DECEMBER Hatch-A-Long!😊

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Welcome!
Congratulations on your hatches!
How long have your pullets been laying?
I set some of mine earlier this month and none developed, but they were brand new layers. I threw another one in the incubator a few days ago just as a last ditch effort, and looks like it is doing something (3 days, hard to tell for sure).
Love to hear how yours do!

They have been laying for around 3 weeks. The first fresh eggs I cracked open weren't fertile, as soon as I started seeing bullseyes on the yolks I started saving them. I put my last Blue Laced Red Wyandotte in with my Cochins the other day, so there's a slim chance an egg or two might be hers.

 

[AusHen]

checked the last of the button quail eggs and they either quit before lock down or before pipping so 12 it is. no update on the Marans, still in lockdown and waiting on pips.
More eggs going into an incubator tomorrow or the day after, will be Araucana over my sons ISA browns and maybe some from my girls

 

[LadiesAndJane]

They have been laying for around 3 weeks. The first fresh eggs I cracked open weren't fertile, as soon as I started seeing bullseyes on the yolks I started saving them. I put my last Blue Laced Red Wyandotte in with my Cochins the other day, so there's a slim chance an egg or two might be hers.

I have a BLRW pullet, 20 weeks old, I just love her. She is not laying yet. I heard they are often late layers. Is that also your experience?
Mine started early November as well. I thought the eggs were fertile, but none of them developed, so I kept putting my olive eggers eggs in to make up for it and now I have a VERY staggered hatch! SO now looks like this one ameraucana egg is doing something, I will collect more of hers and likley end up with more chicks at Christmas!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I have a BLRW pullet, 20 weeks old, I just love her. She is not laying yet. I heard they are often late layers. Is that also your experience?
Mine started early November as well. I thought the eggs were fertile, but none of them developed, so I kept putting my olive eggers eggs in to make up for it and now I have a VERY staggered hatch! SO now looks like this one ameraucana egg is doing something, I will collect more of hers and likley end up with more chicks at Christmas!

I'm not entirely sure my BLRW is laying. I'd have to look up in my bird journal when I got her. I got 4 from McMurrey, she's the only one that lived.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I'm not entirely sure my BLRW is laying. I'd have to look up in my bird journal when I got her. I got 4 from McMurrey, she's the only one that lived.

So sorry to hear that. I got mine from McMurray as well, mine is very light, almost a smokey grey color with the red lacing not really the deep blue ground color you see in some birds, but she is a sweetie and very friendly.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I looked it up the Large Cochins and the BLRW are 7 months plus.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I looked it up the Large Cochins and the BLRW are 7 months plus.

Could be then! Mine is only 5 months old.

 

[SchmidtChicks]

So, everyone has successfully hatched! Everyone pipped except the smallest egg, and because of the heat here and mum decided to take a 3hr break away, everyone needed assisting as they began shrink-wrapping.

But we have 8 ducklings and hopefully all survive. If mum doesn't sit on them or provide warmth before 7PM (currently 5PM) - we will bring them inside and place in a warm container.

** the small one in the shell is the one who couldn't pip, the egg was too small and it had no space to move so we had to help it along. My partner is no expert, so it isn't perfect, but he's done it before so everyone should be ok

 

[SchmidtChicks]

So we decided to bring the 3 smallest, weaker ducklings inside to a warm bucket - they just were being buried beneath everyone else and all the bedding and we didn't want them to suffocate or overheat.

The middle one is the one (smallest of all 8) who we had to assist entirely as it was in the smallest egg and couldn't free itself.

The other 5 are all floofy and sleeping under mama for the night

 

[halefamily_flock]

So, everyone has successfully hatched!

Congratulations!!