HomesteadNowhere Hatch-a-long! Set April 7, hatch April 28!

[HomesteadNowhere]

I couldn't take it... I candled tonight...
Lots of the extra eggs were clears. No big deal. I did have them in a separate pen and they had one day visit from the roo. Seems like only a couple are developing. The roo may have a favorite.

Of the rest there are alot of questionable I marked. Tomorrow I'll pull the obvious clears. A couple are light shelled and glowed like a lamp. I'll do a recount on Thursday after candling again.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Found a post for a diy water wiggler I'm going to try. This run is simpler than the last run. Spring rain is keeping the humidity up even in this dry old house. Room humidity 38%, incubator humidity 47%. Last one I was having to constantly top up the humidifier next to the incubator to keep it from going below 20%. Not to mention myself avoiding a bloody nose from such dry air...

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

I went ahead and candled my eggs tonight, saw veining in all eggs except the olive egg. I tried two different light sources and still could barely see the air cell. I have to admit I was a little surprised, the two oldest eggs I had washed and put in the refrigerator a little over a week before setting. Sure enough they have veining.
I guess we'll see who decides to stick around next week. I think I'm going to have to get one of those big hunting lights in order to see inside that Olive egg though.

My last hatch was all washed and from the fridge eggs Might have been a little impulsive... I did get 22 chicks though.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

I have been so busy I'd completely forgot about candling the eggs until just now!

NH roo over freedom ranger hens... 34 from 44 set.
Bielefelder roo over freedom ranger hens... 6 from 12 set.
NH roo over brahma and a Wyandotte... 2 from 18 set.

Does blood ring mean there was some early development then it died? Had 2 that were B/FR and 5 that were NH/FR.
Also had a couple with a little black smudge but no veins. I tipped the egg back and forth and the smudge moved with the liquid motion. Early quitters also I'm assuming.
The clears were very clear.

So new total is 42. This is why I set so many. Had alot I pulled the last hatch and wanted as many as possible just in case it was the fertility or early quitters. Glad I did.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

From Bielefelder roo x freedom ranger hens (3)... 12 eggs.

From new Hampshire roo x freedom ranger hens (7) and a NH hen... 44 eggs. There was a few more that I pulled for having small hairline cracks. I swear the hens don't lay the eggs and some shoot em out.. I don't know how they manage it..

We'll see how many I get tomorrow to put in. I went ahead and set out some eggs from the other pen, 7 buff brahma and a white orpington. They will fill in whatever space is left.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Last Major hurricane I rescued a feral momma bantam and her baby chick (who ended up being a bantam cockerel). About 3 weeks ago, I lost my feral hen (her name was Midge) I kept looking for her and just couldn't find her. In the middle of the night last night. I heard peeps and found Midge and 15 chicks under my house. They are safely in a broody box.
Just thought I would throw a little levity into the thread. It kinda seemed ironic.

 

[Justso]

Be careful what you wish for.

Yes please, talk to my old Java and ask her to step in. But next month maybe..

 

[sourland]

Yes please, talk to my old Java and ask her to step in. But next month maybe..

Remind me.

 

[Justso]

Did time stand still?
This is got to be the slowest week ever. Don't know if I can wait till Thursday to candle.

 

[airynn]

I’ll join! I have 4 hens sitting on only 14 eggs as they are 1st timers, but I think I’ll buy a new nesting box and give one some F1 olive eggers (Swedish flower x Ameraucana). The silkie I think will hatch on the 21st.

I also set 14 Welsh harlequin on April 4 and adding 9 BBS Ameraucana and 9 CLB tomorrow. That hatch date it May 3. They are in a NR360 in my classroom!