5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[ShayBaby]

You will know by day 8 usually. If you cannot tell for sure, then wait longer. Use the sniff test though. There is a distinct odor to rotten eggs.

That smell usually starts as an "eggy" smell and gets more rotten the longer it sits. Good eggs=no smell. Bad eggs=eggy or foul smell.

Next eggs I am hatching are gonna be light colored eggs.  These beautiful, dark, opaque eggies are rather a mystery. Kinda pointless to try to candle.  I guess new years will be either a happy surprise or a "learning experience"  I am going to go stare at the incubator and think "grow, grow, little chickies" because that's about all I can do. . .

Stay away from blue, too, then lol. You'd think blue, being a light color, would be easy to see through but gosh darnit, I've had better luck seeing into black eggs than blue.

 

[Cynthia12]

And oh, hatched these two weeks ago tomorrow. Goldendoodles. The fist photo is of one of the Black Goldendoodles. Their eyes and ears are opening
First week, a cream goldendoodle..sold. Yaay!

Last week of the Golden Goldendoodle..sold too.. Big yawn..love me some puppies.

First time I've bred in years. Don't like the thought of breeding a lot. Mama will be fixed this spring. Have to say, this has been fun, but I have a feeling that the real fun has just begun. :/

 

[JLaw]

ok i know im not to touch eggs but this is my first time hatching and im making it a hands on learning exp. for not only me but for me but also my kids.sooooo that being said we have been candling 1x real fast everyday to see growth 4 of them doing real good 2 seem to be not growing at same to other 4 (a lil slower?) maybe not ferted? and my double yolker im thinking not ferted either its same as other 2 but they have changed a lil.i just dont know when i should worry dont want to throw out and kill a chick by mistake just in case they just are slow starters ? dont know if there is such thing as slow starters ?

I'm guessing you started when we did not sure. Do you see veins in them at all? if you see them in all them and the others seem to be growing faster try putting them in different spots you could have a cool spot in bator. Since we just started that would be alittle harder to tell this early. Like ron said by day 8 you can see if fertile or not. Theres lots of stuff to watch for like blood rings I tend to get one per batch it seems. I'm still learning a lot about the hatching process and its very intrusting.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
Thanks!

I updated to original post:

I set up the Genesis for hatching like this. They were in rails and incubated together for the first 18 days.

This is the Lockdown set up.

 

[Aphrael]

on the outside. I dont want to mess with the eggs any more right now but next time I open it I'll take a picture. its almost like a pimple. idk how to explain it. should i just.take that egg out now? cuz it almost looked like the air cell was moving when I moved the egg even slightly.

If the air cell is moving then it is still detached and needs to be left upright and undisturbed still yet to see if it will stabilize. A detached air cell does not necessarily mean it is a lost cause. I have a darling duckling who hatched from an egg that started with a detached air cell. Now if it shows no development still by day 10 it is probably safe to assume it is a goner.

Try using Chrome or Firefox browser. Those are working fine for everyone that I know of.

That's what my tech advised

. Google hamsters get cheese so they are happy

Just for fun.............Wind eggs from a LF hen....and a little Serama

It's like a teeny little sparrow egg!

My water was just under the top of the trough so it wouldn't spill out with turning, and I watched for the ones with pointy ends sitting in the trough and none of them touched. I am refilling the water today, but probaby just to 2/3 full. My humidity stays around 31% which is what the house is.

I will be culling two of my biggest eggs tonite...a little sad because one is my RIR over BR, and the other is RIR over mystery mama...which gives me a jumbo wrinkly egg daily and its my best tasting egg. I'm stash and don't share those with the dogs or family (but hey, I feed them!)

I think I have two more of each, though...so still some hope.

Woke up in the middle of the night (end day 7) and was no longer drowsy from my epidural, so I candled again and I think I will be culling 5 tonite. I can't believe how FAST they grow! They went from pencil eraser size to blueberries in one day!!! AND they were wiggling around in there!!! I gently tapped the ones that were still and they started swimming! Just so amazing to experience this miracle!

And thank you Ron and everybody in this hatch...being distracted by BYC threads like this make it easier to stay away from the bator!

It is so amazing getting to see them move inside. It makes me all squealy and giddy when one moves around for me.

ok i know im not to touch eggs but this is my first time hatching and im making it a hands on learning exp. for not only me but for me but also my kids.sooooo that being said we have been candling 1x real fast everyday to see growth 4 of them doing real good 2 seem to be not growing at same to other 4 (a lil slower?) maybe not ferted? and my double yolker im thinking not ferted either its same as other 2 but they have changed a lil.i just dont know when i should worry dont want to throw out and kill a chick by mistake just in case they just are slow starters ? dont know if there is such thing as slow starters ?

On my first hatch I candled on day 5 or 6 (I couldn't wait any more

) and there were several that didn't show signs of developing. But like you I didn't want to discount them too early and mistakenly kill a chick. So I just noted which they were and then candled again on day 10. The ones that were still completely clear I went ahead and tossed. I will probably do it the same this time around. I figure if they don't smell then I want to be absolutely sure they are not going to grow before I chuck them

 

[JLaw]

Hey ron that set up with the tomato things. You let the chicks hatch in there and fluff out in there? I like the idea I am thinking of doing it for my marans since I want to watch the OE's and see if I can sex them right after hatching.

 

[ronott1]

Hey ron that set up with the tomato things. You let the chicks hatch in there and fluff out in there? I like the idea I am thinking of doing it for my marans since I want to watch the OE's and see if I can sex them right after hatching.

yes! The eggs go into the plastic veggie tubs and stay in to fluff after they hatch. I then take out the tub and band the chicks. I used little zip ties. I was hatching for individual matings--part of a breeding program to improve SG Dorkings.

I am doing my part to help rescue an endangered breed--Working with a local breeder.

 

[Whoops]

That

smell usually starts as an "eggy" smell and gets more rotten the longer it sits. Good eggs=no smell. Bad eggs=eggy or foul smell.
Stay away from blue, too, then lol. You'd think blue, being a light color, would be easy to see through but gosh darnit, I've had better luck seeing into black eggs than blue.

Nooooooo - I want cream legbars next!

 

[JDchicks]

That is so funny, we decided to put some eggs in the incubator on Dec 11th. And there is a Hatch-A-Long!

Not sure what we will get. Sent my son out to gather some Silkie, d'Uccle and Phoenix eggs. So it will be surprise.

So we will be joining you guys as well.

 

[Aphrael]

That

smell usually starts as an "eggy" smell and gets more rotten the longer it sits. Good eggs=no smell. Bad eggs=eggy or foul smell.
Stay away from blue, too, then lol. You'd think blue, being a light color, would be easy to see through but gosh darnit, I've had better luck seeing into black eggs than blue.

To me good eggs in the bator smell like warm air. I can't explain what warm air smells like, I only know that is what the good, growing eggs smell like to me.

And oh, hatched these two weeks ago tomorrow. Goldendoodles. The fist photo is of one of the Black Goldendoodles. Their eyes and ears are opening
First week, a cream goldendoodle..sold. Yaay!

Last week of the Golden Goldendoodle..sold too.. Big yawn..love me some puppies.

First time I've bred in years. Don't like the thought of breeding a lot. Mama will be fixed this spring. Have to say, this has been fun, but I have a feeling that the real fun has just begun. :/

Awwww!!

Such adorable little angels!