DECEMBER Hatch-A-Long!😊

[LadiesAndJane]

They are really cute, and apologies for the laughing emoji in the post itself, but Chicken Math is like Gravity - you can fight it for a time, but eventually...

No apologies necessary!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

That first chick looks so fluffy and very grumpy cute!

Thanks, she inherited the ameraucana cheeks!
Been fun to see what traits these chicks have, same parents, but each looks so different.

 

[seeingreen]

I would recommend getting a few - I had one of that style, and the built-in hygrometer would never go over 50, and I had major condensation. Used a separate hygrometer and it was in the high 90's. I lost that entire hatch.

Yes I agree, I was bad, and basically loaded up the incubator as soon as I got it... well I at least tested it lol. I’m going to buy the digital thermometer/hydrometer before I turn it on again, especially since two of the chicks came out sticky.

Three eggs left, two I’ve seen lots of movement in but they may be a week or so behind. The last egg I think might be rotten it should have hatched already it’s way behind, it matured but didn’t hatch so it might be rotten. I candeled it day before yesterday I saw some movement but maybe that was gas bubble or something? Should I just toss it it should have hatched 4 days ago.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Yes I agree, I was bad, and basically loaded up the incubator as soon as I got it... well I at least tested it lol. I’m going to buy the digital thermometer/hydrometer before I turn it on again, especially since two of the chicks came out sticky.

Three eggs left, two I’ve seen lots of movement in but they may be a week or so behind. The last egg I think might be rotten it should have hatched already it’s way behind, it matured but didn’t hatch so it might be rotten. I candeled it day before yesterday I saw some movement but maybe that was gas bubble or something? Should I just toss it it should have hatched 4 days ago.

So is it on day 25 then? If so I would toss it.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

We are on day 14, the move to the new house was successful. I had the broody hen in a protected kennel for 24 hours. She just took her first break off the nest and returned to to kennel nest like normal after 10 minutes. Big relief! I am so happy she has accepted the new nest. Once she was settled, we transferred the incubator eggs under her and switched out the golf balls she was protecting .

Our other 3 hens have resumed their "sentry duty" standing outside the kennel like little guards. They did this at our last house, where they stood in the shed she was nesting in. Supportive sisters! So excited to see the babies soon!

Love the solidarity your chickens are showing! Thank goodness every thing went smoothly.

 

[vixie-daisy]

Well, my last hatch went disastrously (only two hatched and both chicks died ) but here I am trying again. Set 8 shipped serama eggs in my Brinsea mini eco last night. If all goes well, hatch day should be Christmas! Perhaps I'll have a Christmas miracle and actually get some live healthy chicks out of this. Wish me luck.

I'm trying dry hatching this time as my last hatching attempt seems to point to issues with too high humidity.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Well, my last hatch went disastrously (only two hatched and both chicks died ) but here I am trying again. Set 8 shipped serama eggs in my Brinsea mini eco last night. If all goes well, hatch day should be Christmas! Perhaps I'll have a Christmas miracle and actually get some live healthy chicks out of this. Wish me luck.

I'm trying dry hatching this time as my last hatching attempt seems to point to issues with too high humidity.

Welcome to the holiday hatching party!
Sorry about your last hatch.
I have some expected on Christmas day as well. I am a big believer in dry incubation. Make sure you have an accurate calibrated hygrometer (easy to do with the salt test), and check your air cells and/or egg weights to determine if your humidty is working for you.
I have very high ambient humidity, so my incubator (also a Brinsea) runs 35-45%. I know some who even incubate in the 20s. I have done so with Marans eggs. Dry incubation does not work for everyone though, so keep your individual conditions in mind.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[aliciaplus3]

Welcome to the holiday hatching party!
Sorry about your last hatch.
I have some expected on Christmas day as well. I am a big believer in dry incubation. Make sure you have an accurate calibrated hygrometer (easy to do with the salt test), and check your air cells and/or egg weights to determine if your humidty is working for you.
I have very high ambient humidity, so my incubator (also a Brinsea) runs 35-45%. I know some who even incubate in the 20s. I have done so with Marans eggs. Dry incubation does not work for everyone though, so keep your individual conditions in mind.
Good luck and keep us posted!

here at 6000 feet in dry colorado I have to add water to my incubators to get them to the 25-35% range.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Well, my last hatch went disastrously (only two hatched and both chicks died ) but here I am trying again. Set 8 shipped serama eggs in my Brinsea mini eco last night. If all goes well, hatch day should be Christmas! Perhaps I'll have a Christmas miracle and actually get some live healthy chicks out of this. Wish me luck.

I'm trying dry hatching this time as my last hatching attempt seems to point to issues with too high humidity.

You miss every pitch you don't swing at. I also had a100% fail my first hatch (5 duck eggs), and am just wrapping up attempt two (10 chicken eggs, not counting the infertile ones) at 50% success once this last bird leaves the shell. May your efforts be more successful than my own!

 

[aliciaplus3]

You miss every pitch you don't swing at. I also had a100% fail my first hatch (5 duck eggs), and am just wrapping up attempt two (10 chicken eggs, not counting the infertile ones) at 50% success once this last bird leaves the shell. May your efforts be more successful than my own!

50% is not bad. for a while I was getting 10% of course its better than that now but still it takes time to figure things out.