Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[Crafty chick]

Jyurina~ do chickens dream? Maybe he had a nightmare, fell off, and was confused! Idk. Momma to the rescue. I'm glad he went back to sleep for you

 

[Melabella]

"I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

 

[USVIyardbird]

Hey all,

I know I have a lot of reading to catch up. Work has me going not to include having training in the evenings. I hope everybody is doing great. That cat never came back, I guess he figured I had something waiting for him. Hens are doing good thus far, incubating eggs in the homemade incubator... not sure how I am doing with my first go round but I will know in a few days if they are gonna hatch.

I have training this entire weekend... no play time for me.

 

[ChickenGrit]

I'm happy to know that other people have the "egg in the pocket" fear. I guess we are supposed to take out our little egg basket for our eggs. Not practical when carrying food and water.

 

[Melabella]

I'm happy to know that other people have the "egg in the pocket" fear. I guess we are supposed to take out our little egg basket for our eggs. Not practical when carrying food and water.

That is exactly the image here,, add the rooster stick I have to carry too if Jack isn't next to me. grrrrrrrr

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Thanks for all the advice about getting that stubborn chicken to lay in her new nest box. I am taking down the old coop this weekend so that should be the end of it. I wish I wasn't working so I could see how she is doing it. I have removed the ramp, let the rain tarp basically completely cover the front opening and shut the gate to the side yard they used to be in. But she soldiers on and is getting in there every day to lay. She has started to sleep in one of the new next boxes.
Just out of curiousity...How do you know if the egg is fertilized when you crack it open? Does it look different? I always thought that you just had to wait it out for the week or so after incubation starts to see if there is any growth and therefore fertilization. I would love to know because my roo is kinda dorky and Hermia is actually the dominant chicken. If he isn't doing his manly duty and is just around to eat all the food and look good I may have to find a home for him. I had to make a trip to the shed at 4:30 am the other morning because he was crowing non-stop. He had fallen off his roost and was laying on the straw complaining. So I stuck him back on the roost and he went right back to sleep. I would have laughed harder if I wasn't so mad about being up that early.

Haha! Silly roo.

You can tell if the egg is fertilized when you crack it open. There is a small white spot on the yolk called the blastoderm. On an unfertilized egg, it will be solid white and the size of a pin head. Store bought eggs usually provide a good comparison since they're never fertilized. On a fertilized egg, the blastoderm will be bigger, about 1/8 inch, and after the egg sits for a few days, it will be shaped like a little bullseye as the cells in the middle start to die off.

This is a great thread for reference:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

 

[Melabella]

How cute is this?

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Oh good grief! That's adorable.

Today is hatch day! I have a pip in an olive egg! Just think, a month or so ago, I was lamenting to you guys that my chickens were never going to lay eggs, and today I have 2 dozen of those eggs hatching. Kenny Rogers is about to be a papa! Excited!

EDIT: EGG-cited!

 

[Melabella]

Oh good grief! That's adorable.

Today is hatch day! I have a pip in an olive egg! Just think, a month or so ago, I was lamenting to you guys that my chickens were never going to lay eggs, and today I have 2 dozen of those eggs hatching. Kenny Rogers is about to be a papa! Excited!

EDIT: EGG-cited!

WOO HOO..... Egg Hatching Wait Along with Brooster!!!!!!!!!

Oh my word, I am so excited for you!! Please, please post some pictures, I can't wait to see what you get!

 

[gmyers]

Still waiting on eggs. I've had the egg talk and tried a different approach and told them they don't need to lay yet, I bought eggs at the store. They just look at me funny. Love my girls though they are spoiled rotten.
one of my EE looks like she may be the first to lay, and she gets bred by the rooster daily.