Incubating Eggs

[kitkat2498]

I've been gathering my hens eggs for a few days now and setting them in the incubator. I'm up to four, but I think I'm going to stop there. With all the excitement of incubating eggs,I forgot to collect all of them and incubate at the same time.

So now I must let these hatch and then put the second batch in after. Why? Because I'm afraid since the eggs were laid days apart (she's been laying one every other day) that egg 1 will hatch on its 21st day, but then the chick will have to wait a whole week while each of the other eggs reaches its own 21st day. Make sense? And I don't want to leave my baby chickies in there that long.
Anyways,here's a picture of one of my eggs!


I have a heart and veins!!! Eeeeeeep!!!! Soo happy!!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

its best to not stagger hatch unless you have a hatcher because of high humidity for lockdown days.... please refer to https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

here is a paste on egg collection....

Collection & Storage of Eggs
Sources for eggs are to search the BYC buy sell trade section, Craigslist and eBay. Your local thread on BYC may be the best bet for local eggs! Look for your local site in the “Social section” “Where am I? Where are You!” on BYC.

Choose eggs that are of good size, not abnormally big or small. Do NOT set dirty, cracked, or porous eggs.
Clinical studies at the University of Arkansas have shown that if your going to set a dirty egg, set the dirty egg, DO NOT SAND, WASH OR WIPE dirty eggs as hatchability decreases with these practices!
The washing and rubbing action also serves to force disease organisms through the pores of the shell. Place the eggs upright in an egg carton with the FAT, air cell end of the egg UP! Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for storage. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 55-65 degrees. Rotate your eggs a 3 times a day to keep the embryo from sticking. An easy way to turn all of the eggs at once is to place a thick book under one end of the carton, and later remove the book and put it under the other end of the carton, 3 times a day. Before adding eggs to the incubator always WARM eggs UP slowly to room temperature. IF THE EGGS ARE COLD Condensation can cause bacterial growth on the eggs! You can collect eggs up until 10 days or so, but after the 7th day lower hatch rates may result. Stored eggs take longer to hatch (about one hour per day of storage).

It is important to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling your hatching eggs!

Omphalitis, yolk sack infection is caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell and easily kills embryo's and newly hatched chicks. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs.
For more information on storing eggs refer to Recommendations for hatching egg handling and storage


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[Sally Sunshine]

also when did you start incubation? you can join us for the easter hatchalong if you set on the 9th or close to it! GREAT prizes too! and alot of people to help your hatch!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/741090/the-4th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long

 

[kitkat2498]

Out of the half dozen eggs I set,I'm down to one. Two of the eggs were never fertile,two died early,and then today I found one with a blood ring.

Me,being the curious new egg hatcher, I broke it to see inside.


The yolk literally just ran into a puddle....is this a sign that my incubator might be too hot? Could I be frying my last egg??
I really don't want that to happen,because this one seems to be developing so well.
Here it is on Day 7:


And I'm wondering if it would be safe to put another batch in with this last egg? My incubator had been set to keep the temp steady with 6 eggs inside,and I'm afraid it will get too hot with just one. It's a small bator,so I'm not sure what exactly will change temps...I figure that since the egg is already 13 days old, it will hatch long before the other eggs go into lockdown. Is it okay if I put another batch in?