# Hatching Chicks!



## BareCreekFarm (Nov 20, 2011)

We got some Silkie chickens about a month ago. We have been incubating all of the eggs. Some of them have started to hatch today!! So excited, can't wait till they have all hatched! :leap: 
Does anyone know if Silkies take longer than other chickens? Today is day 23, and only three have hatched? When we candled them during incubation they were all fertile.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I do not know if Silkies take longer.
I do love chicks hatching. We have not had any broody hens yet but hope to soon. As the days warm up and get longer. Good luck with your little balls of fur.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Aww...that's exciting! Do you have any pics?


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Actually, I believe most bantam breeds hatch a little earlier than large fowl breeds. A day earlier isn't unusual at all when incubating them. 

What was the final chick count? A broody of mine just hatched out a single olive egger (black copper marans x true Araucana) out of the three eggs she brooded. I LOVE seeing a mother hen with young, it is so special!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:thumb:


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## BareCreekFarm (Nov 20, 2011)

Well the hatching did not turn out so well. Only 10 hatched out of 30 eggs :sigh: When we candled the eggs, they were all fertile and alive. Some of the eggs exploded, but they had fully developed chicks inside :chin: . I talked to a experienced chicken guy, and he said thunder could kill chicks late term like that. We started to think about that, and the incubators are directly beside the piano, so we think the vibration from the piano may have killed the chicks. We still have another round of eggs in the incubator, so we have to wait till they have hatched before we move the incubator... so now we will just stop playing the piano!


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Thunder killing chicks? Not going to lie, sounds like an old wives tale. I'd take that advise with a grain of salt, if I were you. Maybe if a thunderstorm knocked out the power too long, that would be the only plausible explanation. 

Thunder and piano music are just sound waves. A normal piano is around 65ish decibels. The exact same decibel level of a normal conversation, the sound of the TV, etc. The sound pressure of those things are pretty low, as well, since sound pressure is strongly correlated with decibel level. There might be a problem if a running jet engine is nearby.

Anyway, a more likely cause is an issue with the incubation, such as high temperature, low temperature, high humidity, low humidity. Or if any of the eggs were porous, washed improperly (I never wash an egg to be incubated, too much risk of bacterial penetration), not turned enough, that can lead to the death of a fertile egg too. If your thermometer says everything was a good temperature, it may be wrong, double check with another thermometer. If your hygrometer says the humidity was good, it may need to be calibrated (Google salt method hygrometer calibration, it is easy and accurate) so you know if it is off.


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## rosti (Feb 1, 2011)

Were the eggs from the hatchery or your own hens? Last year I got 18 eggs from the hatchery and none hatched. I tried it again, and again but they wouldn't hatch. One even poked a hole in the egg then died. Most were fully developed. So I put 12 of my own eggs in, and 11 hatched. Although I got 7 roosters. :laugh: I don't know if the eggs get beat up during shipping or what.


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## BareCreekFarm (Nov 20, 2011)

They are from our own chickens


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

humidity could have had something to do with it....depends on the type of incubator you are using...we are using one of those Styrofoam still air ones and never had much luck. That is why we are buying a 700 dollar one from a hatchery later this year. Has controlled temp and humidity. At least you got 10


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