12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[Arkhams Joker]

I've been turning and candleing, and turning and candleing. Now its alot of waiting and pacing, and waiting and pacing. I'm really looking forward to the hatch.

 

[CSolis]

I've been turning and candleing, and turning and candleing. Now its alot of waiting and pacing, and waiting and pacing. I'm really looking forward to the hatch.

I found a spare paper bag... need it?

 

[CSolis]

Just in case:

 

[Chicka_deee]

Development is looking good in a lot of the eggs with some gorgeous veins! I found a super strong bright light and used it and it worked great with looking into the Marans eggs!

 

[ronott1]

I've been turning and candleing, and turning and candleing. Now its alot of waiting and pacing, and waiting and pacing. I'm really looking forward to the hatch.

WE are at that time!

 

[ronott1]

Development is looking good in a lot of the eggs with some gorgeous veins! I found a super strong bright light and used it and it worked great with looking into the Marans eggs!
View attachment 2591862View attachment 2591857

That is nice!

 

[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.

After I wrote this, I went outside and discovered one of my cats (she was part of a feral cat population I'm caring for) who had been ill passed away Sunday morning. That evening when my chickens went in to roost, Ellie was acting as if she was in bad pain. She tried to hide in the nest. I pulled her out and set her on the floor and she collapsed. She died about ten minutes later. It was a shock because we had been out free-ranging and she was happily scratching in a leaf pile for a while before asking to be let into the henhouse. This hurts worse than Layla because Layla only came to me for treats and food. Ellie would follow me around and I could pick her up and pet her if I wanted, so we were much closer. I'm still in shock, and I'm wondering if Layla actually didn't fly into the chicken house wall during the storm and if something else is going on. My parents and grandma think it could be snakebite, but no eggs are missing, though Ellie's last egg did have weird grooves in it that were spaced out like a snake's fangs had glided over the surface? But I've never seen a snake go after a chicken like this. Also, Ellie's body had no bite marks that I could see. I'm so concerned for the others right now. Three deaths in one day is enough, I don't want any more to follow in the days to come.

 

[vall]

I finally candled today - removed 10 that were clear or early quitters. There might be 3-4 more clears, but they were too dark to tell (quail eggs). I set one double yolker that appears to be still going.

 

[BullChick]

I hope it was just a coincidence. Let us know if any more are acting odd.

 

[BullChick]

I finally candled today - removed 10 that were clear or early quitters. There might be 3-4 more clears, but they were too dark to tell (quail eggs). I set one double yolker that appears to be still going.