April 2020 Hatch-A-Long! All are welcome!

[blackandtan]

Welcome! I did Marans on my last hatch, but they weren't bred for the super dark shells (these were maybe 4s on the Marans scale, but did have very pretty speckling), so my cell phone flashlight worked well. I know some people on here have hatched super dark Marans eggs, so hopefully they will have some tips .

Yah I’ve definitely seen darker shells but these are pretty dark, good thick shells too and no like speckles from thin spots. I do have a big halogen work lamp and I’m thinking of making a box with a hole in it for the next time I peek at the eggies, I can’t think of anything brighter than that

 

[FortCluck]

That duck egg still has no air cell, but the duckling is alive. They hatch on Saturday the 11th

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Yay I can finally join a hatch a long!!!

I set 15 eggs 3/27, I bought them locally and got a mix, (mixed eggs, breeds are separated), of ameraucana, chantecler and marans, and added five of my own to my brand new incubator.
I candled all on day three, the Chanteclers were obviously progressing but the marans and ameraucana have such thick shells I couldn’t see much or at all.
Day seven is today so I waited till dark and shut off all lights and candled all again. Mine were all clears, Roo, what are you doing out there?!? Chanteclers have eyes and movement!
Ameraucana have...something inside...I see movement, all good!
Marans? I think I see veins, I think I see a chickie in there, and I think I see movement. How the heck do people candle marans eggs with good shells, they’re so dark I can’t see a darn thing - and yes I have a very good led candling light

Yah I’ve definitely seen darker shells but these are pretty dark, good thick shells too and no like speckles from thin spots. I do have a big halogen work lamp and I’m thinking of making a box with a hole in it for the next time I peek at the eggies, I can’t think of anything brighter than that

It just takes experience. Look for changes to the yolk. I liked to candle mine at day 4-5. Held vertically and candled directly behind (not top or bottom) you can see a layering effect. I can dig around and find the post I did awhile ago asking about it.

Of course you have to candle a ton of yolkers to know what those look like too.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

@blackandtan Here you go. I hadn't been incubating very long when I discovered this trick but it's still a method I use to this day on dark eggs! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ke-this-day-5-candling.1200634/#post-19010062

 

[ASteelman]

I candled my seven ameraucana eggs on day 11 and was shocked to find only 2/7 developing! I have never had this happen before. At most I usually have 1-2 clears.

I hope they both hatch so I don't end up with a lone chick. My plan was not to set any more ameraucana eggs this year and move on to hatching my wheaten marans.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I candled my seven ameraucana eggs on day 11 and was shocked to find only 2/7 developing! I have never had this happen before. At most I usually have 1-2 clears.

I hope they both hatch so I don't end up with a lone chick. My plan was not to set any more ameraucana eggs this year and move on to hatching my wheaten marans.

Shoot! What do you think happened? Too early in the season? Lazy rooster? Aging flock?

 

[starri33]

Hi, I've got quite the list, I've got one broody on 3 eggs due to hatch on the 8th, another broody I am guessing will hatch some where around the 17th, a broody that broke and then I've got eggs in my small incubator due to hatch on the 17th, just set 21 eggs on the 1st so those will be hatching on the 22nd or 23rd.. added another egg to my large incubator tonight from my broody due on the 8th that I am expecting somewhere around the 10th or 11th.

 

[starri33]

Hi, I've got quite the list, I've got one broody on 3 eggs due to hatch on the 8th, another broody I am guessing will hatch some where around the 17th, a broody that broke and then I've got eggs in my small incubator due to hatch on the 17th, just set 21 eggs on the 1st so those will be hatching on the 22nd or 23rd.. added another egg to my large incubator tonight from my broody due on the 8th that I am expecting somewhere around the 10th or 11th.

 

[Kizmet]

Thanks

I just double checked, it’s exactly 21 days and 4 hours. My others (non shipped, incubated together) pipped late day 20 and were out day 21 with no issues so I’m pretty confident temp and humidity are fine.

I know they can be late sometimes but I have a feeling they’re dead. This is my 2nd attempt with shipped eggs with abysmal success. I got one live chick from the last lot but he doesn’t look ‘right’ to me. He’s 5 days old now and kind of waddles on his hocks rather than stands up.

It’s day 22 and all but one are definitely dead. The survivor is chirping but hasn’t pipped internally. At what point do I try and help? I hate assisting after my last attempts.

 

[ASteelman]

Shoot! What do you think happened? Too early in the season? Lazy rooster? Aging flock?

I just had a successful hatch from the same breeding pair last month so it's hard to say. They are definitely aging at 3 or 4 years old (don't have my notebook on hand)