4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[Cynthia12]

My Broody Hen Pic EGGIES came from Heinz77 YAY

8 BBS Cochin!!! yippy!!! Thank you Jim!

Five have loose cells and one is rolling

and one has cracks on the thin end, not sure if I should glue it wax it or leave it

because its cell is loose.

Ok, by chance, do you have pictures of what a loose cell looks like when you first get your eggs? Or, can you explain what that will look like? Thanks!

 

[cochins1088]

Duckies Chocolate and BlackBerry, who should be called dinkleberry.... watch video closely.....
and I had to tell kiddos that the brown stuff in the tub was just dirt and feathers in fear that they wouldnt take baths for me anymore!!!!

Oh Sally! Now I'm going to need some ducks. They are just too cute!

 

[karimw]

I wouldn't. For many years I started chicks on chick starter and when the 50 lb bag ran out, they got switched to the layers pellets with the rest of the chickens. I noticed that I would have a couple random deaths of seemingly healthy birds when they were around 5 months of age and I never thought anything about it until this year. I lost a very promising bird, and started to make the connection that this has happened before.

I came to BYC and asked questions trying to figure out what happened. No one seemed to know, until one person asked me what I was feeding them. I explained and I was told it was the extra calcium that killed them. Some birds will do ok and make it, but for others, the stress on their bodies is just too much. I can't remember the whole process of what the extra calicum does to them, but I think it was basically organ failure that killed them.

I lost a total of 6 birds out of 22 that I raised this way. To fix the problem, I was told to switch to an 'all flock' feed and to keep a calicum supplement on the side for the laying hens. They will all eat the 'all flock' feed, but only the laying hens will pick at the calicum. Chickens are smart like that (or least I am told) and I believe it because I never see the roosters or young birds picking at the calcium, only the laying hens.

Where is the "big-light-bulb-clicking-on" smilie? I have NOT been able to figure out why this happens! Problem solved. WIll switch feed immediately.

Duckies new bigger area!!

Nice set up! They look totally thrilled, well actually they look a little camera shy, but they will be thrilled!

There isn't anyone on here that will tell me ducks don't get happy is there? I made a comment to my DH about how happy the ducks were with their new pool and he looked at me like I was nuts. I mean come on. Does anything look happier than a duck with a nice fresh pool of water?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
pssss this is a paste below from the article above... more pics and stuff in that article and those links!

​

Shipped Eggs = Change Of Plans!
Shipped eggs have a MUCH lower hatch rate, even with experienced hatchers!
It’s always best to get local eggs to get the best hatch rate. Sources for eggs are to search the BYC buy sell trade section, Craigslist and eBay. Your local thread on BYC may be the best bet for local eggs! Look for your local site in the “Social section” “Where am I? Where are You!” on BYC.

BELOW ROLLING AIR CELL OF A SHIPPED EGG
Rolls like a Carpenters Level
​

Important Links to AIR CELL DAMAGE...​

• Air Cell Info for Incubation,
• http://www.squidoo.com/mailed-shipped-fertilised-chickens-eggs-fertilized-hatching-chicken-egg
• Management of Damaged and Mal-positioned Egg Air Cells,
• https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/501034/suggestions-for-management-of-damaged-and-mal-positioned-egg-air-cells
• Getting the most from your eggs,
• http://skeffling.hubpages.com/hub/Chicken-Incubators-and-getting-the-most-chicks-from-your-hatching-eggs

UNDERSTANDING what goes WRONG with SHIPPED EGGS
The yolk of an egg is held in place on each end by what is called Chalaza. These are delicate cords that keep the yolk centered in the egg. When you crack open an egg, you notice a white stringy thing on the yolk, this is the Chalaza. When eggs are shipped they encounter postal handlers that toss the packages, sorting machinery, bumpy vehicle rides, temperature changes and possibly X-ray Machines! So by the time the eggs get to you they are pretty much scrambled inside. So if you are going to buy eggs and have them shipped to you, be aware that the viability drops TREMENDOUSLY. There are rare instances when they ALL arrive safely but it is always a gamble.



http://www.geauga4h.org/poultry/egg_parts.htm


BELOW IS A "SADDLE" SHAPED AIR CELL
​

CONCLUSION ~ Shipped eggs
For rolling, detached or disrupted air cells (cells no longer at fat end of the egg but like a bubble level on the long side, rolling or saddle shaped cells), you’ll need to change your hatch plan. They need to sit 24 hours NO TURNING, pointy end down in a Styrofoam Egg Carton with the bottoms cut out for ventilation to possibly reattach air cells. Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for 12-24 hours before you begin to incubate them. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 65-75 degrees with the fat end UP. After settle period SET Shipped eggs in the incubator in the carton with bottoms cut out as pictured below, do not turn for 36-48 hours to help air cell re-attach. To leave them in the egg carton for all 21 days of the hatch will give you a better hatch rate. After 36-48 hours begin turning or hand turn by laying the eggs side to side 3 times a day, as in the image below. REMINDER~ Never Set COLD eggs in the incubator.


Below image are Eggs in A Carton with Bottoms cut out for Ventilation



Below image of Turning Shipped Eggs, just lean to opposite side.

​

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: YUP YOU NEED THEM!! BEWARE they are messy so have

 

[Sally Sunshine]

duplicate

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: You must have them! but not until you can have them OUTSIDE!!! LOL OUT OUT! O U T OUT!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: They were tottally different beings in that tub!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

Boy Sally, couldn't ask for a faster response! I had some eggs come to me that were 5 days out, and I thought that what I was seeing in most of them were bad air sacs. I could already see the air sacs going up the side on many of them. I have had some hatch with the air sacs up the side, but not many. Some aren't too far up. I think I can hope for some to begin, I just worry about them quitting after a while. We will see. He said he would send more if I don't do well.
Thanks, Speedy Gonzales!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Boy Sally, couldn't ask for a faster response! I had some eggs come to me that were 5 days out, and I thought that what I was seeing in most of them were bad air sacs. I could already see the air sacs going up the side on many of them. I have had some hatch with the air sacs up the side, but not many. Some aren't too far up. I think I can hope for some to begin, I just worry about them quitting after a while. We will see. He said he would send more if I don't do well.
Thanks, Speedy Gonzales!

LOL its easy now that everything is in the articles! lol I can copy paste instead of trying to type it all out all the time lol Have you noticed that some of the loose cells end up to be saddle shaped and pipping is lower than typical, say half way down the side too? I had to assist a few of these, had I not pulled them and candled and tapped they would have just died in there, because of the position sometimes they cant get to the shell correctly. so I now go by when the majority has hatched I start my countdown and candle and tap to check on them....