# December Hatchers...?



## mollychick

I have a set of 18 eggs in my incubator due December 1st... anyone else have eggs due to hatch in December?


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## kessy09

mollychick said:


> I have a set of 18 eggs in my incubator due December 1st... anyone else have eggs due to hatch in December?


I'm setting 7 eggs tomorrow. I want those chicks to be spring layers and a part of a fall breeding next year. Swedish Flower Hens. I'm very excited to get these eggs.


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## Apyl

Not here. It's way to cold in the winter to hatch chicks. Plus the winter chicks seem to grow differently from what I've been told and don't seem to be as weather tolerant. But that could just be the case for the old guy who was telling me.


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## nj2wv

I have a set of thirty in the incubator now that are due November 30th. Does that count? I will do another set for a December 31st hatch when these are out. I enjoyed my first fresh home grown chicken for dinner on Monday so much I want more  . I just hope thirty is enough. I figure 10 won't hatch. Out of those 10 will be roosters. And out of the 10 hens left only 5 will be good layers so I can make another generation  . I will keep each batch in separate brooders in a spare room until March except for the February hatch. I want to have a rotating flock and always have eggs and meat. I am just not sure how old I want them to get.


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## kessy09

Apyl said:


> Not here. It's way to cold in the winter to hatch chicks. Plus the winter chicks seem to grow differently from what I've been told and don't seem to be as weather tolerant. But that could just be the case for the old guy who was telling me.


I think we have the same kind of weather as you do (a lot of snow and potential for -40). I just couldn't stop myself when given the opportunity to get these eggs. I told my husband I was all done with eggs this year but..... I'll let you know if I experience any growth issues with them. They will be in a spare room until two weeks old and then in my big brooder in our heated garage until spring. It's 4x7 so it should be fine as I don't think all will hatch. I think it'll be enough space for the next three to four months.


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## Apyl

kessy09 said:


> I think we have the same kind of weather as you do (a lot of snow and potential for -40). I just couldn't stop myself when given the opportunity to get these eggs. I told my husband I was all done with eggs this year but..... I'll let you know if I experience any growth issues with them. They will be in a spare room until two weeks old and then in my big brooder in our heated garage until spring. It's 4x7 so it should be fine as I don't think all will hatch. I think it'll be enough space for the next three to four months.


Yes , please do. It would be cool to see what happens. Plus if all goes well it can open up a whole new season to do meat birds in a shed or something since they can be butchered so young.


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## hillbilly61

Baters never go cold got 84 rir 6 lakenvelders due out dec 3


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## mollychick

That's great! We just installed a thermostat in our incubator, running great but tempted to bring it back and get a within 1 degree one. Right now it fluctuates between 98-102 and too much of a change than I like.


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## piglett

i will be doing a test hatch with my new to me sportsman 
we live in new hampshire so it can get really cold
no worries my "ohio brooder" will keep them warm 
i am all done with dangerous heat lamps for my brooding


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## nj2wv

Today I candled the batch of thirty eggs. Just used an led flashlight so from the looks of it 4 are duds but keeping them to double check next week. One this morning was rotten and was cracked. Peeeeeeeeew. Good thing I got it out before it exploded ! So down to 29 now.


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## mstricer

I have bantam Cochins due in two weeks


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## LittleWings

I'm in. I set 24 on the 15th so those will hatch around the 6th of Dec. Good luck hatchers.


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## sideways

Me too. I set 18 eggs on the 15th. 3 buff rocks 3 buff laced Wyandottes 6 miniature silkies and 6 ransoms of my own. Not sure if my ones will be fertile but thought I'd fill up my new incubator! If they do hatch they will be a mix of cuckoo marans and silkies!!


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## dcfrenkel

Wish I had the time space to raise chicks in the house in winter. I rely on my hens to hatch and raise all chicks for me.
They are way better at it than I.


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## kahiltna_flock

No way, way too cold up here in Alaska. They wouldn't get to see outside till late may at the earliest. My poor husband would have a heart attack


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## minmin1258

I tried to start my flock with new hatchlings from an incubator. Bought 11Lavernder Orps, 19 Barred Rock and 7 Marans off EBay. Bought a hygrometer (humidity checker thingy, lol) and made a candler (out of a powerful mini flashlight and a small oatmeal box). Would you believe not a single egg hatched!!!! 67$ worth of eggs and no luck at all!!! I doubt I will try THAT again! Strange how when people find out you want chickens everyone and their brother are willing to give you old hens or mutt Roos! I now have a nice healthy flock of 18!!! Love my Chicken family! Most of them have better personalities than my human relatives.


