March 13th 2016 Hatch-A-long

[4stakes]

We will be putting eggs in the incubator on Feb 21st to hatch on March 13Th. The eggs are from our chickens. We are hoping to hatch out some blue Orpingtons. Lets encourage and help each other out.

Kevin

 

[FaithWalkFarms]

Picked up my eggs today (locally so they didn't go through rough shipping) and couldn't wait so they went in.

4 Bantam d'Anvers
16 mix of EE, OE, and CE.

This is going to be the longest 21 days EVER.

 

[KeyFlock]

I just use a bright flashlight, but I converted a small cardboard box into a candler and I get to test it out today!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I use a small LED flash light and my hand. It does not work on the dark ones but does allow me to see most of mine well enough to know if I am getting something. IF I can wait until day 7-9. If I try earlier, I'm just frustrated.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Here is a pic from a previous hatch. Works pretty good on the lighter eggs.

 

[Faraday40]

Just candled (using phone) and I SAW VEINS!!!!!!!

 

[Knigge]

Here's my only white egg, candled at day 10. I candled about half of the others, and there was only one that I wasn't sure about, so I marked it and left it in there for next time. All the others looked good!

we candeled today too. Of 40 eggs we had 3 blood rings and 2 possible clears. Left the clears in just in case. Day 7 isn't actually until tomorrow but we are pretty busy tomorrow and it's gonna be nice tomorrow and Sunday so we went ahead and did them today. Now we wait another week. I think day 14 is the neatest day to candle. You can really see them dancing around in there. The kids love it.

 

[4stakes]

We just candled our 33 eggs on day 7. 3 eggs looked bad, so got rid of them. 15 looked good and 15 we will see what they look like on day 14. Good luck everyone.

Kevin

 

[Faraday40]

I was just offered more Bielefelder eggs!!.....but I need more chickens like a hole in the head.......and my incubator is already on day 5. I keep telling myself "just say NO," but I also don't always listen to myself. LOL

Of course I usually set up my coolerbator as a hatcher, so I could deal with a staggered hatch..... Perhaps if I leave some eggs in the coop I'll get a broody volunteer. Then it won't be MY fault if a hen hatches them. My bantam Orp, Cookie, already has the broody reputation. She went broody 5xs last year & already had a case of unauthorized incubation resulting in 7 chicks. She would make the perfect patsy.


Day5 was today so I peeked at a few eggs. Cookie & Trouble's bantam eggs looked clear. My Orp roos are full-sized so I guess I wasn't really expecting them to be fertile. I saw possible veins in a few of the lighter colored shells, but most eggs are brown. I just couldn't tell yet. I'll have to wait a few more days & then do a full candling.

 

[Faraday40]

Somehow 6 more biele eggs found their way into my incubator.
How could I resist?










The rest are my lav orp eggs. Of course the real goal is to test their egg fertility. If some are infertile, then I'll know who needs a butt-fluff trim.

Here's the daddy. He's a big blk/lav split English Orpington, and the sweetest roo ever. I hope for plenty of his Lav chicks to share.