Anyone Hatching on the 27th or 28th? - I Need Hatching Buddies!!

[Goose and Fig]

In the compost?

I have all of my empty shells lined up in order of hatch. Trying to see if there is a difference in various breeds I have and hatch rates. I'm unable to draw any conclusions, but my 2 year old thinks its a great game.

 

[L0rraine]

But I don't appear to have any empty shells ... mine are (were) under a broody duck. Did she eat them? Are they crunched and fallen into the nest? Guess I won't really know what's there until she leaves the nest in a day or two?

 

[Goose and Fig]

Oh sure- they eat eggshells. You figure she's probably starving after sitting all that time, and what a great source of calcium. The chicks I have in the incubator will start pecking at new hatchlings eggs and eating any bits of yolk in there too. I have spent WAY too much time watching eggs this week. Glad it's almost over...for now!

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

My hen just crushed the eggshells when she shifted around in the nest. We have two eggs worth of eggshells in there, because we now have two babies! Unfortunately, momma hen started pecking at the first one, so I had to take him out and didn't trust her with the second. I'll try to put pictures up, but I'm exhausted now.

 

[retiredwithchicks]

I have 23 happy chicks from the 28 good eggs from Pumpkinpup. I have 5 BLRW, 5 blue austrolorps, 5 blue barred rock, 5 French BC marans, and 3 silver marans. One of the silver marans is not doing real well, but we'll see how he does. These babies had a rough shipping trip but did really well anyway. I am very pleased and a big THANKS to Pumpkinpup. This was the best ever hatching rate for me at 82%. I'll post pictures tomorrow when they are all dried and fluffed out.

 

[chicken stalker]

All seven of mine hatched!

 

[The Chickens' Maid]

We now have three healthy chicks hatched!!! Another one is hatching and possibly a fifth!

 

[L0rraine]

Six ducklings out - the oldest 24+ hours ago. One egg left that's peeping but is not pipped. I'm hoping the mother duck will give it time to hatch. I appear to have an interesting batch of mixed breed ducklings. I'm about 99% sure that, in spite of my feeble efforts to keep him separate from our Runners, our determined Magpie drake has fathered all of the ducklings. Some of the babies are Magpie colored, some pencilled (though my two runner ducks are black and saxony so think that's from the Magpie as well) and one all black with a little white breast. Darned cute little buggers though. Maybe I'll have pictures tomorrow when Mom isn't quite so protective.

 

[minikeeper1143]

Quote:
We opened the eggs that failed to hatch and I had three that were perfect and should have hatched. The others never developed or failed early on. I feel these may be impacted by shipping tauma but those that died at hatch I can't think were due to shipping. I would think that would affect them at the onset. 13 of mine came from california and arrived in tact and no evidence of shipping damage. 20 came from Okla and were well packed in a carton and 4 were broken on the inside walls as tho they had banged together in transit. I would love to know what folks think of these late chick deaths because I am trying again next week with 30 eggs from 3 BYC members from VA, W Va and Tx.

Long message but am trying to learn.....Carolyn

 

[minikeeper1143]

Pulling for all those still working on getting their chicks,ducks & quail "cracked out' as my little grandson says.