Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

What are you going to do with the eggs that you hatch if you live in the city?

I am hatching to sell mostly. Partly as a hobby and partly to see if I can actually make money here. Roosters are illegal but unless you have an HOA anyone can have up to ten hens. There are a lot of backyard chicken keepers around and a TON of farms / large acreage lots outside the city limits. Seriously, I am 15 minutes from open range lands and 30 min from Calhan which is a small farming community and holds the county fair every year!

The Plan is to list them as chicks and any that don't sell in the first two weeks will be grown out and sold as started birds at 10+ weeks. Any boys that don't sell will just be named 'Stewy' and will provide us a nice dinner when they start to crow. The law is a bit ambiguous out here as to when they are legally 'roosters' but 6 months is when they are no longer considered chicks (you can have unlimited chicks, just a limit of 10 adult hens with provisions for square footage to be provided) so I just need everyone sold or stewed by then. I do have two open spaces for any lucky 'keepers', but I will be picking those out over the course of the year. I am hoping to find some LF brahma hatching eggs at some point. I really wanted a brahma pullet two years ago but Tiny quickly showed his true colors. :/

 

[3Dchicken]

I am hatching to sell mostly. Partly as a hobby and partly to see if I can actually make money here. Roosters are illegal but unless you have an HOA anyone can have up to ten hens. There are a lot of backyard chicken keepers around and a TON of farms / large acreage lots outside the city limits. Seriously, I am 15 minutes from open range lands and 30 min from Calhan which is a small farming community and holds the county fair every year!
The Plan is to list them as chicks and any that don't sell in the first two weeks will be grown out and sold as started birds at 10+ weeks. Any boys that don't sell will just be named 'Stewy' and will provide us a nice dinner when they start to crow. The law is a bit ambiguous out here as to when they are legally 'roosters' but 6 months is when they are no longer considered chicks (you can have unlimited chicks, just a limit of 10 adult hens with provisions for square footage to be provided) so I just need everyone sold or stewed by then. I do have two open spaces for any lucky 'keepers', but I will be picking those out over the course of the year. I am hoping to find some LF brahma hatching eggs at some point. I really wanted a brahma pullet two years ago but Tiny quickly showed his true colors.

Lol poor Tiny. Sounds fun!

 

[kelly77]

If she doesn't go back to the nest and sit then pop the eggs in the incubator. They can get quite cold and not come to harm. And she doesn't need 6, I've seen hens sit on 1 egg and hatch it. Broodies do like to get up and eat and have a dust bath and can stay off the nest for up to 30 minutes. But if she doesn't go back after longer than that...

Ok... well I will let her try with these 3 but no more ...won't they be harmed if I have them in the incubator and not be able to turn them because of the others being in lockdown? I only have a home made incubator so ....ummm not sure

 

[farmgirl44]

Ugh....still nothing on my eggs...please reassure me!!! It's late afternoon on day 19, no pips or sounds...I'm scared nothing will hatch

 

[Rockashelle]

Ugh....still nothing on my eggs...please reassure me!!! It's late afternoon on day 19, no pips or sounds...I'm scared nothing will hatch

No worries! They may not pip until tomorrow or the following day depending on temps. They'll hatch! After pip it could be another 8 hours until you see anymore than just the pip. I'm excited for you!

 

[kelly77]

Ugh....still nothing on my eggs...please reassure me!!! It's late afternoon on day 19, no pips or sounds...I'm scared nothing will hatch

I went threw the same thing...they will pip when you stop worring and are not looking lol. Day 19 is still early assuming they are chickens?

 

[kelly77]

Yep... PayPal is easy & so many places use them! Mine need raincoats right now... It's been pouring down rain all night!

OMG they make raincoats for chickens?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Ugh....still nothing on my eggs...please reassure me!!! It's late afternoon on day 19, no pips or sounds...I'm scared nothing will hatch

I am gonna throw part of the article at you!! YOUR DOING FINE!!! https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Understanding The Hatching Process

Between the 15th and 16th days, the chick orients itself so that its head is near the air cell at the large end of the egg. Not long before the chick is ready to attempt to make its way out of the shell its neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing and pointed toward the air cell.
​

21 DAYS is just a baseline for hatching eggs.
Many chicks can take 23 - 25 days!
Some pip internally and fully hatch in hours while others will be 24 hours or more.

Egg movement! Eggs can “Rock n Roll” days before they are due to hatch!

The initiation of hatch occurs partially from the increased carbon dioxide level in the egg. This process causes the embryo to begin twitching it's muscles allowing the inner shell membrane to be punctured by the egg tooth. The chick then begins breathing the air in the air cell. Using its egg tooth, it pecks at the shell thousands of times and after a few hours the chick pips a small hole through the shell and begins to breathe air directly from the outside. After the chick has made a hole in the shell, it stops pipping for 8+ hours sometimes up to 24 hours and rests.
During this time, it is acclimating its lungs.

After the resting stage is completed the second stage of pipping begins. The chick begins to turn slowly inside the egg. As the chick turns counter-clockwise it uses the cutting edge of the chick tooth to chip away. As the chick progresses in its movement around the shell, it begins pushing on the large air cell end of the egg. Squirming and struggling! YES STRUGGLING! The chick works feverishly pushing at the cap. Finally with a shove the chick breaks free from the shell wet and exhausted. When the chick is freed completely from the shell it lies still. Its energy has been virtually exhausted, and it is extremely tired. After resting the chick begins to gain more and more energy and coordination of its muscles.





In regards to opening and closing the bator to remove already hatch chicks; It is important to remember that chicks can go 3 days without food/water. It is better to wait for the remaining chicks to hatch to insure reducing the impact to unhatched pipping eggs.

But my new chick is running around in the bator knocking eggs around!
LET THEM GO! DO NOT OPEN THE INCUBATOR! They are fine!​

 

[Rockashelle]

OMG they make raincoats for chickens? 

I don't know... But I could sure use some.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Check it out!! I was PM'd some more great pics to add!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/mushy-chick-disease-yolk-sack-infection-omphalitis