April Hatch Thread--Come Join Us!

[MissBroodyHen]

Could be from an Easter Egger (Amerucana Cross)...blue could be a Crested Cream Legbar

Lol. It's more a Greeny blue. I think it is a legbar! Thanks

 

[MissBroodyHen]

It's REALLY HARD to get good candling pics! I wanted to show what an egg at five days candling looks like but I don't know if anyone will be able to see much. You can see the horizontal line...the top half is the yolk and growing embryo and the bottom half is what you'd consider the white of the egg. Once you get the hang of candling and know what to look for, you can pretty much tell by day 3 what is fertile and what is not. Even so, don't toss them until day 10 to be on the safe side. If you're unsure on day 10, keep them in there. It won't hurt anything. At this stage, if the egg was infertile, the yolk wouldn't be taking up this much space and wouldn't be spread so perfectly along the shell like it is here. In an infertile egg there is a shadow, but it's smaller and seems to float around when you gently roll the egg. I hope I'm not confusing anyone! I always liked the motto....If in doubt, DON'T throw it out!

Here have a look at mine. This is day 4. Or so. It is a very light egg so could show really well. Hope it helps

You can even see the heart beating, if you look close enough, past my own shakes. Lol

 

[LBKS]

That video was helpful, MissBroodyHen

I'm afraid of having mine out too long so I haven't held them long enough to watch one's heart beat - just fast enough to make sure I can see veins and locate the air bubble. I wish I wrote down their weights - I'm not sure if their bubbles are growing too fast or not.

It's amazing how much more detail you see in person - I tried taking a picture of my candle attempts and most turn out looking like a picture of an orange glowing egg with no detail. I finally got one with some veins visible in the picture on the Day 7 candle.

Another candling update: Since I was refilling the water for humidity this morning I did a few quick candles of the ones I couldn't see through before (the 6 brown eggs). I think two of them might actually make it. That brings my guess of 15/26 eggs might make it to lock-down at this point. That has me a bit relieved after some of the first hatch stories I've read about. I'll candle again on Monday morning (Day 10) and then toss the apparent duds on Friday (Day 14).

I think I understand how a broody hen feels a bit more - I practically sit next to the incubator all the time now. Reading? I can do that over there...phone call?...right over there...soon I'll be pulling a sleeping bag over there and camping out

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I definitely wouldn't expect one to just be thrown in seeing as they are so expensive but it was the only other blue egg layer I could think of. If it were an Olive Egger it would probably not have any bluish tint left to it though, right? Some Easter Eggers still have fairly blue eggs and they are a super common breed. You should definitely hatch it just for curiosity sake. Bonus

I read the other day that a first generation (F1) OE will lay a blue green egg, but that babies from those chickens (F2 second generation) will lay the olive drab color. I haven't raised any myself, though.

 

[MissBroodyHen]

That video was helpful, MissBroodyHen   I'm afraid of having mine out too long so I haven't held them long enough to watch one's heart beat - just fast enough to make sure I can see veins and locate the air bubble.  I wish I wrote down their weights - I'm not sure if their bubbles are growing too fast or not.

It's amazing how much more detail you see in person - I tried taking a picture of my candle attempts and most turn out looking like a picture of an orange glowing egg with no detail.  I finally got one with some veins visible in the picture on the Day 7 candle.

Another candling update: Since I was refilling the water for humidity this morning I did a few quick candles of the ones I couldn't see through before (the 6 brown eggs).  I think two of them might actually make it.  That brings my guess of 15/26 eggs might make it to lock-down at this point.  That has me a bit relieved after some of the first hatch stories I've read about.  I'll candle again on Monday morning (Day 10) and then toss the apparent duds on Friday (Day 14).

I think I understand how a broody hen feels a bit more - I practically sit next to the incubator all the time now.  Reading? I can do that over there...phone call?...right over there...soon I'll be pulling a sleeping bag over there and camping out

 

I'm glad that helped. I managed it. All prepared. It was out of the bator no more than a minute and a half! Had my iPhone ready on film mode and did all that in the dark one handed. Like I said though they are light eggs. So very easy to see through. I have very dark eggs and can see nothing still, on day 6 now so will candle some tomorrow but not all have 33 in there right now. I'm then going to check again on day 10 and I'm culling the obvious non fertile ones as in my light eggs. What I have been doing is charting everything. So I don't have to candle all the eggs till lockdown. Other wise that would be a lot of eggs in one go to candle and I like you wouldn't chance it. I haven't yet hatched anything, other than bearded dragons. Which is different. So what day are you on then? We don't seem far off each other. Ah just reread your a day behind me then. Day 5 for you today?

 

[PugBug]

Nevermind...I re-read it...it says express. Still though, I didn't think the PO was charging that much now. Geez, with the prices they charge, you'd think they'd do a better job of getting eggs to people safely!

AMEN to that!

 

[MayDayMel]

he's a good kitty, but SOOO mean to our dog. We've had the cat 3yrs and the dog 1, and the cat isn't going to let him forget it lol.

 

[rrrmamma]

Just candled on day 7 and can see veining in all my brown eggs. (RSL,BR,mutts) Can't see anything in the EE eggs. 5 out of 9 are good. The EE's will have to wait for day 10 and weigh in. Love my Farm Innovator.4200 Temps have remained steady and I only add a dropper of water every other day to keep humidity at 45%. First time ever hatching. Keeping my fingers crossed and trying to keep my hands off LOL. I love spring. New kittens and baby chicks.

 

[SymanSaysFarms]

Yay rrrmamma!!!

Keep growing babies!

 

[SJ]

he's a good kitty, but SOOO mean to our dog. We've had the cat 3yrs and the dog 1, and the cat isn't going to let him forget it lol.

Omg too funny! Our 15 yr old ragdoll Sophie runs the house. She walk right on top of the danes and to claim her spot on the furniture.