My First Hatch!

[GNeerChick]

This is my first incubation so I'm pretty nervous that it won't go great...but I have a bunch of eggs I've ordered from a breeder and want them to have a good chance!

My current flock is one rooster (speckled Sussex) and four hens (barred rock, Easter egger, silver laced wynadottt, and olive egger). I don't name my birds really, although the barred rock is fondly referred to as "motherclucker" and the rooster is "cocky". I've cracked a few eggs to check fertility and had several bullseyes, so I think there's a good chance for chicks!

I'm hatching 9 eggs in a Pro Manna 360.

Square and Slash (Wyandotte - I think)

Venn and Cross (Olive Egger)

Heart and Swirl (Americuana heritage)

Circle, Star, and Tri (Barred rock - again, not 100% on these)

My first attempt at placing in the incubator was unsuccessful, so many of my eggs don't have clear points, so they were all moved from the interior circle to the exterior.

Here we go! Off to the races!

 

[paddock36]

Good luck on your hatch.

 

[GNeerChick]

Good luck on your hatch.

Thanks!

 

[GNeerChick]

Did a quick candle, I'll do a more thorough one next week, but there is viability!

 

[paddock36]

That's definitely a baby chick developing. Yay!

 

[GNeerChick]

It's the 7 day candle. I think they are all growing, although it was hard to see through some of the shells. I don't know about Venn or Tri, but we'll see how the next candling go. I haven't smelled anything off.

Thinking about reducing the humidity, as the air sacs look smaller than some of the diagrams I've seen.

 

[GNeerChick]

I missed the 14 day candle, but got them on day 15. Some close friends and the kids got to watch this one and I'm so glad they did. While we were candling, some of the chicks were moving and we saw a little foot, beak, and wing!
Venn definitely is not progressing, but the other 8 seem to be continuing towards hatching.
I also setup my brooder today (testing my new rentacoop plate for temperature).
Less than a week to go!

 

[GNeerChick]

Lockdown has started! I did a quick candle and confirmed that Venn has stopped developing. Everyone else looks good. All the air cells are enlarging too, very cool
Also have the brooder setup now, accidentally installed my rent-a-coop brooder plate upside down, but it's fixed now and waiting for chicks!

 

[GNeerChick]

Whoops, last post was supposed to be yesterday.
Today the air cells are looking bigger and all chicks (except swirl) seem likely to hatch. Lots of movement on most.

Is this normal or did they give up on the home stretch?

 

[GNeerChick]

First pip! On the last remaining olive egger egg.