17th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[redinator]

I asked AI if I could use a water-based highlighter to mark the eggs and whilst I don't believe AI much of the time, it made sense that a permanant marker doesn't bleed, so those are better. The one highlighter I have could soak into the shell. I should test that on one though as it's bright orange and would show through easy enough when they hatch. I know the Sharpie permanant does not go through.

What about the dye you'd use for Easter eggs? I haven't dyed eggs in ages, so I don't recall if the dye bled through the shells. I might keep some used egg shells and test a few options.

 

[Debbie292d]

What about the dye you'd use for Easter eggs? I haven't dyed eggs in ages, so I don't recall if the dye bled through the shells. I might keep some used egg shells and test a few options.

I presume the same thing, water-based will be absorbed by the shell more than the permanent would. Testing it would be easy enough. I caved and just bought these though.

I mark each egg of a batch with an X, an O, or //. I thought how much easier just to put a different colored dot on each one. I.e., one batch of say two dozen will have a red dot on each egg, then the next batch a purple dot, etc.

I stagger hatch so eggs from five days earlier or five days later could be in the same tray. I don't want to have to necessarily candle them to determine which ones go to lockdown or if I have to rearrange them for some reason.

 

[redinator]

I presume the same thing, water-based will be absorbed by the shell more than the permanent would. Testing it would be easy enough. I caved and just bought these though.

I mark each egg of a batch with an X, an O, or //. I thought how much easier just to put a different colored dot on each one. I.e., one batch of say two dozen will have a red dot on each egg, then the next batch a purple dot, etc.

I stagger hatch so eggs from five days earlier or five days later could be in the same tray. I don't want to have to necessarily candle them to determine which ones go to lockdown or if I have to rearrange them for some reason.

I actually had a bit of shell left from Olive eggs I just hatched and the marker I used didn't bled through either. The different colors are a good idea, though.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I presume the same thing, water-based will be absorbed by the shell more than the permanent would. Testing it would be easy enough. I caved and just bought these though.

I mark each egg of a batch with an X, an O, or //. I thought how much easier just to put a different colored dot on each one. I.e., one batch of say two dozen will have a red dot on each egg, then the next batch a purple dot, etc.

That's what I use to mark my eggs (well, I use an off brand of colored permanent marker). When we candle I use a red marker to denote suspicious eggs and a green marker for eggs that are developing on track.

I also use the colored markers to keep track of my hatches on the calendar. Not just when I plan to set and when hatches are due, but also how old they chicks are as they grow.

 

[BantyChooks]

Eggs are coming to room temp now - I will set them tonight.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I presume the same thing, water-based will be absorbed by the shell more than the permanent would. Testing it would be easy enough. I caved and just bought these though.

I mark each egg of a batch with an X, an O, or //. I thought how much easier just to put a different colored dot on each one. I.e., one batch of say two dozen will have a red dot on each egg, then the next batch a purple dot, etc.

I stagger hatch so eggs from five days earlier or five days later could be in the same tray. I don't want to have to necessarily candle them to determine which ones go to lockdown or if I have to rearrange them for some reason.

How do you put eggs on lockdown at different times in the same incubator?
Couldn’t you have humidity issues?

 

[redinator]

How do you put eggs on lockdown at different times in the same incubator?
Couldn’t you have humidity issues?

I learned a trick in the previous hatch along... I don't remember if it was @Debbie292d or @Slothinc . . . but I use a seperate incubator for lockdown. It's a lot easier to manage a staggered hatch and only one incubator needs cleaning.

 

[Debbie292d]

How do you put eggs on lockdown at different times in the same incubator?
Couldn’t you have humidity issues?

I have three incubators.


Say you put 20 eggs in incubators 1 and 2. Five days later, you put 20 more in, and so on until the first two incubators are full.

When the first ones get to day 16 or 17, they get moved to the third one for lockdown, making room for more in incubators 1 and 2. I always have at least four days between setting eggs and try to do five.

If I only had one incubator, when those 20 are getting to lockdown stage, I'd split the difference of the humidity from 45% to 70% and do 55/60%. Take them out of their racks and lay them on the rubber shelf liner that was already in there.

When those hatch, I'd do as usual, try waiting until they all hatch to get them out. The next eggs due to lockdown are 5 days out, so you wouldn't risk shrink wrapping any others, just the batch you're hatching at the time.

As you can see, this is MUCH easier with a hatcher incubator, but it can be done without one.

 

[Slothinc]

I have three incubators.
View attachment 4312404

Say you put 20 eggs in incubators 1 and 2. Five days later, you put 20 more in, and so on until the first two incubators are full.

When the first ones get to day 16 or 17, they get moved to the third one for lockdown, making room for more in incubators 1 and 2. I always have at least four days between setting eggs and try to do five.

If I only had one incubator, when those 20 are getting to lockdown stage, I'd split the difference of the humidity from 45% to 70% and do 55/60%. Take them out of their racks and lay them on the rubber shelf liner that was already in there.

When those hatch, I'd do as usual, try waiting until they all hatch to get them out. The next eggs due to lockdown are 5 days out, so you wouldn't risk shrink wrapping any others, just the batch you're hatching at the time.

As you can see, this is MUCH easier with a hatcher incubator, but it can be done without one.

Your set up is amazing Debbie! And yes I too am a big fan of having a hatching incubator!

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I have three incubators.
View attachment 4312404

Say you put 20 eggs in incubators 1 and 2. Five days later, you put 20 more in, and so on until the first two incubators are full.

When the first ones get to day 16 or 17, they get moved to the third one for lockdown, making room for more in incubators 1 and 2. I always have at least four days between setting eggs and try to do five.

If I only had one incubator, when those 20 are getting to lockdown stage, I'd split the difference of the humidity from 45% to 70% and do 55/60%. Take them out of their racks and lay them on the rubber shelf liner that was already in there.

When those hatch, I'd do as usual, try waiting until they all hatch to get them out. The next eggs due to lockdown are 5 days out, so you wouldn't risk shrink wrapping any others, just the batch you're hatching at the time.

As you can see, this is MUCH easier with a hatcher incubator, but it can be done without one.

Oh wow!!
It’s so clear now! I totally see! Thanks.
So if you’re staggering the hatching, it would totally work to use your smallest incubator for hatching, and the larger ones for the actual incubating.

I will definitely remember this, as I am trying to start a pullet-selling business.
This will totally change my game! I would have never known…