February 2023 hatch-a-long

[kurby22]

Hopping on to join the February hatch! I put 12 eggs in on Friday so they’re due 2/17! They are a fertility check for my d’Anvers who started laying about a month ago. I wasn’t expecting them to be—I’ve opened a few with no visible evidence. But, all the d’Anver eggs are developing! Since I was doing their check I picked a couple from my other tiny layers and all but two are developing! Not sure what I’ll get from those eggs—should be a surprise 3 eggs appear to be weakly developing so I’m guessing they will end up quitters, but there are 7 strong looking eggs! Not too bad! Hope they come out super healthy!

 

[Kikilu]

2 weeks to go for me!

It’s cold here today -16c. This weekend -29c and more like -40 with wind chill. Won’t be working on the coop lol Guess I’ll have to work on my brooder set up.

For my eggs with saddled air cells should I expect the air cell to grow in that same pattern but larger?

Hoping to be able to see more soon in a couple of my darker eggs but for now really paying attention to those air cells for a guide.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Not looking good for my shipped Marans or home laid Easter Egger eggs. I cracked open one of each after candling this morning, and, sure enough, they were clear. I suspect that is true of most of both types of eggs but will keep monitoring them to see if they start visibly changing. :/

The shipped Ameraucanas (same source as the Marans) all continue to look very good. Go figure.

 

[LhickenChicken]

I think I'm going into lockdown tonight. What a surprise it was, thinking my hatch date was february 4, then looking at my watch and screaming that we were too low on humidity. I recalculated the hatch date and sure enough it was feb.5

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I kinda feel this on a small scale. We currently live in an HOA and can't have a lot of chickens. I ordered day olds from a hatchery then thought since we are homeschooling lets incubate part of our chicks this year! I ordered some shipped eggs then added local eggs then added more local eggs. I could end up with 30 chicks this month! I'll need to give away or sell half. I can't rehome hatched chicks because I won't be able to tell the sex. Will have to feed and house them for 3-6 months.

People buy straight run chicks all the time. You can sell them as straight run and then they can decide what to do with the cockerels.
I know you may not like to think of it when they are cute little babies, but people need home raised meat too.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I think I'm going into lockdown tonight. What a surprise it was, thinking my hatch date was february 4, then looking at my watch and screaming that we were too low on humidity. I recalculated the hatch date and sure enough it was feb.5

Mine will go on lockdown tonight. I set them in the incubator at 7:30pm on Jan. 14th, making the Day 21 mark at 7:30pm on Saturday, Feb. 4th. I expect to see chicks somewhere between Friday to Sunday.

Since I'm doing several batches this year, I name the batches to keep them straight as they go through the various stages up to slaughter or full maturity. This first batch of the year, hatching this weekend, I'm calling "Alfredo". March's hatch will be "Barbeque," April's hatch will be "Chili", and May's hatch will be "Dumpling." I'm skipping May and June (don't want to put chicks in my outdoor brooders during June or July). If I decide to do more, July's hatch will be "Fritter" and August hatch will be "Gumbo."

Last year they were "Alpha," "Bravo," "Charlie," "Delta," "Echo," and "Foxtrot." In 2020 I called the batches "Alpha," "Beta," "Gamma," and "Delta."

I'm open to suggestions for next year!

 

[AusHen]

Hatching incubator has been set up next to my bed but I just remembered I'll be away half of Saturday and a few hours Sunday, which is day 21-22

 

[gimmie birdies]

Of my shipped eggs had to pull 2 more this morning. I have 14 out of the 20 fertile eggs. But I bought 2 of everybody, and in some cases 3 of every body. I have not pulled any of my hen's egg yet, 9.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Well, this is the month guys!

 

[coffeeaddict]

Is anyone else in the middle of an ice storm? I’m hearing transformers blow here. Going to keep my phone charged so that even if power goes I can still follow the lockdowns and exciting hatches happening on this thread soon!