Quote: It is normal behavior for the hen to test the egg by pecking it to see if it is viable. Most of the time, like over 90% the cause is weak egg shells. Check into things that cause weak egg shells and the broken eggs not broken by birds, snakes or other outside predators; and the broken egg problem goes away. Also, get some nesting material that takes a bounce. I am using plastic nest pads and then putting pine shavings on it. I also upped the golf balls in the nest boxes. I was having broken egg shells up to last week but now the problem seems to be gone.
I did start corid an boy did the number of eggs per day go up too! The article capayvalleychicks posted convinced me to be concerned about Coci with the older hens. The Float test did detect some in them and you can still eat the eggs with corid since it is thyamine.
I hope the broken egg problem is fixed for you soon!
We've had Blue Jays in the past but lately I've been finding evidence that an egg had been eaten. I found one of my hens in there two times, thought she was laying but I think it was her. The last time this happened I added lots of pine shavings and it stopped. I added the pine shavings yesterday and no dried yoke on today's eggs so I think adding the cushion helps.
I'm sorry you're struggling with this. I bought 6 Marans chicks in the fall and within a few days, they started dying. First they didn't grow like the others..you know how quickly chicks grow. They would eat and run with everyone but were tiny. Then you could hear the clicking in their breathing and then they'd die. I sent the 3rd one to UCD and they said it had black mold. Their poops looked normal, no blood. Hope you figure it out but if it doesn't make it, I'd send it off to UCD to get some answers.
Quote: When my daughter was around 12 she was researching something and I told her to go to whitehouse.com.....my daughter says, mom you better come look at this..I don't think this is where you want me to look! It was a porn site with the Clintons! I called the white house to let them know and that I thought the government would keep track of a website linked to a high profile, historical building, let alone the home of our President! I'm sure I wasn't the only one who sent their kid there for research! They admitted they had other complaints and were trying to shut down the site.
Quote: That looks like the mobile version.
So I have some good news. I candled my 25 eggs last night. Only one looks clear. Looks like it was barely developed but quit but it's clearly empty. The one I posted a picture of last week asking if it was a bloodring turned out developing. I think one of the Polish quit a couple of days ago or it's just small, the same with one of the Marans. Otherwise they're all full of chicks best I can tell. I even saw several of them moving and one I could make out the head, the eyes and the beak! They go into lock down tomorrow. Do I lockdown at the same time I set them? I set them at 8pm so do I have to wait until tomorrow night to lockdown?
I'm having a sleepover with our 2 year old, two 4 1/2 year olds and 6 1/2 year old grandkids on Saturday so they can see them hatch! Should be fun!
No, the time they were set does not matter. The first one usually pips and hatches early. Most hatches are over 24 to 48 hours after the first pip. If you are hatching in the Brinsea, lockdown should be easy.
Happy Hatching!
Happy Hatching!
now let's see if these eggs hatch that I have in this one, its only getting to 96 degrees. Guess well see what happens. I set 42 and am down to 38. Lockdown is Friday.
