February Hatch-A-Long

[LadiesAndJane]

Can a person lock down earlier than the due date? My hatch started early so I did not get the 3 days. I don't know what it would hurt. Like start 5 or 6 days ahead of time. Remove turner and set the eggs on the steel grate.
So far none of the Silkie have hatched. 1 started to pip but never made it. Did not look shrink wrapped.
The other chickens that hatched very active really moving the eggs all over the incubator, I don't know if that creates any problems. They are dried off and out now in brooder doing well.
Before I left the turner in did not realize I need to pull it out.. oppps.
Maybe I need start new thread?
Thanks

Technically you can stop turning from day 14 in you need/want to. Though I would not up humidity before day 18 (or even 19) depends on how the air cells look at the time.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I don't want to buy eggs, I want my chickens eggs! I am going to set some eggs, I candled and they look okay. I have had roosters on my hens I put them down probably less than 3 weeks. Plus I have a rooster on them, who is becoming not shy. I will know soon enough.

 

[LowcoMatt]

Can a person lock down earlier than the due date?
Thanks

I just did recently, decent thing too I suppose as I had one chick hatch a whole 24hrs ahead of the others. I don’t think it’ll hurt you or them any

Thank you, I might just do that before I throw them away.

I took my 4 apart that didn’t hatch. One looked 100% normal, just no pips internal or external.this one may have been malpositioned. I’m no expert on that yet. Two were under developed but dead, still had some yolks. And the last one(really the first I took apart) , fully developed, and looked to have pipped a vein internally causing some bleeding as he had a clot on his leg almost the size of the whole leg.
I’d say take them apart using small holes near the air sac and checking first for life, movement etc.

View attachment 2544032

pretty selection of eggs.

I’m about to join the March hatch along and set eggs tonight.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am going to set tomorrow AM after eggs are room temp. I candled and can see the small day one floating dot. Almost a St. Pat's hatch...

 

[PioneerChicks]

You can also use some tape (the tape you use when you paint your walls) it is not as heavy as cardboard.

Thank you, I hadn't thought of that!

 

[Austrian Chickens]

@gimmie birdies: such nice colours

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Going into day 19 and now down to three viable eggs left! Just pulled this one which looked good a couple of days ago but apparently died I’m guessing right around day14. Pretty sure I saw life in it then. I took two photos just now with light shining from above and below to demonstrate what this looks like. The chick should have filled out quite a bit more of the egg at this point if it was still alive.
Noted also all the veins have retracted and there is no movement at all.
Crossing my fingers for the last three!

 

[LowcoMatt]

I am going to set tomorrow AM after eggs are room temp. I candled and can see the small day one floating dot. Almost a St. Pat's hatch...

wasn't until you posted this that I realized I did the same thing LOL

@LadiesAndJane good photos of the egg you've got there, sorry it wont make it, but it looks a lot like the ones I had earlier.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

wasn't until you posted this that I realized I did the same thing LOL

@LadiesAndJane good photos of the egg you've got there, sorry it wont make it, but it looks a lot like the ones I had earlier.

Thanks! All part of incubating eggs, part of the process. Posted the photo so others could also see what this looks like.
So hoping these last three make it I need these for breeder stock, hopefully they’re decent. Hard to find good breeding stock here on the island. Only hatchery birds for the most part. Have to import everything in.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I bought these 23 eggs today to go in incubator with my eggs. I know these have roosters.

One I removed because I didn't like the air cell. They are BY mix from 2 diff farms so I will get diff eggs. The lower blue eggs are from isbars. $5 a carton. so I don't have to worry about shipping. I am warming them up to room temp. I am marking who is who so they don't mix with mine or the other farms.