January 2021 Hatch-A-Long

[stormgirl82]

I think I’ll join in with you guys! This is my very first hatch and broody hen. We honestly figured she’d quit sitting after a week as my others have. But she stuck with it and she’s been sitting for 3 weeks now. However, we had an incident and my son took her eggs for about 5-6 hours. We candled them last night and are pleasantly surprised to find that 4 look very close to hatch, and 3 are probably only a week or so in. We’ve learned to mark the eggs now lol. Attaching a couple of pics for you guys.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I think I’ll join in with you guys! This is my very first hatch and broody hen. We honestly figured she’d quit sitting after a week as my others have. But she stuck with it and she’s been sitting for 3 weeks now. However, we had an incident and my son took her eggs for about 5-6 hours. We candled them last night and are pleasantly surprised to find that 4 look very close to hatch, and 3 are probably only a week or so in. We’ve learned to mark the eggs now lol. Attaching a couple of pics for you guys.

View attachment 2473647


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Super close is right. It's internally pipped already. Possibly hatching tonight or tomorrow. Exciting!

What's your plan for the other eggs?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I set jan 1st so mine are due the 22nd

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

4 of 7 eggs have development. The three brown eggs and 1 white bantam egg. Other bantam egg and the two easter egger look no-go, though I'll probably leave them in incubator until lockdown as long as they don't start getting nasty.

The developing bantam egg (supposedly calico cochin)
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At least some are developing. That one in the picture looks excellent. Are these from your chickens? The bantam chick will be adorable.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I set jan 1st so mine are due the 22nd

Nice! What are you hatching?

 

[stormgirl82]

Super close is right. It's internally pipped already. Possibly hatching tonight or tomorrow. Exciting!

What's your plan for the other eggs?

Wait, you can see that?? What am I looking for? I didn’t know about that one. Time for more google haha
We have another broody hen but she’s sitting on infertile eggs because she’s not in the area with a rooster. We’ve been taking her eggs daily for a week. I think we will let her hatch them out. Will that work you think? I’m soooo new at this.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Wait, you can see that?? What am I looking for? I didn’t know about that one. Time for more google haha
We have another broody hen but she’s sitting on infertile eggs because she’s not in the area with a rooster. We’ve been taking her eggs daily for a week. I think we will let her hatch them out. Will that work you think? I’m soooo new at this.

That sounds like a great plan. Offering the eggs to the other hen.

During late incubation there will be a clear delineation between the air cell and embryo. About 2 days before hatching the air cell "draws down" or gets significantly larger down one side of the eggs. This happens as the chicks move around and get into position to internally pip. Then they internally pip into their air cell and start breathing. Then they rest for about a day before summoning the energy to externally pip. From there it's about 24 hours from pip to zip (hatching).


What I see in your picture is the remainder of draw down on the right side of the shell. And LOTS of shadowing in the aircell= internally piped. If you held the eggs to your ear you might have heard scratching, tapping, or peeping. At this point just give them and the broody some peace. Let them hatch at their own rate without fiddling. She's done such a great job for you.

There's a good post about internal pipping I'll find and share. I think it's on geese but has excellent pictures.

 

[stormgirl82]

That sounds like a great plan. Offering the eggs to the other hen.

During late incubation there will be a clear delineation between the air cell and embryo. About 2 days before hatching the air cell "draws down" or gets significantly larger down one side of the eggs. This happens as the chicks move around and get into position to internally pip. Then they internally pip into their air cell and start breathing. Then they rest for about a day before summoning the energy to externally pip. From there it's about 24 hours from pip to zip (hatching).


What I see in your picture is the remainder of draw down on the right side of the shell. And LOTS of shadowing in the aircell= internally piped. If you held the eggs to your ear you might have heard scratching, tapping, or peeping. At this point just give them and the broody some peace. Let them hatch at their own rate without fiddling. She's done such a great job for you.

There's a good post about internal pipping I'll find and share. I think it's on geese but has excellent pictures.

Thank you so much for the great information! I’m super excited now I figured was close but didn’t think it was THAT close. We don’t plan on messing with them any further. We will look when she gets up to eat and see what we can without touching. We should probably go ahead and move the other eggs today so they don’t get cracked during the others hatching.
I’m so excited

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

@stormgirl82 This is the one I was thinking of. Anyone interested in hatching along with excellent explanations and pictures should check it out. Also what I called "draw down" he calls "dip down" but we're referring to the same thing.

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

 

[stormgirl82]

@stormgirl82 This is the one I was thinking of. Anyone interested in hatching along with excellent explanations and pictures should check it out. Also what I called "draw down" he calls "dip down" but we're referring to the same thing.

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

Thank you!!