I think I'm broody...

[Mmmaddie13]

I got my very first guinea eggs in the mail last Wednesday, set them Wednesday night at around 8:45pm, putting tonight at officially the start of day 6. I've been quick-candling every day (hold the flashlight over them for a couple seconds to see if it's more dark than light, then move to the next one) when I refill the humidity troughs, and today was the first day that I actually saw veins and the little "peanut" in there. Gosh, every time I see that my heart just melts. I'm a proud mama! It really is a miracle that they can survive shipping, in a complete non-ideal environment, and once they're home all they need is a little TLC and boom, they grow. I just had to share 'cause I'm very excited. The eggs are so clear (I'm used to thick-shelled, hard-to-see-anything eggs) and I saw every little vein and the little one just floating there. I'm always amazed. Thanks for listening to my little mommy-rant.

 

[BrendaJ]

Hard not to melt when you know your going to be blessed with little bundles of cuteness

 

[Mmmaddie13]

Close to impossible, really. Cute kiddos.

 

[Mmmaddie13]

Day 7 candling photo:




It's hard to get a decent shot. One handed, and the camera wants to focus on the pores in the egg itself.. But this is what I got!

 

[PeepsCA]

Nice, congrats! My latest batch of eggs is only on day 5... so just faint areas of veining starting on the few that I looked at earlier. How many of your eggs look like the one in your pic?

 

[Mmmaddie13]

Yours are pretty close to mine!
From one seller, there are 13 that look like that (I don't take each egg out, but I can see veins for the most part), and 2 maybes, and 1 clear. I think.
From the other seller, there are 4 that look like that, 4 maybes, and 6 clear. Quite disappointing because I paid about $20 more for them, but it is what it is. I'm looking forward to when they're old enough to tell for sure who's there and who's not.

 

[JLeigh]

Mmmaddie - - Shipped eggs are always a gamble for everyone. Four out of 12 - 15 really isn't that bad, or unusual for shipped eggs. I agree that it's a disappointment; more is always better when you're hatching.

. Congrats on your fertile eggs! How exciting!

 

[Mmmaddie13]

Yup, I know. I am ecstatic at how many total are looking good so far! I have a history of bad hatch rates from shipped eggs. Last year out of about 50 eggs I got 3 hatched, each one at a time from different clutches. Even though I'd say more than half of them were fertile and developing at one point. I've definitely learned to not count my chicks before they hatch.

 

[PeepsCA]

Been there done that too Mmmaddie. With several shipments of Silkie eggs, Turkey eggs, Button Quail eggs and Coturnix Quail eggs. After so many great hatches from my own Guinea eggs over the years I got so discouraged with all my pitiful shipped egg hatches, and I started doubting my incubators and sterilization methods to the point of being OCD about it all... kinda took the fun out of hatching for me

And there's nothing worse than only hatching one lone chick or poult that has no buddies to snuggle up to.

Sounds like that won't happen to you with your Guinea eggs tho, congrats on all the development!

 

[Mmmaddie13]

I'm not complaining by any means about my few fertile eggs from the second clutch, I'm happy to have any growing in there! It's just that instant disappointment when you see that some aren't doing anything since we are always hoping for the best. I am definitely more than thankful for my 17 or so that look good so far! I'll keep updating throughout the incubation, that's for sure!