February Hatch-A-Long

[PioneerChicks]

I candled yesterday. Only two (maybe three, I can't remember) of what my friends gave me are developing, due to fertility. They gave twelve eggs to another place to hatch and only one hatched. No ones fault, but it is a bit disappointing because I was hoping for some Sumatras. But no big deal, thankfully I see them often!

My eggs, well, about a third were developing. The others were duds, probably also fertility problems. Too bad, but it looks like I just might have to keep chicks from two hatches!
Once the water stops freezing I'll separate my rooster in with the hens he should be fertilizing.

Anyways, I didn't keep exact count and don't know what breeds are left. Next Saturday I'll check again, this time with paper and a pencil!

 

[The Cave]

So the egg I posted a photo of....was a malpositioned chick and I am SO FRUSTRATED. I didn't think to spin the egg and watch for pip on wrong end...I knew something was weird about it I just didn't know what. It ended up pipping wrong end, on day 19 and I didn't even think to check and it passed away . All the others pipped day 20, hatched by today (day 21). I am going to give them a few days before I do a photo shoot to adjust to brooder and life outside the egg.
I set 12 eggs- 3 BCM and 1 CCL didn't develop and 1 was malposition I ended up with:
2 CCL, 3 Olive eggers, 1 BCM, 1 Ameraucana hatched.

Next hatch due on the 25th- Ameraucanas and Bielefelders. Fingers crossed I see some development on day 7!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am on day 11. I was going to candle on day 18 but I didn't want any eggs in there if they were bad. I candled. I pulled an isbar egg that made it to about day 10. I still have 18 and a few of my own chickens eggs that are due a few days later.

 

[gimmie birdies]

The x with the circles were clears. So 22 viable eggs, The 2 dark brown, and one IS died on day 7. They developed, just died. One died on day 10, IS with the arrow. 18 left.

 

[electrycmonk]

Yup... My next action is to post a new thread for a silkie broody-hatch-a-thon.

 

[JaeG]

I now have a little broody bantam sitting on 3 eggs. They are due around the 26th February. It'll be the first time I have chicks hatch in my coop. In the past I've kept the broody separate as everyone was confined to a run, but with everyone free ranging now I'm going to see what happens. I have lots of spare cages if she needs to be separated initially, but we'll see how it goes.

 

[WallyG74]

Today is day 7. Candle or wait?

 

[Honora]

Today is day 7. Candle or wait?

Candle!

 

[Offshoreorca]

Today is day 7. Candle or wait?

You can candle! Just make sure your hands are clean If I am really worried about the eggs, I'll leave them a few more days as the darker shells can be hard to confirm whether there is life in it or not. I usually candle 2-3 times during the whole incubation period. Typically Day 7, Day 14, and Day 18 right as they go into lockdown Always do it fairly quickly to minimize impact on the eggs (unless they are from my own flock, as those ones have been super hardy). And as long as the eggs are fresh, I leave them all until Day 14, just to be sure that I don't accidentally take out ones that are developing when it comes to the harder shells to see through!

 

[Mellowmalt]

Hope everyone is well. I'm on the last 2 days of incubation I hope as I went and did something a bit rushed. I have already got the next lot of eggs and they have been waiting for 5 days already and I need the incubator. I erally should have given myself some wriggle room as I haven't got any pips yet, I'm egging them on to hatch already. I realy don't want to leave the next eggs in storage longer than 7 days