14th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[bantamsrmyfav]

By the way I forgot to mention...I have had chicks die shrink wrapped in the shell with other bantams when I was living in Arizona where the climate was already dry. I still had 16 chicks from that hatch out of about 20 eggs but the others I do remember them being shrink wrapped so I would still be more careful with other bantam eggs and make sure the humidity is around 60-65% if possible...once the incubator clouds up with water where the humidity is 70+% that's when I had chicks/ducklings not make it out of their shells possibly due to drowning sadly.

 

[chickykids]

3 hatched today. I can't believe how they keep pecking each other so soon...even during the last poor chicks hatch. They seem fine but I'd like to take them out but I have 6 left (some pipped some not). They seem hungry. I'll see how things are tomorrow.

 

[JennyHeidewald]

Try to wait until the end of a hatch to make air holes. Making them too early will dry out the eggs leading to sticking.

My philosophy is to let them keep working until you see obvious signs of distress.

For sure, I only did the little hole because she'd already pipped/attempted to pip, I was worried that her pip didn't actually make her an air hole. The others I'm waiting nervously, the one has moved a few times, but no external pip yet.
I worry that I'll miss distress signs, but I read and reread the hatch guides, as long as they have air: wait, wait, wait.
I waited too long for one chick once, and it died half zipped.

 

[JennyHeidewald]

I have a chick out and 3 regular pips plus one on the wrong side of the egg (they were shipped with wonky air cells so not surprising)

Hoping the others don’t run into position problems.

I hope the rest of yours go the right way!
I am not sure how mine ended up the wrong way, using a Nurture right 360, the eggs are on their sides. Unless it is because it is technically a bantam egg, and I should have stopped the turning a day earlier. But my first one, a bantam, got out OK. It's the one I am especially keen on having hatch.

 

[JennyHeidewald]

The struggling baby is out! Just pulled the membrane slightly by its beak…and it burst out like “Thank Goodness”.

After looking at the membrane, it looked really thick compared to the normal ones. Poor little one!

View attachment 3459473

So glad! Just needed a wee bit of help is all. What a sweetie.

 

[JennyHeidewald]

By the way I forgot to mention...I have had chicks die shrink wrapped in the shell with other bantams when I was living in Arizona where the climate was already dry. I still had 16 chicks from that hatch out of about 20 eggs but the others I do remember them being shrink wrapped so I would still be more careful with other bantam eggs and make sure the humidity is around 60-65% if possible...once the incubator clouds up with water where the humidity is 70+% that's when I had chicks/ducklings not make it out of their shells possibly due to drowning sadly.

Good to know, I am in AZ, I have the humidity around 65 -66 ish. I worry about the big one I'd left under a broody until last week, but the really large air cell hadn't gotten any bigger since I brought it home last week. I think they will take a bit longer to get to hatching, the larger ones seem to do that. I really hope they make it, for me these larger eggs are notoriously hard to get to hatch for some reason.

 

[Dinoroar]

I hope the rest of yours go the right way!
I am not sure how mine ended up the wrong way, using a Nurture right 360, the eggs are on their sides. Unless it is because it is technically a bantam egg, and I should have stopped the turning a day earlier. But my first one, a bantam, got out OK. It's the one I am especially keen on having hatch.

I’m glad you lil upside down bantam made it out ok

 

[Ridgeback825]

She (I hope) is out!

 

[Pyxis]

 

[janiedoe]

The struggling baby is out! Just pulled the membrane slightly by its beak…and it burst out like “Thank Goodness”.

After looking at the membrane, it looked really thick compared to the normal ones. Poor little one!

View attachment 3459473

A special chick ❣