12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[BesideStillWaters]

I wouldn't mind a paper bag, too
Reading of pipping, wiggling eggs, hatching and seeing all the amazing and cute pictures and videos on here plays kind of a role with that, too, lol.
Sniff-question: Do you sniff every single egg or do you sniff the air in the incubator?

I sniff the air inside the incubator and then if I smell anything weird, I'll investigate. I've never had one explode (yet). Last year I left some eggs in there over a week after all of the others hatched to make sure they weren't going to hatch. Accidentally cracked a few when I was taking the incubator outside to discard the eggs, but they never exploded. After reading threads on here, I realize how lucky I was!

 

[CSolis]

He's beautiful! He has one wing? May I ask what happened to the other?

Well, being short on pens and space and having two young cockerels in with some pullets, I moved him to a pen with his future mates, he was 14 weeks and they were 17 weeks.. They chased him around like a bug, and he broke is wing when he got hung up in the cattle panel that is the arch of the hoop coop. So, in tears, I found a vet who would look at him. Long story short, because of where the bone broke (actually dislocated and was sticking out of the skin) amputation was necessary. I wanted to keep him so badly, I paid the fees to have doc do his dirty work.. Then Prince stayed inside with the pup and I until he was all healed and old enough (18 weeks and hormonal) to go out with his 'mates. He's been such a treat.

He just had to be in the middle of everything, including Gator my red nosed pit, and me.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

I'm only sniffing EE eggs, all the others I can actually tell what's going on now.

So you can tell on lighter shell eggs when it's rotten?

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Just checked Henrietta's last two eggs by Charlie Sheen... I see those liddle legs moving around in there.. Brings a tear to my eye.

Awwww

 

[CSolis]

So you can tell on lighter shell eggs when it's rotten?

well, rotten no, but its obvious that the egg is not developing, or has a blood ring, or malfunction junction of some sort. No sniffing required on less dense shells.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

The very last Polkie (Silkie/Polish Cross) just hatched! Ended up being a 3 night long staggered hatch but a 100% hatch!

Now, it's time for lots of coffee. Lol

️️️️️️️

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Well, being short on pens and space and having two young cockerels in with some pullets, I moved him to a pen with his future mates, he was 14 weeks and they were 17 weeks.. They chased him around like a bug, and he broke is wing when he got hung up in the cattle panel that is the arch of the hoop coop. So, in tears, I found a vet who would look at him. Long story short, because of where the bone broke (actually dislocated and was sticking out of the skin) amputation was necessary. I wanted to keep him so badly, I paid the fees to have doc do his dirty work.. Then Prince stayed inside with the pup and I until he was all healed and old enough (18 weeks and hormonal) to go out with his 'mates. He's been such a treat.
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He just had to be in the middle of everything, including Gator my red nosed pit, and me.

I'm so glad you found a vet to help him! He certainly looks like a darling! I have a hen who is mostly blind and I had a hen years ago who lost the use of her legs, so I'm glad to see others also care for chickens who have injuries like this or are disabled. <3

Also I get that whole thing with the hens chasing the rooster... mine hatched within a week of each other and everyone wanted to hurt the one rooster. Even after they were about four months old, the hens grabbed his waddle and pecked his comb... he was a bloody mess and I had to put him in a cage by himself. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I reintroduced them and they got along.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

well, rotten no, but its obvious that the egg is not developing, or has a blood ring, or malfunction junction of some sort. No sniffing required on less dense shells.

I have six in there right now that are either clear or look like they started and quit... and I haven't had the heart to remove them yet. But I know I'll have to soon. I don't want them to explode but there's a part of me that wants to have hope they would do something even though my brain tells me... nope they aren't going to develop.

 

[CSolis]

I have six in there right now that are either clear or look like they started and quit... and I haven't had the heart to remove them yet. But I know I'll have to soon. I don't want them to explode but there's a part of me that wants to have hope they would do something even though my brain tells me... nope they aren't going to develop.

How long have they been in there? No veins developing at all, or blood ring from an early quitter?

 

[BesideStillWaters]

So... we had bad storms come through yesterday. I was concerned we would lose power, but we didn't. (Whew.) I checked on the chickens and locked them in a little early before the storms hit (the clouds made it dark so they went to roost). When I left, everything was fine, but when I went out this morning... Layla had apparently gotten so freaked out by the storm that she came down off the roost. It looked like she flew onto the nesting area and then flew the length of the hen house, straight into the wall, and killed herself. When I found her this morning, she was already stiff. I hatched her last July. Freak accident, but I don't know what else could have happened. Kinda heartbroken right now.

On the bright side, I candled my eggs this morning and I see life in 16 I think.