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## mollychick

Candled our eggs again last night got 11 movers, 3 i cant tell because they are green and 3 most likely not doing anything.


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## piglett

minmin1258 said:


> I tried to start my flock with new hatchlings from an incubator. Bought 11Lavernder Orps, 19 Barred Rock and 7 Marans off EBay. Bought a hygrometer (humidity checker thingy, lol) and made a candler (out of a powerful mini flashlight and a small oatmeal box). Would you believe not a single egg hatched!!!! 67$ worth of eggs and no luck at all!!! I doubt I will try THAT again! Strange how when people find out you want chickens everyone and their brother are willing to give you old hens or mutt Roos! I now have a nice healthy flock of 18!!! Love my Chicken family! Most of them have better personalities than my human relatives.


i like to do a test hatch before i spend real money on eggs
shipped eggs are tough to hatch anyhow


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## SilkieBoy

Crazy story!! So what happened to all those eggs?? Where there any successes? Please share!!!


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## kessy09

I'm just waiting for mine to hatch. Day 21 begins tonight at 10pm so we will see. I only candled once and that was at lockdown. At that point I had 7/7 developing, moving chicks in there.


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## matt_kas

Im setting eggs on the 11th so i can get new years day chicks!!!!


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## LittleWings

Today is day 21 for mine and so far I have 6 Ameraucana (4 Black and 2 Lavender), 2 Lavender AM X White Leghorn crosses and 1 from my OE hen and Lav AM. 
There are 3 Marans X AM OEs and a few AM eggs that haven't hatched, or pipped yet. It's too hard to see in the blue and dark brown eggs so I don't candle very often. The Marans eggs always seem to be the last.

So how has everyones hatch gone? 



matt_kas said:


> Im setting eggs on the 11th so i can get new years day chicks!!!!


I probably will set on the 11th too. Then that will be my LAST set until spring! 
I started a thread for a NYD hatch-along.  http://www.chickenforum.com/f21/new-years-day-hatch-along-7195/


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## minmin1258

Silkieboy, I candled all the eggs about 9 days in and 8 had no signs of developing at all. So I removed them and disposed of them. The others I left alone until day 18 then candled them and set the good ones for "lock in". I lost another 8 then. I watched them carefully until day 24 nothing was happening. So I left them a few more days figuring they were just late bloomers. Nothing happened until day 28...one exploded. Ok time to give up!!! I have no idea what happened that they didn't hatch. I have a Styro incubator w/egg turner, hygrometer and thermometer t b sure the thermostat was right on. I kept temp at 99.5 and the humidity was good throughout the time. I'm at a loss! I so wanted to hatch my own.


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## SilkieBoy

What was the humdity at? So sad to hear that !


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## nj2wv

Sorry min that none of yours hatched. Mine didn't do too well either. Out of thirty that were set. One was rotten. Ten hatched. One pipped but was rolled over by other hatchmate so it died in the shell. Eighteen didn't hatch.


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## minmin1258

Silkieboy: I don't remember rt now what the humidity was, I do remember though asking several breeders and they told me the proper parameters. I was very discouraged but am probably going to try hatching one more time in the spring. If it doesn't work I will be selling my equipment. I really have enough birds right now but am selling at least 7 in the spring at the animal swap. I would like to get a mating pair of Silkies in the spring but that's going to be the last I get for a while. I so appreciate you all so much! All the advice and assistance is greatly appreciated! Thank you.


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## piglett

i have 7 eggs in the bator
looks like i may get some chicks hatching out on christmas day/night


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## Jim

Just had a broody hatch out 9, expecting three more broodys to hatch today, then have 74 eggs cooking in the bator due to hatch the 12th, and 12 turkey due to hatch about a week later.


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## minmin1258

Awe your 74 are due on my Bday! Lol thx for the gift...lol


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## Jim

minmin1258 said:


> Awe your 74 are due on my Bday! Lol thx for the gift...lol


. Woo hook. Mine is on the 16th, and thought about making it then, but didn't want a Monday hatch. .


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## minmin1258

: ) ...........


