February Hatch-A-Long

[cppeace]

It's best to hold off till day 7 to candle. The less you candle the less risky it is for the hatch in my research and experience. But yeah you can see veins starting as early as day 3. Dark Brown eggs will always be hard to candle, light brown eggs not near as bad.

 

[BarnGems]

I have some of my own chicken eggs in the bator. I also have chicken, quail, turkey and duck eggs that were shipped and look to be doing well. My next date to check eggs is the 22nd so I will see what I get from them.

After the 7th day candle when do you candle after that?

 

[BarnGems]

I'm late to the hatchalong, but I'll be going back to the beginning to see what I've missed.

I have eggs under broodies, but tomorrow is day 18 for one of them and I'll be candling and taking some out to place in a hatcher. I'm a little anxious about doing this but she's sitting on eggs from three different matings and I don't want the chicks getting mixed up. As soon as they dry off and I mark them, I'll be giving them back to her.

Yesterday and today were for calibrating. Wish me luck! View attachment 1675872

Is that an incubator or warming dome?

 

[cppeace]

Most people tend to do day 7, 14 and then on "lockdown" day. I generally do day 7, 12, 16 myself.

 

[BarnGems]

Just set 40 welsummer eggs on the 14th. Would like to join in hatch along if it's not too late.

Was planning on starting yet but was an emergency set as a gentleman's flock got wiped out by a predator in 1 night.

I am so sorry you lost your whole flock and your welcome to join

 

[BarnGems]

Most people tend to do day 7, 14 and then on "lockdown" day. I generally do day 7, 12, 16 myself.

ok that makes sense lockdown is at 18 days?

 

[BarnGems]

Thanks! If I get 10 to hatch I'd be shocked after last years major fail.

Did you figure out what happened last time?

 

[cppeace]

I believe most lock down at day 16 or 17.

 

[cppeace]

Oh last year the animals kept disturbing my incubator and the temp fluctuated way too much. With my ducks, I hatched 100% off all eggs that made it past the first candling. Then last year hatched zero chickens, both from my backyard and shipped. A handful made it to lockdown but none hatched. I have moved the incubator to the bathroom so no cat or dogs to knock it around in there.

 

[Kelsykin]

After the 7th day candle when do you candle after that?

I usually candle between 7 and 10 days and then at lockdown. I missed the 7 to 10 check with some of the eggs as the husband was home at the time and I didn't have the time to do more than put some into lockdown.