August Hatch-A-Long

[COsteveo]

Whoaaa!! That is a lot of candling!! A candle-o-holics dream!!!!

Are jumbo coturnix eggs a lot bigger than the regular? I hatch them in my classroom every year and those eggs are so tiny!!!! I can never see anything when I candle..but then I am not very experienced at it either..LOL!!! Good luck with your hatch!!!!!

Ha! I consider it pretty tedious at this point. I don't like having the incubator open that long because the eggs cool pretty quickly.

Jumbo eggs are a bit bigger. I still get some small ones, but I also get some that are twice that size. I have seen pictures of jumbo eggs over 20g, but most of mine are in the 12-14g range. I did get one last week that wouldn't fit in the quail rails. Chicks are about 6g when they hatch.

Candling is pretty difficult. Some of the eggs are thick and dark. At this stage, I'm just looking for dark spots or hints of red and pink.

 

[WendyF]

New to this thread... 

I started out with 12 eggs and im down to 8 now. Three cochin, 1 barred rock, 1 RIR/Blue andalusian cross, 1 ameraucana, and 2 Olive eggers.  Due dates are the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Hi, and welcome! Do you find it difficult to see into the olive eggers shells on candling? Are these eggs from your own flock, or local, or shipped? I just love my fluffy white cochin! What colors of cochins have you set?

 

[jaymeellis06]

Hi, and welcome! Do you find it difficult to see into the olive eggers shells on candling? Are these eggs from your own flock, or local, or shipped? I just love my fluffy white cochin! What colors of cochins have you set?

The olive eggs are more difficult to see through but not impossible. I bought the eggs from a local breeder. The cochins are by far my favorite breed! The colors could be any of the blue variety, partridge, black, buff, or laced. Im pretty excited to see what colors i have! I already have three blue cochins, so im hoping for different colors this time.

 

[ChookyGirl]

I've been trying to figure out how our cracked egg #12 (now affectionately known as "Crackle") will hatch with the tape over it's cracks. The crack is at the big end where the air cell is. I tried to take the tape off on day 10, and more shell came off with it, so now it has candle wax on it too. Crackle was developing well on day 10, and tomorrow (day 14) I'll be candling again.

If it's still developing well tomorrow, would it be safest to keep Crackle in the incubator away from the others during lockdown so I can help if need be when it's unzipping?

I've not used an incubator before, I just hope I don't screw it all up. Maybe I'm over thinking it all, but I just want to give it the best chance of survival.

I also have another question; is it true that bantam chookies don't need as long to incubate? I have a chance of getting silkies, frizzles or sizzles from this hatch, so do they usually take the full 21 days to hatch? Would it be a normal 18 day lockdown?

My last question is what should the incubator and humidity be set at for lockdown?
Questions, questions... you can tell I'm a newbie, lol!

Thanks so much.

 

[Iko127]

Well, not too much news after candling. As I suspected, those blue and green eggs are just impossible to candle at this point. I can't even see the air cells in a few of them! Most of my white and brown eggs are looking good though. I marked a bunch of eggs to recheck in a few more days. I only took one egg out. It was definitely clear! I don't think that one even had a yolk in it. I'm not sure how I missed that when I set my eggs... But I somehow accidentally set a double yolk egg too... Whoops! I found one other egg that has the air cell on one of the sides instead of at the end. I'm not even sure how that could've happened. I have had them all big end up basically since they were laid!

I found one of mine with the air sac more toward the side but I didn't toss it yet...didn't toss any actually! I will feel better about it after I look at them again in a couple days. Glad everyones eggs are doing good!

 

[StarMeKritten]

I found one of mine with the air sac more toward the side but I didn't toss it yet...didn't toss any actually!  I will feel better about it after I look at them again in a couple days.  Glad everyones eggs are doing good!

Good morning! The air cells will often be off center.. Especially as time goes on. But this one was completely on the side of the egg. It's just so weird. I wouldn't be surprised if they were shipped eggs or if I had bought them. I would just assume that someone left it laying down for a long time. These came from my flock though and I know they were stored correctly. Hmm. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it again.. I DID have an egg that sat out on the counter for awhile... It wasn't supposed to go in the incubator, but maybe someone stuck that egg in there when I wasn't looking. I feel silly for not thinking of that sooner.

 

[calichicken]

The olive eggs are more difficult to see through but not impossible. I bought the eggs from a local breeder. The cochins are by far my favorite breed! The colors could be any of the blue variety, partridge, black, buff, or laced. Im pretty excited to see what colors i have! I already have three blue cochins, so im hoping for different colors this time.

I too am a Cochin LOVER!!! Such a pretty bird with a friendly personality! I have Bantam blue cochin eggs in my hatch right now so hopefully I will get one

also have buff which I have been wanting so we will see!

 

[calichicken]

New to this thread...

I started out with 12 eggs and im down to 8 now. Three cochin, 1 barred rock, 1 RIR/Blue andalusian cross, 1 ameraucana, and 2 Olive eggers. Due dates are the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Welcome by the way

LOL....

 

[calichicken]

I've been trying to figure out how our cracked egg #12 (now affectionately known as "Crackle") will hatch with the tape over it's cracks. The crack is at the big end where the air cell is. I tried to take the tape off on day 10, and more shell came off with it, so now it has candle wax on it too. Crackle was developing well on day 10, and tomorrow (day 14) I'll be candling again.

If it's still developing well tomorrow, would it be safest to keep Crackle in the incubator away from the others during lockdown so I can help if need be when it's unzipping?

I've not used an incubator before, I just hope I don't screw it all up. Maybe I'm over thinking it all, but I just want to give it the best chance of survival.

I also have another question; is it true that bantam chookies don't need as long to incubate? I have a chance of getting silkies, frizzles or sizzles from this hatch, so do they usually take the full 21 days to hatch? Would it be a normal 18 day lockdown?

My last question is what should the incubator and humidity be set at for lockdown?
Questions, questions... you can tell I'm a newbie, lol!

Thanks so much.

Oh....The adventures of Crackle! I have never tried to hatch a cracked egg so unfortunately I can't help there

Curious to watch this egg as it develops though!

For lockdown, I keep my bator at 100 and humidity around 70% it will go up as chicks hatch but that is normal.

I have bantam eggs and am following the regular day 18 for lockdown so I hope that is correct

If anyone with more experience knows or thinks different...please let us know

 

[eliseswart]

The pipping began 3 hours ago, I'm talking quails. I removed 7 infertile eggs after candling and am now waiting for the first to hatch: 38 to go. I heard one saying hello and I can see some movement in an other peephole.

Unfortunately as the night begins here in central France, the thunderstorm arrives as well. Lets hope the electricity keeps on working.

Good luck everyone!