April Hatch Thread--Come Join Us!

[jnjmanning]

Second chick here, third on the way! The first (on left) I believe is a Buff Rock. The darker one I'm not sure. It looked like a Barred Rock, but as it dries it is sort of changing. The alternative options are Blue Orp, Lav Orp, Blue Copper Marans, Blue Wyandotte, or Silver Phoenix. White tips on her wings.

At least 2 more are pipping and lots of internal movement from others. My Navy Son said, "I WANT VIDEO!"

Hello!!!! From one Navy Momma to another!

 

[jnjmanning]

I will join you! I should be starting mine Wednesday or Thursday this week, if the eggs arrive safe and sound!

I am setting Thursday also!

 

[Tanichca]

Three chicks and four pips with the "official" hatch date tomorrow. So far, the names are Sue's son (the child of one of our two maran Susans and an EE roo) Benedict the non-naked-necked naked-neck, and Phyllis the olive Egger. e I'll post pictures when they're fluffed!
I have three RIR eggs pipped, but they seem to be having some trouble with zipping.

 

[Nursiedeer]

I am hopefully setting mine this thursday. Shipment is taking longer than either i or the seller anticipated.
I should have lots of eggs by thursday!
Can hardly wait to try again!

 

[NinetreesMom]

OK, I am afraid participating in this thread is threatening to make me a hatch-a-holic. I have four eggs under a broody hen, my first hatch ever, and hers too, (I posted a pic of her to this thread a couple days ago), and it is so exciting! Reading about all of your incubating efforts makes me want to jump in and give it a try!
On a side note, I have some concerns about whether my eggs are viable any longer. I candled (day 8), and not sure about what I saw. They are brown eggs, which makes it harder. All four have a distinct air sac, then above that about 1/3 of the egg is dark, but the darkness is all to one side. On a couple I think I could see the darker areas representing head and body, but when I rocked the eggs gently I could see some tinted fluid moving under the shell in a small (nickel-sized) circular area around the "chick". I am afraid this means the development has stopped, as I haven't read about fluid in any candling threads. I am off to do more research, but if anyone has any input it would be appreciated!

 

[Tanichca]

OK, I am afraid participating in this thread is threatening to make me a hatch-a-holic.  I have four eggs under a broody hen, my first hatch ever, and hers too, (I posted a pic of her to this thread a couple days ago), and it is so exciting!  Reading about all of your incubating efforts makes me want to jump in and give it a try!
On a side note, I have some concerns about whether my eggs are viable any longer.  I candled (day 8), and not sure about what I saw.  They are brown eggs, which makes it harder.  All four have a distinct air sac, then above that about 1/3 of the egg is dark, but the darkness is all to one side.  On a couple I think I could see the darker areas representing head and body, but when I rocked the eggs gently I could see some tinted fluid moving under the shell in a small (nickel-sized) circular area around the "chick".  I am afraid this means the development has stopped, as I haven't read about fluid in any candling threads.  I am off to do more research, but if anyone has any input it would be appreciated!

 

There's always fluid (either the egg white or yolk) in the egg. I wouldn't be too worried. Try candling with a more powerful flashlight, or use a construction lamp, cut a small hole in a peice of cardboard, place the cardboard over the light, and place the egg over the hole for a very high-powered light. good luck!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Wow, I haven't posted since page 45.
I am such a moron.
I built a nice cabinet incubator last fall that has a separate hatching unit which has fans that take all the heated/humidified air across the eggs below the incubator, up the left side and across the top where it picks up more humidity then down the right side to pick up heat and then across the eggs again. The hatcher has redundant heat and corresponding control. The low temp is set at 96 and the high is set at 99.
The incubator portion currently only has a single controller. The incubator can hold 3 turners on separate shelves for 126 eggs. I estimated the hatcher would take 50 eggs but I think I can squeeze the 74 eggs that are due today into it. The 8 shipped eggs are due to hatch tomorrow.
The first 3 times I used this I had a few problems that I have, for the most part, corrected.
I set 76 of my eggs on March 27 and 8 shipped eggs the next day. ( another stupid move, should have staggered the settings so I didn't overwhelm the hatcher).
The eggs were due to hatch at 11 AM tomorrow so should have gone into lockdown on Sunday. I spent the entire day Saturday teaching a chicken class and the entire day Sunday running a Backyard Chicken booth at a week early Earth Day festival.
Yesterday I worked my garden all day. This morning I realized I better get them into the hatcher ASAP. I looked at them before I let my chickens out and they were pipping. One was coming out of the shell. It hatched exactly 1 day early to the minute.
I needed to identify 16 different groups of birds for pedigree so I had to get them into hatchling jail cells.
I had to get busy fast.
Now I have to get the juveniles out of the brooder house to make room for these.
I hate procrastination on top of being busy.

 

[NinetreesMom]

There's always fluid (either the egg white or yolk) in the egg. I wouldn't be too worried. Try candling with a more powerful flashlight, or use a construction lamp, cut a small hole in a peice of cardboard, place the cardboard over the light, and place the egg over the hole for a very high-powered light.

good luck!

I tried a very bright LED, and still couldn't see any vessels, but I also don't see any "clear" (ha ha) signs of trouble. My plan is to try your construction lamp idea, but wait until day 14. I know at the point I might not see much detail, but if the dark area is bigger I will know the eggs are still developing. Thanks very much for the encouragement... I was really starting to feel a little bummed. I know hatches, especially first ones and first broodies, aren't always successful, but it would be so cool if it is!

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I tried a very bright LED, and still couldn't see any vessels, but I also don't see any "clear" (ha ha) signs of trouble. My plan is to try your construction lamp idea, but wait until day 14. I know at the point I might not see much detail, but if the dark area is bigger I will know the eggs are still developing. Thanks very much for the encouragement... I was really starting to feel a little bummed. I know hatches, especially first ones and first broodies, aren't always successful, but it would be so cool if it is!

NinetressMom,
I am a newbie too and thought for sure most of the 21 days that I would get NO live chicks from my shipped eggs. I didn't even bother to get my brooder items together. Well, last night one hatched, another one this morning and 2 or 3 more are pipping quite well. Surprised the H-E-Double-Toothpicks outta me! Hang in there, hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised also!

On a side note, I don't know how old you are, but I am 52. I thought there weren't any veins either the first 2 candlings. Then my 25 year old daughter came over one night and decided to take a peek with me and ... she saw veining. I then so did I. I deduced that my older eyes can't see through all these darn brown eggs as well as hers! Turns out she was right, too!

 

[Tanichca]

Five chicks (two of which are my long-awaited RIR babies!) the three that hatched early this morning are in the brooder, and the last two are fluffing out and already running around in the bator.