January 2023 Hatch-a-long

[Tumbleweedlynn]

I did my eggtopsy today on the 9 eggs I removed. The embryos looked like they quit on about day 7, coincidentally the first time I candled. ALL of the embryos were stuck to the top of the shell, as in they were literally hanging from the air sack. And I swear I didn’t see blood rings when I pulled them or cracked them open. Is this normal? I’ve searched here and googled but can’t find an answer Still have 8 in the bator that are moving and look good

 

[WallyG74]

Lockdown! Should be seeing some chicks this time Wednesday night.

 

[FunClucks]

Update, the one that had not pipped externally died sometime in the past week. The baby was 2/3 the proper size. I did a safety hole, and saw a lot of black liquid and a few gold feathers. Just wasn't right, so I did an eggtopsy, and have no guilt for throwing it out, cause it was already dead.

Since I did a staggered hatch, I have three eggs left, one is supposed to hatch today, and one goes into lockdown today. The other enters lockdown in about six days. I plan to see if the first egg hatches today, if not I'll put the first two back into my still air incubator and clean out the NurtureRight (it's pretty nasty in the water), then put both eggs back into it for hatching and lockdown.

The 18th egg successfully made it out of the narrow end, and is drying off now. Yea for 18 babies!!!

Chick cuteness!!! 17 of the 18 babies are in the picture (one was still drying in the incubator). Also a few closeups. The one that was supposed to hatch yesterday died in the shell, so that would be my second dead in the shell for this hatch. It was fully formed (?) but 1/3 the proper size, and I didn't see any obvious abnormalities. I'm tempted to blame its sojourn in my jury-rigged pressure canner still air incubator, but the other two that did the same thing are currently alive (one's in lockdown now, and one's still in the still-air incubator). So crossing my fingers the last two chicks hatch Tuesday and Friday! I feel kind of silly running an entire incubator just to hatch one chick, twice, and I'm promising myself I won't do any more staggered hatches, but man those eggs get cute when they're from your favorite hen! I saw toes today in the one set to hatch on Friday!


I would really love to know how many males and females, but since I don't have sex-links, I guess I have to wait and see...

 

[sevenhelmet]

Lockdown! Should be seeing some chicks this time Wednesday night.

I’m two days behind you. Good luck!

 

[gimmie birdies]

The blue egg from my hens, I have in with my shipped eggs, day 3 nothing exciting, but fertile...

I have a small white egg I think is spitz from my hens, below...less than one day along, diff incubator.
It looks to have 2 or maybe 3 "love dots" but they are close together. Maybe I will get a conjoined chicken. I didn't see separate egg sacks yet, I am going to keep watching.
(Yes, I know it may not survive if there is issues.) This egg has only been in less than one day.

Egg is small so I dont think it is a double yolk.

 

[gimmie birdies]

My Avatar was not laying, so I had to finally set my hen's egg today. I saw her in a section of the coop dust bathing with a friend, I scolded her..."What are you doing wasting time time, taking dust baths? Go lay an egg!!" I am sure now that I said that I will find an egg in her box tomorrow.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Day 14. Not the best pictures, but I watched them all move. I swear I saw one’s little beak moving - it was so cute (3rd pic is candled pointy end down)

 

[gimmie birdies]

neat.

below is more pictures of the same eggs I posted yesterday....

Day 4 egg..(from my hen)
Below is day one egg from my hen. The love dots are more clear and not as close together, but 2

 

[gimmie birdies]

My avatar laid her egg finally. I don't know if it is fertile, she doesn't lay enough for me to crack open and find out. I have to assume though because others are fertile.

I am heating up hers with some others in a separate incubator. They will be a few days behind the shipped, and some other's of my hen's but not to far late.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

My avatar laid her egg finally. I don't know if it is fertile, she doesn't lay enough for me to crack open and find out. I have to assume though because others are fertile.

View attachment 3383851
I am heating up hers with some others in a separate incubator. They will be a few days behind the shipped, and some other's of my hen's but not to far late.
View attachment 3383858

What a cute assortment of chicks you will have