Jackie's Great Adventure, 1st time hatching eggs Ongoing post here!

[erin0415]

Full is usually a good thing at that stage. Are you using a pretty good flashlight to candle?? It makes a difference as to what you can see. I'm hoping everything is good with your eggies. We are gonna be down in the 20's tonight too. I hope momma keeps her babies tucked in. Too cold for this Texas girl!!!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Like Erin said, full is good. I'm still in the midst of my first time being an "incudaddy", so I know what you are going through. Next week for me. They get fuller and darker with each passing day.

 

[Maryallison77]

Thanks erin & mrandmrschicken! Yes they just look full....

I am using a LED flashlight. We bought it for this very reason. And omg.....it is VERY bright!

 

[Maryallison77]

Ok.....was a little confused, but we are officially on day 17 today! I just counted it out on the calender. 4 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so very very excited!

I wonder if they ever come early???? What do I need to do??? They are in a nestbox up real high. We were gonna start the coop remodel, but didn't getta chance. I am not exactually a optimist so I am still just gonna be shocked if something happens!

After hearing all the work it takes when people use incubators hard to believe my silly chickens do this without my help--haha

And do you actually hear anything in the eggs before they hatch?

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Thats an interesting question Maryallison. Had to ask my wife who is a teacher, and has done this in school with her Headstart class. They would get eggs that were two to three days from hatching. She said that yes, when it was very quiet, you could hear them peeping softly inside their shells. It had to be very quiet like when the children were having their naps. I can't wait to hear that sound!

 

[beakkeeper]

We're counting down with ya! Best of luck with lil #4!

 

[Maryallison77]

Thanks ya'll! Let's cross our fingers for all of them since me and the hens are new to this!

When I go out after the kids go to bed I will candle them and hold them up to my ear!

 

[Maryallison77]

So if I were to guess which eggies if any were going to hatch I would guess #1 & for sure #3. #3 looks very promising, like I am sooo sure I see something moving in it. I could stand there all night (in 35 degree temps) and just look at that silly egg and wonder..... I didn't hear anything, but I woke up the flock so it was hard to hear......

 

[Maryallison77]

I have a total of 3 broody bantams now! Sometimes all 3 of my girls pile up on top of those 6 eggs! It is so funny. After we are done with our little eggsperiment here I just might break them of it. I don't think this is the time of year to be a mommy!

Still have my fingers crossed for the eggs. Thursday is the day! I am not sure if I will candle or not tonight. I would love to hear a peep in a egg!

 

[Maryallison77]

When I was outside earlier today I always life up Jackie to see if anyone laid any eggs in with the eggs we were trying to hatch out. And OMG.................there was a dry little baby and a open egg!!!!!!

I was soooooooooo excited! It is #6! So after thinking it through I moved them to a safer location. My coop nestboxes are up high (old rabbit hutch) so I put Jackie and the eggies and my new baby in another nestbox and closed a door to keep her and the chickies in and everybody else out! Jackie went right back to the eggies and her new baby (that looks nothing like her--haha

)

Also #3 has a pip in it! Very excited!!!!!!!

Off to run outside and check progress!!!!