First time hatching chicks

[Auntiejessi3]

That is actually really comforting to hear! It’s hard to know what to worry about and what not to!

I had chickens growing up, but we lived on a farm and our hens just did the hatching, I don’t even know if we knew how long she was supposed to sit on the eggs lol! My chickens now are treated very much like pets lol! I seem to find things to be concerned about that I’m sure we never even questioned growing up.

I know exactly what you mean, lol! My ladies are treated very well, and I used to over analyze everything, but as the years have gone by, I've realized they know a lot more about chickening than I do Have you ever hatched with a broody (a momma hen)? If not, I hope one of your ladies will make the magic happen this year. That is truly a site to see and my favorite way of hatching.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

That is a really good tip for next time, I’ll turn the incubator up a half a degree next time around. Hadn’t thought about the placement of the thermometer!

These were bielefelders! I’ve heard such great things about them. You are right that I have marans on order though so you were remembering correctly! They were part of my preorder, arriving in March. I just got way too excited and ordered these ones early. Now I think I’m going to actually add on a few more hatching eggs and do another round before March so I have a few more to integrate with my current flock when I introduce my one and only hen that I got this time (chicken math!).

The breeder I ordered from has black, splash and blue marans so I’m hoping for a splash or blue when I do get them. I have two black copper marans already.

My son really wants me to order icelandics, anyone have experience with them??

I'm setting some Bielefelder and Cream Legbar eggs today

 

[wrathsfarm]

That is a really good tip for next time, I’ll turn the incubator up a half a degree next time around. Hadn’t thought about the placement of the thermometer!

With your fluctuating temperature readings and resulting issues at hatch I would consider getting a separate temp/hygrometer, calibrate it, and then see what your incubator is actually running for temp/humidity. Govees are highly recommended around BYC.

Like said, it does sound like your temp was running slightly low for the late hatch. My temp in mine seems to run slightly high as every hatch I've had has been day 20.

And I'll throw this little tid bit into the mix. If your ordering BBS Copper hatching eggs I would consider doing a Marans eggs only hatch and ask the breeder for suggestions on humidity.
The reason I say this, is I find a lot of Marans breeders I've talked with suggest running a lower humidity than normal eggs (what's called a 'dry hatch'), mid to upper 20s and not over 50% at lockdown.
The thicker shells and darker pigment of the eggs retain more moisture requiring less humidity during hatch.

More thoughts to stress over...

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

I'm setting some Bielefelder and Cream Legbar eggs today

Good luck! Cream legbars are lovely, I have hatching eggs on order for them in my preorder I placed for Match, along with my marans eggs. I also have Swedish flower hen and mosaic eggs in that order.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Have you ever hatched with a broody (a momma hen)? If not, I hope one of your ladies will make the magic happen this year. That is truly a site to see and my favorite way of hatching.

Absolutely nothing beats a good broody, the issue comes in when I didn't have enough eggs to shove under all the broodys I had last year...
I'm hoping for a rinse and repeat again this year.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

With your fluctuating temperature readings and resulting issues at hatch I would consider getting a separate temp/hygrometer, calibrate it, and then see what your incubator is actually running for temp/humidity. Govees are highly recommended around BYC.

Like said, it does sound like your temp was running slightly low for the late hatch. My temp in mine seems to run slightly high as every hatch I've had has been day 20.

And I'll throw this little tid bit into the mix. If your ordering BBS Copper hatching eggs I would consider doing a Marans eggs only hatch and ask the breeder for suggestions on humidity.
The reason I say this, is I find a lot of Marans breeders I've talked with suggest running a lower humidity than normal eggs (what's called a 'dry hatch'), mid to upper 20s and not over 50% at lockdown.
The thicker shells and darker pigment of the eggs retain more moisture requiring less humidity during hatch.

More thoughts to stress over...

That is good info to have, unfortunately the preorder was already placed so it’s arriving with three other breeds! I do wonder if I should in general keep the humidity a bit lower though?

I do have an external thermometer that I am confident in, but I think it could be like slothinc suggested, and that the placement of the external thermometer is higher up and the temp down where the eggs are is lower. I’ll adjust this for next time and raise the temp a bit more and run the humidity a bit lower.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Absolutely nothing beats a good broody, the issue comes in when I didn't have enough eggs to shove under all the broodys I had last year...
I'm hoping for a rinse and repeat again this year.

I saw this as a child, but we can’t have roosters here! I’m disappointed because I’ve actually heard such great things about bielefelder roosters and now I’ll have to give the ones I hatched away!

 

[wrathsfarm]

That is good info to have, unfortunately the preorder was already placed so it’s arriving with three other breeds! I do wonder if I should in general keep the humidity a bit lower though?

I do have an external thermometer that I am confident in, but I think it could be like slothinc suggested, and that the placement of the external thermometer is higher up and the temp down where the eggs are is lower. I’ll adjust this for next time and raise the temp a bit more and run the humidity a bit lower.

If I missed this I apologize but what did your final hatch rate end up being?
It's such a gamble with shipped eggs regardless and hard to know if it was anything incubator related or shipping scrambled.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I saw this as a child, but we can’t have roosters here! I’m disappointed because I’ve actually heard such great things about bielefelder roosters and now I’ll have to give the ones I hatched away!

No knowledge with the Bielefelder breed but adding insult to injury, my Marans boys are very good tempered also. That seems to be a breed trait also in them in my experience and research.
All mine are pretty layed back, I had one last year that was a little overly aggressive to the others in the bachelor coop. As soon as he left the other 6 I think were relieved.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I saw this as a child, but we can’t have roosters here! I’m disappointed because I’ve actually heard such great things about bielefelder roosters and now I’ll have to give the ones I hatched away!

That doesn't mean you couldn't slip some fertile shipped eggs under a broody if one should present itself