Hatch-ALong - Setting first eggs 4/5, hatch day 4/26. Anyone want to join me?

[schmockl]

Candled eggs last night - culled two of the Lav. Ameraucanas, one was not viable the other had a blood ring. Did see movement in a couple of the eggs

 

[Pancholoco]

Candled mine last night too... One of my 8 choc orp was infertile and one of 4 Giro's had a blood ring, lets see what will happen until lockdown.

 

[foxflower]

I candled last night also. Only 4 were viable and had very obvious venning. Everything else was clear, so that's 4/18 but they were sent from IN to CA and may have sat a bit. Also, the seller wrapped each egg in bubble wrap but then put them all together in a grocery sack, tied it closed and then placed in a box of packing peanuts. I noticed lots of detached air cells, some with broken up air cells. I don't know what a blood ring looks like necessarily and I chose not to break open all those eggs, but it was very apparent that those 4 were viable. In at least two I could see the embryo moving. I think I may stick the 4 under the broody orpington hen and and try my next eggs in the incubator (24 shipped eggs, but w/i N. CA this time, of crele polish and 4 double blue-laced barnvelders).

 

[roostercluck]

Ok so, I candled the eggs this afternoon and five of them seemed to be alright and developing. I got rid of the other four because there was nothing going on, and I had my episode yesterday. I do have one question though, is there supposed to be an air cell at the top of an egg? I read about it somewhere before, and I just wanted clarity. Does this mean that they are alive? Also thanks for all of the responses and support before, I think I might be ok.

 

[foxflower]

There should be an air cell at the wide end of the egg. It would show up as a clear area and if they weren't shipped it would be round or oval in shape. It doesn't mean they are alive, all eggs should have an air cell, they just get larger as the chicks develop OR as the egg dehydrates. A sure sign that the embryo is alive is if you candle the egg, and while you're holding it still you see the a small dark area (during the first 1/2 of incubation) moving on its own. Later the chick may be too big to see movement.

 

[DiamondDust]

I rechecked the Barnevelder eggs tonight...they are really hard for me to see well. I culled two more that didn't look right and they were also pretty much scrambled, though one looked like it had started to develop but didn't get far (maybe just a couple of days). Then I had one more egg that I though didn't look right...I cracked it to check it and found a live little chick developing...that's the last one I cull now unless I find another one weeping! That was the saddest thing ever...to crack an egg that I thought was a ringed egg and find it viable. So sad. The only good news out of that is that I have hope now for any others I was not sure about...I will leave them alone and hope for the best.

 

[dretd]

I rechecked the Barnevelder eggs tonight...they are really hard for me to see well. I culled two more that didn't look right and they were also pretty much scrambled, though one looked like it had started to develop but didn't get far (maybe just a couple of days). Then I had one more egg that I though didn't look right...I cracked it to check it and found a live little chick developing...that's the last one I cull now unless I find another one weeping! That was the saddest thing ever...to crack an egg that I thought was a ringed egg and find it viable. So sad. The only good news out of that is that I have hope now for any others I was not sure about...I will leave them alone and hope for the best.

OH, gosh I am so sorry to hear this. Is makes a sick lump in my stomach empathizing with how you feel.

I am so worried about this sort of thing (my mantra is do no harm) that I know I have 2 blood rings and I have one that I think is going that way but I don't want to take them out. I also figure they will provide thermal mass and humidity for the other eggs so I am letting them stay for now. My policy is to remove weepers, though.

 

[SmittenChicken]

I rechecked the Barnevelder eggs tonight...they are really hard for me to see well. I culled two more that didn't look right and they were also pretty much scrambled, though one looked like it had started to develop but didn't get far (maybe just a couple of days). Then I had one more egg that I though didn't look right...I cracked it to check it and found a live little chick developing...that's the last one I cull now unless I find another one weeping! That was the saddest thing ever...to crack an egg that I thought was a ringed egg and find it viable. So sad. The only good news out of that is that I have hope now for any others I was not sure about...I will leave them alone and hope for the best.

Oh no! Sorry this happened to you -- such an easy mistake to make, especially with those dark eggs. I am so paranoid about this happening to me that I still have 2 in the incubator that I'm almost positive aren't developing, but I just can't bring myself to crack them open yet. So I'm on "weep watch" now too.

Fingers crossed that all your remaining eggs hatch! Barnevelders are high up on my chicken wish list, so I'm really looking forward to seeing your chicks.

 

[SmittenChicken]

I candled last night also. Only 4 were viable and had very obvious venning. Everything else was clear, so that's 4/18 but they were sent from IN to CA and may have sat a bit. Also, the seller wrapped each egg in bubble wrap but then put them all together in a grocery sack, tied it closed and then placed in a box of packing peanuts. I noticed lots of detached air cells, some with broken up air cells. I don't know what a blood ring looks like necessarily and I chose not to break open all those eggs, but it was very apparent that those 4 were viable. In at least two I could see the embryo moving. I think I may stick the 4 under the broody orpington hen and and try my next eggs in the incubator (24 shipped eggs, but w/i N. CA this time, of crele polish and 4 double blue-laced barnvelders).

Sorry to hear you had so many not viable -- I've never heard of a packing job like that!

Sounds like a great plan to stick those 4 under your broody so you can free up the incubator, I'd definitely do it. Better luck w/ your next batch!

 

[Loghousemom]

I candled last night also. Only 4 were viable and had very obvious venning. Everything else was clear, so that's 4/18 but they were sent from IN to CA and may have sat a bit. Also, the seller wrapped each egg in bubble wrap but then put them all together in a grocery sack, tied it closed and then placed in a box of packing peanuts. I noticed lots of detached air cells, some with broken up air cells. I don't know what a blood ring looks like necessarily and I chose not to break open all those eggs, but it was very apparent that those 4 were viable. In at least two I could see the embryo moving. I think I may stick the 4 under the broody orpington hen and and try my next eggs in the incubator (24 shipped eggs, but w/i N. CA this time, of crele polish and 4 double blue-laced barnvelders).

Sorry to hear you had so many not viable -- I've never heard of a packing job like that!

Sounds like a great plan to stick those 4 under your broody so you can free up the incubator, I'd definitely do it. Better luck w/ your next batch!

I agree, I have never heard of anyone shipping eggs that way... If you purchased them from someone here, I would contact them and leave them feedback about it. Maybe also nicely offer suggestion for a better packing method next time.