6th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2015 Hatch-A-Long

[Roan]

Okay, thanks @ronott1 and @FeyRaine the odd thing is that I have a couple that have a very dark mass that my flashlight can't penetrate and others that are clear enough to see the growing embryo. In one with the dark mass, I saw movement, which made me think that it was growing normally but then I saw the embryos in the other and they too were moving so I though perhaps the ones with the dark mass may not have moved but just some of the dark cloud had been disturbed by my handling.

@ronott1 posted earlier when I first noticed that I did have a blood ring that it means the egg was fertile but the bacteria invaded the egg and killed the embryo, at least that's how I remember his post. So basically, I guess an egg with a bloodring can not have a living embryo and an egg with a living embryo can not have a bloodring. I am I correct?

You are correct.

However, at the very first few days, sometimes a vein will just happen to grow in a way that looks a lot like a boodring esp. if your candling light is week, or the shell is dark or thick. So your sitting there trying to guess if it is a vein or a bloodring. You don't want to toss a good egg, but you don't want to risk a bad egg spoiling the others, it is a puzzle & a judgement call. That is when if its early enough that it might be a good egg w/ a confusing vein you just mark the egg, leave it another day or 2 & re-check. I often put the mark on the egg right beside where I'm trying to figure our vein vs blood ring, so it calls my attention to that area when I recandle. (The blood ring is actually the rotting veins/blood, so it will become more brown (less red) & more fuzzy as it gets more nasty inside there). So again sometimes the only way to be _certain_ is to compare the same egg to itself a day or 2 later. If it dose not smell or weep then its fairly safe to allow it another day or 2 before you decide, and that extra day or 2 generally makes it pretty obvious if you have a live embryo in there (or not). Finally, it is just a matter of experience, the more eggs you candle the more you learn to get a read on what is going on. Opening the bad ones helps too so you can confirm what you were seeing. It is scientific, but learning what to look for is kinda an artform too.

Thanks again! So what of the dark mass in some of my eggs and the clear eggs with living embryo? Could the dark mass be some sort of bacteria cloud that just got disturbed by me handling it or is it an egg that is far more advanced than the others? I know that there are temperature variations in my LG but could there be that much of a varient in temp that some would be so highly developed compared to others?

 

[chicken pickin]

Finished up my brooder! Took 3 hours last night and a few minutes this morning.

Lockdown is tomorrow for me!

Very good job!

 

[LemonMeringue]

Too many days left to wait. Where is the fast forward button??! We still have Christmas, then my Birthday! Then finally, CHICKS!

But I'm telling myself, next week this time, they will be in lock down. So, yay!

And I gave up on breaking my 2 broody hens in the barn. So I have them a bunch of bantam eggs I can blame it on 4-H and the kids this time.

 

[FeyRaine]

Thanks again! So what of the dark mass in some of my eggs and the clear eggs with living embryo? Could the dark mass be some sort of bacteria cloud that just got disturbed by me handling it or is it an egg that is far more advanced than the others? I know that there are temperature variations in my LG but could there be that much of a varient in temp that some would be so highly developed compared to others?

In my ancient still air LG 9200 when I wasn't moving eggs around I've had as much as 5 days between 1st hatcher(early) & last hatcher (way late, difficulty hatching) on the same set batch of eggs. So it is _possible_. It is also possible as you say, a dead egg w/ movement caused by your sloshing the egg contents while candling. Generally when I'm trying to guess between those I hold the egg as still as possible & wait to see the direction of movement, ie if something moved UP it must be alive, also if it moved BACK AND FORTH after holding still (so not possibly caused by my hand) again alive. IF you see those happy answer. if not, still _might maybe be alive, but hope begins to fade after re-checking in a day or 2. I have had bad eggs stay in the bator until after the hatch then I opened them & found they died early on. Not great but if no smell & no weeping sometimes you just can't be totally sure...

 

[LemonMeringue]

Finished up my brooder! Took 3 hours last night and a few minutes this morning.

Lockdown is tomorrow for me!

What wattage of bulb do you use?

 

[bantambury]

Very good job!

Thank you!

What wattage of bulb do you use?

Its a 10 watt i think. Its to an old fish tank. I thought it wiuld be excellent as an artfictal light for the chicks!

 

[ronott1]

Thanks again! So what of the dark mass in some of my eggs and the clear eggs with living embryo? Could the dark mass be some sort of bacteria cloud that just got disturbed by me handling it or is it an egg that is far more advanced than the others? I know that there are temperature variations in my LG but could there be that much of a varient in temp that some would be so highly developed compared to others?

Sometimes the egg shell color and egg is too thick for you to see the veins. If you see darkness and movement, There is a chick growing in there, you just do not see the veins.

It is not likely a temperature variant.

 

[Dish chickens]

I love that analyzer...lots of useful information.

Sorry to hear about the infertile eggs and sad chick news.

I candled my darker Welsummer and Black Copper Maran eggs tonight but am having a hard time seeing anything, even by now. I'm hoping that there's development taking place.

I spent a little time with a few bantam chicks today and took some pictures that might cheer y'all up.

Happy Holidays, BYC!

So cute.....I cant wait

 

[Dish chickens]

Ugh! I need a bachelor pad...

 

[ronott1]

arg now I am worrying about if I am turning properly

Turning is one of the things that are done or not done. There is an adequate level that gets you nearly all of the benefits. More can help but will not make that much of a difference.

3 to 4 times a day is fine.