Adventures in Incubating Shipped Eggs

[Ursuline Chick]

Yes I do eggtopsies lol I’m not squeamish so I tend to look at everything.

I candle first then crack. On candle the eggs AC were fine(large and dipped for hatching) no veins, but lots of liquid. When I cracked them open chicks were all sizes. Some the proper size and some very small. The small ones were alive at last candle before lockdown. Yolk was absorbed on the bigger ones but the small ones still had a half pea size yolk.

DH does the eggtopsies for me (so I don't cry if they were late quitters ) and reports back what he finds, also answers any questions I have. But we use the broody method, so it really doesn't matter.

 

[Morrigan]

I've always done eggtopsies. I had one horrible, horrible miscalculation in which I opened an egg that broody had kicked out of the nest and I found it on day 23, stone cold. I didn't see an internal pip and I was so sure it was a dud, I didn't even do the water test. To my great sadness, I found there was still a living chick inside. When she abandoned the entire nest to be with her chicks the next day, I had the good sense to scoop up the remaining 3 eggs and put the in the incubator. One hatched day 25, and the other two on day 26.

I'm far more cautious now before chucking an egg.

 

[Kiki]

I know it'll be resting for a bit, so I'm going to stay away from the incubator for a while, before I end up hanging out in the room watching netflix until it hatches lol.

Have you watched the Sherlock shows yet?

 

[Colly1470]

So I have a heck of a story.

Over the years I've learned to follow my gut 100% of the time. So...my gut told me to check on egg 6. I reached in quick and candled....and thank goodness I did. It had broken a blood vessel (I could see the blood). I ran upstairs and grabbed the corn starch and back down and opened up the shell over the air cell. Put the corn starch where the blood was coming from....and it was enough to stop it. The baby is still alive and active....so hopefully it didn't lose too much blood.

Needless to say....I knew all the medical emergency training over the years would come in handy.

 

[Colly1470]

If this baby makes it....it's totally going to be my favorite.

 

[Colly1470]

The baby is still alive. The beak (bill?) looks like it's a buff colored baby. So buff dewlap toulouse or american buff. It's working on absorbing its yolk and peeps now and then. I'm cautiously hopeful.

 

[Kiki]

The baby is still alive. The beak (bill?) looks like it's a buff colored baby. So buff dewlap toulouse or american buff. It's working on absorbing its yolk and peeps now and then. I'm cautiously hopeful.

 

[chantels1]

This is my first shipped egg experience too. If you have them upright in egg carton be careful not to put too close to the egg turner rod, I did lose one egg because the rod put a hole in it.

Luckily I noticed it would hit when it went around, so I moved those eggs! Thanks for looking out for me! Can't wait til day 7 to candle. It's going to be a long week. I know I will have some blood rings and some that won't develop. I usually candle day 4-5, but trying to be hands off with such delicate and expensive eggs!

 

[chantels1]

I had around 50 shipped eggs and only 1 hatched. Most made it to lockdown or right before lockdown.

It’s not my incubators because I currently have 6 chicks from my eggs in there now with more on the way.

Oh man. Sounds like they had a rough ride. How were the aircells upon arrival? How far away did they come from. Sorry for the bad luch. Are you sure they just aren't late?

 

[chantels1]

I have heard of eggs hatching on Day 25. Thanks for this important reminder!

Yes. My broody hatched on day 25, and another day 26. Candle the eggs or float test when you can before you cull them.