IA here

[harleyjo]

My first incubation is moving right along. I am on Day 13 and I think lockdown is next Tues. I placed the eggs in the bator on Friday morning early 2 weeks ago tomorrow. In an attempt to learn I have probably been candleing these more than I should be.

I keep going to the candleing pics on here and looking and comparing. I really wish I better understood what I am looking at. All I can see is that most of my eggs are filling up. Some more than others. I see air sacs on one end of the egg. How do most of you hatch your eggs, on the rack or in an egg carton?

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Quote:
I hatch on the rack. Have good luck.

 

[dutchhollow]

I hope all that are in the areas that are going to flood have been able to start to get things moved! I know most on this thread are from eastern IA, but I know there are a few more over here. I am lucky as I live just east of the hills, but have many friends in the flood plane. Been helping one move from outside of Bartlett, has 5 horses a bunch of goats and rabbits, would like to rehome some chickens if anyone local is interested. My duaghter is going to Hamburg today to help move things out of the Hamburg school, best case scenario in Hamburg is 2 feet of water downtown, worst is 10. Her 4h group has been helping people move also that need it. It is going to be a mess, lots of corn and beans also going to get lost, so expect those feed prices to take another jump!

 

[karimw]

Being from Cedar Rapids I know how devestating that can be. I hope everything turns out OK!

 

[karimw]

Quote:
I hatch on the rack. Have good luck.

Last time I hatched in the cartons and I can see the benefit because it keeps the unhatched eggs from being pushed into the corners. I didn't have good results on the shipped eggs though, but I don't think that was due to the cartons. My next hatch, due this weekend, I will leave on the rack. They are shipped eggs again and the air cells are cruddy. Perhaps it will benefit them to be able to move around more.

 

[harleyjo]

I have them in cartons right now and just block up opposite sides of the incubator 3 to 5 times a day. So maybe when I get to lockdown I will take them out of the cartons and put them on the rack. I am not really sure about my candleing yet. I know they are developing but I don't think I would know a quitter egg if I saw it.

My 3rd Muscovy hen is starting to lay eggs. She has chose my chicken coop though. I am not thrilled with her choice but for now I will let her be. I did move her egg though to a pet taxi with bedding in it on the floor of the coop rather than up high where the chicken nest boxes are.

 

[pbjmaker]

I just realized I have chicks due on Sunday! The pheasants are due on Tuesday. Mike built me a nice pen for the pheasant chicks that I already have. They have been soooo cooped up. It was fun to watch them spread out and explore in their new place.

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
Yeah for more chicks!

I just candled again, Day 14.... I took out 2 more eggs. I am assuming at this point it is pretty obvious because the egg is pretty full. I have 11 that I had definate movement and those eggs look a lot alike. I have 3 more that are iffy. One of them it looks like a couple of little bubbles in the air pocket. I am sure that is probably not a good sign. The ones I took out I didn't see any movement and there was still a lot of space left in the egg so I figured they quit growing. I took them straight out to the garbage. I didn't even open the eggs because I didn't want to know if I killed a developing chick. I knew this was going to be a learning experience and until I get a better handle on it I will continue to just hatch my own eggs.

 

[pbjmaker]

It looks like all my ameraucana eggs have died except one.

I was candling them before I locked them down last night and there was one that had pipped the air cell but the other 8 had no visible blood veins. The 4 IaB eggs that are due in another week still look good and the few pheasant eggs I candled looked fine too, so I'm not sure what happened. I did have an overnight temp spike of 102 one day. It's the only thing I can think of. But why wouldn't the other eggs be affected and only my ameraucana eggs?

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Great question!

I had a young father here from denison last week that got 7 birds from me and I only charged him for 4 of them. I charged him replacement cost and gave him fine stock. His daughter lost her prize winning Buttercups to a mink and a number of other birds too. It wiped out all their birds. Although I did not wish to part with my Buttercups, I extolled the virtues of the Orloffs and he fell in love with my Vorwerks. I gave him a trio of Delaware. Any of these birds could be winners by far at the local level and go to State Fair and win. For sincere people, I will do everything I can. I did tell the young father that I would loan him my Buttercups but he did not want to risk having to suffer a loss with borrowed birds.
For me, this remains a hobby, not a business. I sell birds to pay for feed and travel expenses which is rare. When we travel, I think only one time I sold enough birds to cover the hotel bill. I have easily given away as many birds as I've sold.
A smile on the face of a child is worth more to me than what anybody thinks their birds might be worth or could produce. It's worth more than any ribbon or trophy. I would give away my last and finest bird , rather than think my birds were all too superior to part with, no matter how much time I have in them.
Wish I could have been at that young fathers house, the next morning, when his little girl heard a rooster crowing in her coop again.