a rather new thing and do just fine so whatever you want. Sally will have to post the exact info and links

 

[flocktastic]

Leave the incubator set as is. The temperature may go down a bit because of the increased humidity but do not worry about that! Temps can go to 97 at hatch and be fine.

It is very important to make sure that there is plenty of ventilation now. I vents are closed or plugs are in, remove them now. Also make sure that the inlet holes are all open. They can be blocked by towels and other debris. The room that the incubator is in should have air exchange too. For example, if in a closet, the door should be opened a couple of times a day to let fresh air in.

I've got a forced air Genesis hovabator...it only has the one plug in the top...so I should remove that at lockdown? The bator is actually in our kitchen because that's the room with the most steady temp and it's out of direct sunlight.

 

[LocalYokel]

I've got a forced air Genesis hovabator...it only has the one plug in the top...so I should remove that at lockdown? The bator is actually in our kitchen because that's the room with the most steady temp and it's out of direct sunlight.

Plug should be out day 10
You may get 29 different answers
Some like to use vent holes for humidity control

 

[flocktastic]

Plug should be out day 10
You may get 29 different answers
Some like to use vent holes for humidity control

Well crud!!!! This dang thing didn't say anywhere to pull the plug on day 10?!!!? Now I'm worried

 

[chickendreams24]

Going into lock down tomorrow.  Anyone else?  I'm a day earlier than the set date.

We should be too!!! Assuming that we wait until later in the evening. As the incubator was set late in the day. I'm very excited everything looks great! I can't wait to see all my babies. We've been very busy most of the month so the hatch has been both blvery slow and very fast in spurts which I guess is a good thing but now how am I gunna last for lockdown it's so hard! at least it looks almost certain that we will be having babies this go around rather than the last shipped eggs we did back in November(total wash).

Our eggs have been 100% fertility(the ones we set for the hatch-a-long) but we do have a couple of new layers so I don't know about their eggs. I'm ecstatic!

The little chicks from @Junibutt are growing wonderfully and are now outside in a metal tank they're going on 4 weeks old and adorable especially the cream legbar! Who is doing very well despite the rough start.

I can't wait to see how the silkies look and try to guess which silkie fathered which silkie chick and just all of them! We have two silkie eggs that I think quit that may be pulled tomorrow. Other than that not too bad I originally set 48 in the incubator and I believe we may be down to 37 going into lockdown assuming I decide to pull the silkie eggs tomorrow. I will let you know then. Hoping the air cells look good. I will post a pic tomorrow. We have run dry almost the entire hatch so far although I did add a couple of tablespoons full of water when I started it to get the humidity up from 22%. We have had some rain(quite a bit of rain for a few rainy days here and there) but I think it's leveled out pretty good. At one point I did add a cup of rice BC we were up in the 60s it worked a bit got it down to the 50s but mostly I've just been trying to ride along since I've never actually used a calibrated hygrometer or thermometer before for any of my hatches. I'm very glad to know that I could still hatch without them but I did have some problems with sticky chick and although I know how to assist and I will if I have to I would rather not.

Eta I wrote this last night but forgot to post it. Lol