Jan./Feb. 2014 hatch a long

[Farmer Viola]

Graphic showing the appearance on candling of the unabsorbed yolk and blood vessels





and absorbed yolk and vessels as a 'hollow' void appears



source: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

 

[AmericanMom]

normally humidity is raised on day 19 for lockdown, but I prefer to candle and look for the internal pip (ideally it should be on day 19) before raising the humidity..
the purpose is so that the egg can continue to evaporate/lose water weight right up until it is ready to hatch.

what you are seeing at the bottom is probably the yolk with veins in it. the yolk and veins are beginning to suck into the chick's abdomen at this time, and eventually it will leave a small "hollow" in the area that you now see the yolk/veins.

Ok, that makes me feel better! with my last hatch (also my first) I candled at day 18 and the entire shell except for the air cell of course was black, I couldn't see anything so this had me a bit worried.. I'll progress as advised.

 

[fosterson]

Well, this hatch was a complete loss. I'm going to pause hatching till I get a better thermometer, because everything ELSE went well -- the temperature stayed stable but I'm thinking it's way off. Didn't have any huge temp swings like I did with the first hatch, but only two eggs made it to lock down and neither one of them has done anything. I'll keep them a couple days more to see if tehy're just 'late', but I have a gut feeling this wasn't so good. Did eggtopsies ont eh rest. They were fertile but petered out about halfway best I can tell.

 

[Whoops]

Well, this hatch was a complete loss. I'm going to pause hatching till I get a better thermometer, because everything ELSE went well -- the temperature stayed stable but I'm thinking it's way off. Didn't have any huge temp swings like I did with the first hatch, but only two eggs made it to lock down and neither one of them has done anything. I'll keep them a couple days more to see if tehy're just 'late', but I have a gut feeling this wasn't so good. Did eggtopsies ont eh rest. They were fertile but petered out about halfway best I can tell.

I'm so sorry. How frustrating!

 

[dfreas]

Chicks!!

All of the black ones have that big yellow dot on their head.

 

[Whoops]

Ursula escaped into the main brooder and was trundling around, trying to snuggle under the other two, who are HUGE compared to her. I put her back in her enclosure, and fixed the teensy hole she was getting out. Send good thoughts for a younger sibling to hatch to keep her company!

 

[Cynthia12]

Here is a photo of the baby almost broken free. It was just the left over, so I broke it free. It's now just resting and getting stronger. Didn't have a chance to get strong in zipping, so will take a while for it to wake up more. But, I think it will be up and at em by late afternoon here.
First photo, still stuck to the left over yolk..second photo I pulled it apart by holding the bottom of the baby's bottom where it
has the attached part. Now the rest will shrivel up and fall of on it's own. Quite active. Now for the other one. Will check on
it later tonight.

 

[Cynthia12]

Chicks!!









All of the black ones have that big yellow dot on their head.

These are so cute! Where did you get them from? The whites seem familiar with the black dot. What are they?

 

[Cynthia12]

Cute chicks..are the black ones barred rock? And those white ones..what are they? Had some mixes like that before.

 

[dfreas]

Cute chicks..are the black ones barred rock? And those white ones..what are they? Had some mixes like that before.

The rooster is pure barred rock, but the hens are all red sex link from the local feed store last spring. So I guess this is what you get when you cross RSL hens and BR roo. Kind of funny that they are all the same cross, but some come out black and others yellow.