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## kessy09

7/7 of my Swedish flower hens hatched. One died 12 hours later though. It was the last one out and I had to help it along. Was almost 24 hours since it had pipped and there was no zipping happening. All the others were out already. I was very surprised it was still alive when I checked. The pipping happened almost a full day later than expected. It's the first time I used the cooling feature on my Brinsea so I'm guessing that those minutes the bator spent each day cooling down got tagged on to the end (it would equal 18 hours). So a great hatch rate but it took longer so I'm not sure I'll use that option next time.


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## 5chicksowner

Can u post some chick pics? I would love to see happy little chickie faces.


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## kessy09

Here are some pics:

Splash Isbar: five weeks old-not sure if pullet or roo









Silkie babies-two weeks old

















Swedish Flower Hens -two days old


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## SilkieBoy

Jessy09, amazing pics! What did you keep the humidity at?


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## kessy09

SilkieBoy said:


> Jessy09, amazing pics! What did you keep the humidity at?


Thanks! I go from day 1-18 at 45% then increase to 65% for the last three days.


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## kaufranc

kessy09 said:


> Here are some pics: Splash Isbar: five weeks old-not sure if pullet or roo Silkie babies-two weeks old Swedish Flower Hens -two days old


What kind are the Silkies? They are so cute!!!


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## kessy09

Thanks! Two are lavenders and the third is porcelain. I'm very excited about them, not very common in our area to have them. Well, actually, rare breeds aren't common at all here. We live in a very rural community with a lot of factory farms. Most of the farmers around here only bother with raising chickens for meat or eggs. Not really any dual purpose breeds. My husband and I moved to quite a remote location from the city and only have very old/tough as nails farmer types for neighbors. Anytime anyone comes over the chickens get a lot of attention as not many in these parts have seen chickens like them. My closest neighbor came by last night and he took a look at the babies and asked if I was 100% certain the silkies were even chickens. Lol.


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## kaufranc

lol ! My boyfriend would agree! He says they are not chickens! We have blue and white Silkies. They are my favorite!


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## SilkieBoy

I love silkies!!! They are the friendliest birds I have ever net!


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## expertnewbie

I have 5 blue silkie eggs due December, 17. I know it's a small amount but it's my first time hatch. Candled them and so far so good


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## nj2wv

My November hatch ended up being a December 1-3 hatch after all. Not too good of a hatch tho. Probably the eggs were too cold outside before I gathered them and put them in the incubator. I have eight survivors out of thirty. I have another group set to hatch on Sunday. Only four this time.


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## Jim

Chicks started hatching this morning!
First one out is a Buff Orpington.


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## LittleWings

I checked on my broody hen "Pretty Girl" this morning and she had 6 fluffy chicks. None of them are hers, but she did a great job, again.


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## kaufranc

expertnewbie said:


> I have 5 blue silkie eggs due December, 17. I know it's a small amount but it's my first time hatch. Candled them and so far so good


We love to see pics if they hatch! I have 4 Silkie eggs in bator due Dec. 21. White and blue silkies.
Not sure who's is who's !


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## hillbilly61

Part of my December hatch


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## LittleWings

Here are some better pics of my broody's 6. 2 Lav Ameraucana, 2 Black Split Ameraucana and 2 EE. You should have heard the chicken cursing going on when I took her babies. She usually stays mad a few days when I do it.


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## nj2wv

Everyone has such cute little babies.


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## kaufranc

nj2wv said:


> Everyone has such cute little babies.


Yes they do!!! 
By the way nj2wv, congrats on the give away!


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## SilkieBoy

How long can you safely store silkie chicken eggs, before incubation?


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## SilkieBoy

Does being in the cold for a few hours when first laid, kill the eggs? As it is winter when I am and the actual temp where my chickens gave been kept is around plus 2-3, I usually collect the eggs twice a day , but sometimes they are a bit cold, they had been out for a few hours! I hope that doesn't kill them!


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## nj2wv

kaufranc said:


> Yes they do!!! By the way nj2wv, congrats on the give away!


Thank you. My son was happy. He said "now you can give me my flashlight back". Lol


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## kaufranc

nj2wv said:


> Thank you. My son was happy. He said "now you can give me my flashlight back". Lol


Same here ! Except it was my boyfriends flashlight!


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## minmin1258

Glad you can use that prize u got. I use a mini mag under a small size oatmeal box as a stand. It works great!


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## nj2wv

Yes I sure can use that prize.


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