First time incubating chicken eggs

[MillietheHen]

I’m currently on day 9 of incubating 12 barnyard mix chicken eggs. Today I took out 1 egg because it had a blood ring. But the other 11 are looking good. Mostly just using this thread to document their progress but I did have a question. So 2 or 3 have this dark shadowy area that isn’t the embryo. I’ll post a picture tomorrow when I candle them. Any ideas what this could be? I can see the embryos moving and they seem fine but I was just wondering cause the other eggs don’t have this.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We'll see when you post the pictures. Are your eggs white or light brown?
If they are dark, blue or green, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions based on the early state of the eggs.

 

[SilverBirds]

You'll have to post pics so we can see. Hopefully you get a good hatch!

 

[MillietheHen]

We'll see when you post the pictures. Are your eggs white or light brown?
If they are dark, blue or green, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions based on the early state of the eggs.

They are light/medium brown. Decided to snap a quick picture. Not the best but it’s something.

 

[MillietheHen]

For more detail this is a pretty large egg and I’m guessing it has a pretty thick shell to it because I haven’t really been able to see veins. But I’m positive it’s alive since I’ve seen the embryo moving.

 

[SilverBirds]

For more detail this is a pretty large egg and I’m guessing it has a pretty thick shell to it because I haven’t really been able to see veins. But I’m positive it’s alive since I’ve seen the embryo moving.

With dark shelled eggs you don't normally see veining until day 10-14. Keep us posted!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

For more detail this is a pretty large egg and I’m guessing it has a pretty thick shell to it because I haven’t really been able to see veins. But I’m positive it’s alive since I’ve seen the embryo moving.

I wouldn't assume anything from that picture. IMO, it is WAY too early to say.
I really don't see any reason to be anxious to pull eggs unless they leak or stink.
Ever since I cracked an egg into a bowl that I didn't think anything was going on in and there was an eyeball staring back at me.
I sometimes keep iffy eggs in till at least day 18.

 

[MillietheHen]

I wouldn't assume anything from that picture. IMO, it is WAY too early to say.
I really don't see any reason to be anxious to pull eggs unless they leak or stink.
Ever since I cracked an egg into a bowl that I didn't think anything was going on in and there was an eyeball staring back at me.
I sometimes keep iffy eggs in till at least day 18.

Ok yeah of course. Wasn’t planning on taking any out unless I’m 100% sure they aren’t good. The only one I’ve taken out had a definite blood ring and when I cracked it open it had definitely been dead. I’ll continue updates whenever I candle them. Thank you! Incubation is the most exciting and stressful thing.

 

[MillietheHen]

Update: As of my last candling I still have 11 good eggs. Today is day 17 so I’ll be putting them in lockdown tomorrow. I must say for my first time this is going surprisingly wellBut I won’t count my chickens before they hatch I think I had my humidity a little high because my smaller and more thickly shelled eggs had small air cells. But I switched to dry incubating at about day 14 and they have grown since. It’s getting hard to not just hover over the incubator so I have a weekend of gardening planned and I’ll continue updates as they start to hatch.

 

[MillietheHen]

It’s lockdown day! I took out the egg turner and have the eggs on their sides on the hatching mat. The humidity is increased and now I’m just waiting for a pip. Some are already wiggling so hopefully baby chicks are coming soon!