February 2023 hatch-a-long

[LhickenChicken]

I am on day 6 and it is still in the incubator

wait... i don't think it's really day 6...

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

I did my eggtopsy today on the 9 eggs I removed. The embryos looked like they quit on about day 7, coincidentally the first time I candled. ALL of the embryos were stuck to the top of the shell, as in they were literally hanging from the air sack. And I swear I didn’t see blood rings when I pulled them or cracked them open. Is this normal? I’ve searched here and googled but can’t find an answer

Whoops posted in wrong month

 

[LhickenChicken]

Oh yeah it is day 6! My bad...

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Oh yeah it is day 6! My bad...

Are you candling every day, or was there a reason you candled on day 4? I’m hoping someone else throws in their two cents , because I’m certainly no expert and am having issues with my last two hatches. But if you could post a pic that will help

 

[LhickenChicken]

I'm not candling every day. There was really no reason that I was candling on day 4 but I was trying to not candle until day 7 but miserably failed. I don't want to candle too much or else- well I'm afraid of killing the chick if I candle too much. I will post a pic maybe tomorrow. It's a long process getting the picture onto my computer, and I want to do that tomorrow.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

I'm not candling every day. There was really no reason that I was candling on day 4 but I was trying to not candle until day 7 but miserably failed. I don't want to candle too much or else- well I'm afraid of killing the chick if I candle too much. I will post a pic maybe tomorrow. It's a long process getting the picture onto my computer, and I want to do that tomorrow.

I get it. From what I have seen in my millions of hours reading every thread here, a lot of people will candle before they set the eggs, I think it’s to make sure they are fertile, then day 7, 14 and before lockdown on day 18. I’m thinking maybe a reason half my current hatch quit could be from candling, as they were all good on day 7 ( I saw the quitters on day 10 candling). I’ve also had humidity issues, but the more you handle, the more compromised the developing chicks can get. Can you take a picture on your phone? I would say hold off on that for another day. You should see veins, as opposed to clear with the unidentified blob of mass. Are your eggs fertilized for sure? Just throwing things out there.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Here is a funny story. When I very first decided to hatch chicken eggs many decades ago, I knew nothing of candling or temps, or water in incubator, or holes in the incubator if it is DIY. All I did was got a foam cooler and put in a light and some eggs and a bowl of water (way too much) and I candled. I candled every day. I really only candled one of the eggs, because it was the only white one I could see in side. Well, the one egg I candled so much was the only one that hatched. My guess taking it out of all that moisture, and giving it air was what helped it to hatch.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Here is a funny story. When I very first decided to hatch chicken eggs many decades ago, I knew nothing of candling or temps, or water in incubator, or holes in the incubator if it is DIY. All I did was got a foam cooler and put in a light and some eggs and a bowl of water (way too much) and I candled. I candled every day. I really only candled one of the eggs, because it was the only white one I could see in side. Well, the one egg I candled so much was the only one that hatched. My guess taking it out of all that moisture, and giving it air was what helped it to hatch.

Perfect, and the point is true. I know a time is coming for all of the over-worried, stressed, negative thinking newbies when the skin will thicken and we will sing “Que Sera, Sera” together. Or not. But getting feedback from the more experienced chicken family is crazy helpful and appreciated

 

[LhickenChicken]

Here is a funny story. When I very first decided to hatch chicken eggs many decades ago, I knew nothing of candling or temps, or water in incubator, or holes in the incubator if it is DIY. All I did was got a foam cooler and put in a light and some eggs and a bowl of water (way too much) and I candled. I candled every day. I really only candled one of the eggs, because it was the only white one I could see in side. Well, the one egg I candled so much was the only one that hatched. My guess taking it out of all that moisture, and giving it air was what helped it to hatch.

Huh. How interesting. I was reading on how to incubate eggs so that's how I know some of the basics.

 

[LhickenChicken]

I get it. From what I have seen in my millions of hours reading every thread here, a lot of people will candle before they set the eggs, I think it’s to make sure they are fertile, then day 7, 14 and before lockdown on day 18. I’m thinking maybe a reason half my current hatch quit could be from candling, as they were all good on day 7 ( I saw the quitters on day 10 candling). I’ve also had humidity issues, but the more you handle, the more compromised the developing chicks can get. Can you take a picture on your phone? I would say hold off on that for another day. You should see veins, as opposed to clear with the unidentified blob of mass. Are your eggs fertilized for sure? Just throwing things out there.

I will do day 4, 7, 14, and of course before lockdown. My rooster is very matey- meaning he's constantly dancing and mating. I have seen veins connected to a red dot, and in others I just saw a bunch of something at the top and just assumed it was fertile.