February 2023 hatch-a-long

[junior67]

I was really excited to see this hatch along thread! First time hatching and I’m doing it much earlier than I should. Too excited and impatient. Eggs arrived this morning. I prepared myself for the possibility of having none hatch before ordering since it was a cold trip plus shipping. Eggs arrived in great condition but one (that I can see so far) has a saddled air cell.
Eggs are sitting out and going in the incubator at 11pm tonight for a hatch date about around Feb 15th.
I got a mystery mix this time and another order planned for April.
This hatch is:
2 svart hona
3 blue polish
2 jersey giant
2 Easter eggers
1 buff orpington
1 Maran
1 Aseel
1 chanteclar
1 Houdan (saddled air cell)

I hatched shipped eggs twice last year. Some had HUGE saddled air cells and babies hatched just fine. If not detached and just saddled I wouldn't worry too much. I hatched 28/34 eggs and about half were very saddled.

 

[junior67]

Hello! New here! First time hatching and with eggs from our own flock. Put in 30 eggs on the 20th for a hatch date of Feb 10th! Candled tonight and we have 12 for sure fertile and doing well. A couple of them the shells are just too dark to see anything. The rest look infertile but will check again in a couple days although I'm not hopeful for them. Has anyone not seen anything on day 5 and then something by day 10?

My kids are so excited and love seeing the chicks growing in the eggs! Such a great learning experience for them! Hoping we get some successful hatches

I had one that I was iffy on with my last hatch. Didn't see any veins or development but the yolk looked a bit darker. It ended up developing and hatched on time. GL!

 

[Kikilu]

I hatched shipped eggs twice last year. Some had HUGE saddled air cells and babies hatched just fine. If not detached and just saddled I wouldn't worry too much. I hatched 28/34 eggs and about half were very saddled.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on it tonight and I’m glad there is hope! I really want that Houdan lol

 

[junior67]

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on it tonight and I’m glad there is hope! I really want that Houdan lol

Some pics of the saddle air cells as the chicks were developing. The first few were right before lockdown.

 

[coffeeaddict]

Some pics of the saddle air cells as the chicks were developing. The first few were right before lockdown.

Wow! I would have never imagined those could possibly hatch. Did you hatch those saddled ones upright? So happy those hatched well for you.

 

[junior67]

Wow! I would have never imagined those could possibly hatch. Did you hatch those saddled ones upright? So happy those hatched well for you.

no I laid them side ways. The first batch I tried to keep them upright for a while and it didn't seem to change anything so I laid them on their sides. The 2nd batch I started on their side from day 1. The only ones I had upright at first were the ones that were detached, but honestly I don't think it made a difference at all. Reading here a lot feel it doesn't change anything. I was soooooo nervous the first time and had 10/12 hatch. the 2 that didn't hatch never even started so every one that started hatched. The 2nd batch I think 19/22 started and 18/22 hatched. I did lose one chick around 3-4 days old I think. She just never grew after she hatched. She was running around great, eating, drinking was wild then one day just wasn't looking good and she passed a couple hours after I noticed. The other 27 chicks are all amazing that I know of (well a couple had some predator issues. but I try to keep up with the people that got them from me and the rest are doing great!).

 

[coffeeaddict]

no I laid them side ways. The first batch I tried to keep them upright for a while and it didn't seem to change anything so I laid them on their sides. The 2nd batch I started on their side from day 1. The only ones I had upright at first were the ones that were detached, but honestly I don't think it made a difference at all. Reading here a lot feel it doesn't change anything. I was soooooo nervous the first time and had 10/12 hatch. the 2 that didn't hatch never even started so every one that started hatched. The 2nd batch I think 19/22 started and 18/22 hatched. I did lose one chick around 3-4 days old I think. She just never grew after she hatched. She was running around great, eating, drinking was wild then one day just wasn't looking good and she passed a couple hours after I noticed. The other 27 chicks are all amazing that I know of (well a couple had some predator issues. but I try to keep up with the people that got them from me and the rest are doing great!).

That's a great hatch rate! So you laid them on their sides at lockdown for the shipped eggs and then later batches just started the shipped eggs on their sides? Sorry, my brain is slow right now. I noticed my "on the side" eggs seem to be developing faster, which makes me wonder.

I'm sorry you lost one. That's extra frustrating when they die for no apparent reason. What a happy ending for those chicks overall though. Thank you for sharing the pics also!

 

[AUChickenGal]

Eggs are in the incubator. I’m super impressed with the built-in candler on the NR 360; I was able to see clearly even in the Marans eggs. Everything looks good to go so far. Let the games begin!

 

[Kikilu]

no I laid them side ways. The first batch I tried to keep them upright for a while and it didn't seem to change anything so I laid them on their sides. The 2nd batch I started on their side from day 1. The only ones I had upright at first were the ones that were detached, but honestly I don't think it made a difference at all. Reading here a lot feel it doesn't change anything. I was soooooo nervous the first time and had 10/12 hatch. the 2 that didn't hatch never even started so every one that started hatched. The 2nd batch I think 19/22 started and 18/22 hatched. I did lose one chick around 3-4 days old I think. She just never grew after she hatched. She was running around great, eating, drinking was wild then one day just wasn't looking good and she passed a couple hours after I noticed. The other 27 chicks are all amazing that I know of (well a couple had some predator issues. but I try to keep up with the people that got them from me and the rest are doing great!).

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with this! You had a great hatch rate and it’s nice to know they are still doing well I also opted to go ahead and lay them on their side. Keeping the turner on too. Partly because I don’t want to mess up the other eggs development since it’s only one that’s I can see that’s saddled.
Now to try and have some patience before candling!

 

[Kikilu]

Eggs are in the incubator. I’m super impressed with the built-in candler on the NR 360; I was able to see clearly even in the Marans eggs. Everything looks good to go so far. Let the games begin!

Mine went in last night so we will be hatching around the same time
That’s awesome about the candler - it was hard to see anything on my Maran. I have more marans ordered too so I’ll probably invest in a new one.