17th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[Outgoing Orpingtons]

I heard a weird growl from my hen Ginger! It seems to be she Does not like my rooster Dumpling.

 

[Outgoing Orpingtons]

UPDATE
the growling has stopped when Dumpling left Ginger.

 

[redinator]

@Outgoing Orpingtons I think you need start a new thread here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/hatch-a-longs.16184/ .

This thread is specifically for the eggs that will hatch between 3/21 through 4/18. Yours would hatch closer to the the 25th of April. I'd also like to be tagged. I'm currently waiting on 3 broodies, so I have some free time

 

[Outgoing Orpingtons]

Thank you, @redinator!

 

[Outgoing Orpingtons]

I have my hatch along now!

 

[BantyChooks]

External pips

 

[Outgoing Orpingtons]

External pips

Yay!!!! Come check out my hatch along!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Practicing patience...and struggling to be hopeful. 3 chicks (2 whitings and the fibrocauna egg i knew was good) hatched between 6 and 730 this morning....and nothing since. None of the moss eggers have pipped at all....3 of the whiting eggs externally pipped hours ago (around the time the others hatched) but have stalled out since. Hoping the morning brings fresh peeps....our hatch right before this was just so different, they were popping like popcorn, I think its that and the total lack of action on the moss eggers that is the most disheartening right now.
But...there are these three little puff balls that crowd the front of the incubator every time I get close, so....

 

[redinator]

Practicing patience...and struggling to be hopeful. 3 chicks (2 whitings and the fibrocauna egg i knew was good) hatched between 6 and 730 this morning....and nothing since. None of the moss eggers have pipped at all....3 of the whiting eggs externally pipped hours ago (around the time the others hatched) but have stalled out since. Hoping the morning brings fresh peeps....our hatch right before this was just so different, they were popping like popcorn, I think its that and the total lack of action on the moss eggers that is the most disheartening right now.
But...there are these three little puff balls that crowd the front of the incubator every time I get close, so....
View attachment 4322523View attachment 4322525

I have trouble with patience too.

You could give a quick listen to the unpipped eggs. Sometimes you can hear tapping or scratching noises if they're working on an internal pip; peeping if they pipped internally.

If you're concerned about the pipped eggs shrink wrapping when you open the incubator you could dab a touch of olive oil on the membrane and even remove a tiny bit of shell to help them along.

Sometimes I'll even do a quick candling to see if the chick is moving at all.

I prefer to check rather than wait on an egg(s) that isn't (aren't) going to hatch, but that's my personal preference.

 

[redinator]

Group picture day . . .they are absolutely frickin' adorable




How is it the novelty of incubating, candling and raising these tiny little fluffs hasn't gotten old yet.

No matter how many eggs I candle my heart still skips a beat when I see a chick move in the egg. No matter how many chicks hatch the first pip is always exciting and the wait between pips and zips is always excruciating.

I don't even remember what I use to do with my spare time before all this.