BYC's 4th of July Star Spangled Hatch-Along

[Debbie292d]

I have a chick! It's loud and peeping and moving around!

How long can it stay in the incubator peeping without water? I know it won't get food until it is in the brooder.

If it is all dry and fluffy before anyone else has hatched, do I still move it into the brooder so it can get water?

Do I put water and marbles into the incubator for it now?

They can survive 72 hours without food/water as they're living off the yolk they absorbed.

As cute and fluffy as they look, I leave them in there while others are pipped or hatching. Yes, they may start pecking the other eggs, bump into them, even roll them over, whatever, but I let nature take its course.

When I see no more pips or zips, I remove the ones that are fluffy and running around. The not-so-active ones I leave in there and turn the humidity way down to about 40, and the incubator down a couple of degrees. Depending on how weak they may seem, I've left chicks in there for another whole day, just to get stronger. Sometimes any leg issues can be corrected just by leaving them longer in the incubator.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

They can survive 72 hours without food/water as they're living off the yolk they absorbed.

As cute and fluffy as they look, I leave them in there while others are pipped or hatching. Yes, they may start pecking the other eggs, bump into them, even roll them over, whatever, but I let nature take its course.

When I see no more pips or zips, I remove the ones that are fluffy and running around. The not-so-active ones I leave in there and turn the humidity way down to about 40, and the incubator down a couple of degrees. Depending on how weak they may seem, I've left chicks in there for another whole day, just to get stronger. Sometimes any leg issues can be corrected just by leaving them longer in the incubator.

Thank you for confirming that. I told him all of that, I said they are fine even being shipped because they are living on the yolk, but he knows best so. I did wait till they were all three hatched before moving them into the brooder. The first two were nice and fluffy, and I let the third dry out a bit longer in there. I wasn't sure how to adjust the temp or humidity in there, but that is a good tip for me to look at how to do that in the instructions. The humidity was like 70ish in the incubator and only 35ish in the brooder, so I figured that would help it fluff out a bit more, too.

I think it was a false alarm the foot too. It seemed a bit curled up and weaker at first, but within the hour or just a little more, I could tell it was standing and hopping around on both feet, and all the toes appeared straight and normal. Goes to show how watching can make you worry more lol I'm glad s/he seems just fine though!

 

[ronott1]

How often should I be hand turning? I obviously won't be able to do that overnight, or as frequently as an automatic one would be.

at least two times a day but three is better.

 

[muddy75]

Did anyone set button quail eggs??

 

[muddy75]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hatching-eggs-with-a-broody-hen.75254/

Article of the day!

 

[muddy75]

Anyone candling yet? I would love to see pictures

 

[LydiaB]

Anyone candling yet? I would love to see pictures

I did but didn’t take pics. The ducklings are moving already. Chickens I saw veins in most eggs. It’s still early so I left them all.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I did, too! I see development in all 10 eggs! I'll have to try to get a picture next time, it's been a crazy week...

I also took a moment now that my first three eggs have hatched to move the four into one incubator, leaving the 10 for 4th of July on their own.

 

[muddy75]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens.47691/

Article of the day!

 

[MrsWinterWheat]

Good luck everyone! I was hoping to get Guinea Fowl in time but unfortunately my pre-order wasn’t filled in time. But I have Turkey and Guinea set to hatch around the 16th so I won’t be too far behind.