8th-annual-byc-new-years-day-2017-hatch-a-long

[Cynthia12]

How Precious!

I am so sorry!

Put a heavy book on top of the incubator to foil the cat!

It also helps with temps in the incubator--The top often goes out of square and will let heat out.

I've also used aluminum foil along the edges for lock down in older bators. Really helps keep humidity in!

 

[Cynthia12]

Good luck with them. Eggs seem more valuable when the parents have passed.

X's 2!

 

[Cynthia12]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it finally happened. I FINALLY, after 9 long months of waiting, got my very first blue egg from my blue ameraucana girl, Cora. I actually predicted yesterday to my mom that she was gonna lay today, and lo and behold, there it was, nestled in the nesting box all cozy and still warm from being laid

I've never been so proud! Valentine's Day puffy cheeked babies, here I come!!! She will have been laying for about a month by the time I start gathering eggs for that, so hopefully my little cockerel is doing his job

I'm sooooo excited that I might have my own Am babies very soon!!! Pics:
Proud Cora:

Her beautiful egg:

Oh wow! Love the color. I have two that have started laying now..one laid her first today.. the other, her second..both times..a rubber egg. You would have thought she was squeezing out an egg the size of a ducks. Yes. I just happened to be out there..wondering where she was when she was pushing. Took her a while. Then, that soft rubber egg. Today, hers had been mostly eaten. The other girl is an EE. I could tell that it was hers, even though also a rubber egg..because it had a hint of blue/green. Will be happy to see how it turns out, and when they are hard shelled! I love it when they lay a hard egg from the start. Yes, there is oyster shell out there. I saw the EE eat some today. How do they know when they need it?

 

[Cynthia12]

 

[teaton]

Awwwl look @ butterball

Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Something I'd like to mention for those setting/hatching in the Northern hemisphere this time of year is that roosters need to be photostimulated to be more fertile just as the hens do to ovulate.
The same holds for those hatching in May/June/July in the Southern hemisphere.

Getting them out first thing at dawn and big eastern facing windows helps as does adding a bit of light.
But males and females are affected by the pineal gland and melatonin in the same way.
As day length in relation to night increases, it stimulates the gonads. And vice versa with decreasing day length.
IMO, one should expect some decrease of fertility in males as winter solstice approaches.

Excellent points!!!!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Awwww!!!!!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Day 10 candle tonight, and I had movement in 9 of 11 eggs The other 2, I have yet to be able to see well into. I figure, as long as nothing stinks or seeps, might as well keep 'em in.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it finally happened. I FINALLY, after 9 long months of waiting, got my very first blue egg from my blue ameraucana girl, Cora. I actually predicted yesterday to my mom that she was gonna lay today, and lo and behold, there it was, nestled in the nesting box all cozy and still warm from being laid

I've never been so proud! Valentine's Day puffy cheeked babies, here I come!!! She will have been laying for about a month by the time I start gathering eggs for that, so hopefully my little cockerel is doing his job

I'm sooooo excited that I might have my own Am babies very soon!!! Pics:
Proud Cora:
...
Her beautiful egg:

Gorgeous egg. Worth the wait.

...

Another noob question. Lockdown is supposed to be Thursday, the 29th. I still have to work that day, so I won't be ready to lockdown until probably 7PM that night. Should I consider removing the turner the night before, say at like 11PM on the 28th, or just hedge my bets and wait until the evening of the 29th?

Remove the turner the night before and if you're happy with the weight loss/air cells, go ahead and start raising humidity.

Day 10 candle tonight, and I had movement in 9 of 11 eggs

The other 2, I have yet to be able to see well into. I figure, as long as nothing stinks or seeps, might as well keep 'em in.

I wish I could see movement. I can barely see air cells. Eggs are just too dark. I don't remove anything not leaking or stinking until perhaps day 18, Ever since I opened and egg I thought was clear and there was a live eyeball looking at me.

 

[Chicken5555]

I set 42 eggs from my easter/olive egger girls earlier this month and just now found this forum LOL. All but 4 were fertile at eight days and one has since died. But the other 37 are still with us. They'll be easter eggers and super blues. I can't wait.



edit to fix typos