2014 New York Chickenstock

[SAHchickenmom]

I still don't have a single pip :/ I guess I need to calibrate my thermometer! Normally my speckled Sussex hatch a day early and they aren't even pipped yet!

 

[CochinMama396]

Who won the turkeys from the raffle? Would like to see how the hatch went.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

It's been so humid that even a dry hatch wasn't dry enough for my taste.  The humidity never went below 35% and I like to let it get down to 20% before bringing it back up to 30% until lockdown.  Nevertheless, there is one marans hatched and several more are externally pipped.  Marans are the hardest because the color coating on the egg prevents evaporation and sometimes the air cell doesn't shrink enough.  I guess that means the coronations and jersey giants should be okay, too.

I hadn't heard that the color of an egg can determine how much moisture it lost. With my incubation which is just finishing now, I had light brown, dark brown & white eggs. The dark brown eggs have by far the smallest air cells while the white eggs have giant air cells. I thought maybe it had to do w the size of egg bc the white eggs were the smallest. I had to fire up a second bator & offer different humidities. Interesting.

 

[horsekeeper]

I hadn't heard that the color of an egg can determine how much moisture it lost. With my incubation which is just finishing now, I had light brown, dark brown & white eggs. The dark brown eggs have by far the smallest air cells while the white eggs have giant air cells. I thought maybe it had to do w the size of egg bc the white eggs were the smallest. I had to fire up a second bator & offer different humidities. Interesting.

I think because the color is "painted" on marans eggs instead of part of the shell they are the ones with an issue. Same with the olive eggs I have set. They are both hard to candle because of the extra layer of color. And yes, size matters

Very small eggs can lose too much moisture in comparison to larger eggs. So far I have been lucky with mixed batches of eggs, even adding turkeys by using the 35% to 20%, then add a tablespoon of water at a time to bring it back to 35% and letting it fall back down again. That's what works for my setup. I have a Farm Innovator styrofoam that works better than the Brinsea gathering dust in the corner.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: I always dry hatch. When I tried to do humidity like everyone else, I drowned the Marans. Then, I found out that all my eggs hatch better with dry hatching...The Marans do coat their eggs with the color and it does keep the egg from losing the humidity like normal eggs do.

 

[Pyxis]

Who won the turkeys from the raffle? Would like to see how the hatch went.

That was me. They're due next week

 

[CochinMama396]

That was me. They're due next week

I realized that after I checked the dates. Seems like soooo much longer..... I hope most developed. I just hatched 10/12 of mine and it had me thinking.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

I always dry hatch. When I tried to do humidity like everyone else, I drowned the Marans. Then, I found out that all my eggs hatch better with dry hatching...The Marans do coat their eggs with the color and it does keep the egg from losing the humidity like normal eggs do.

I tried a dryish hatch with spitzhaubens & ended up w some shrink wrap and sticky chicks. With bredas I increased the humidity due to their increased weight loss & still ended up with a couple shrink wrapped. As they are both medium sized white eggs, the color & size thing makes sense. Hopefully the cochin eggs that were in w the bredas lost enough moisture. Should know w/in the next 24 hours. Fingers crossed.

 

[Pyxis]

I realized that after I checked the dates. Seems like soooo much longer..... I hope most developed. I just hatched 10/12 of mine and it had me thinking.

All five started and one quit, so four are still going. Looking forward to them! I bet they'll have gorgeous feather patterns.

 

[SAHchickenmom]

Still no pips!