June 2022 Hatch-a-long

[UThobbyfarmer]

How did you know who to take out so early? Not so much a fan of manually turning 3 times a day but I also don’t want to remove too early. Figured I might see quitters day 5, and clears by days 7-10.

I’ll have to dig through some old pictures. I didn’t take any this hatch. The yolk gets a small darkened spot at about 24 hours. That’s the blastoderm developing. With my 1250 lumen flashlight, and some practice, I can note this change in all colors of eggs.

It’s not so much a “yes” or “no” on fertility. It’s more “yes” or “maybe”. Then I check the “maybe” eggs again 12-24 hours later. That same spot softens in color but grows in diameter. If that hasn’t happened then the egg isn’t developing. This change is harder to spot and just comes from experience and fiddling with eggs. It’s at that point I purged to reduce numbers in the incubator.

If you want to try this out just mark the eggs with your best guess on fertility. Then check them again at the standard 4-7 days. See how you did in your guesses and learn from it.

 

[samanthaoverton]

Hey does the Isabella leghorn lay as well as a white leghorn? I know stupid question. I love my white leghorns but it drives me nuts how white poultry always finds dirt to get in, I mean they can have a field of grass and no mud..it doesn't matter. No not ocd..

I'm in! I've got 8 eggs (4 Braekel, 2 Isabelle Leghorn, 2 Swedish Flower) under a 4 yr old broody. Due to hatch the weekend of 4/5 June.
View attachment 3116292 View attachment 3116298

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

WOW on the 66%! I have 18 shipped eggs under 2 broody's and really hoping that I get at least 6 to hatch! Last time I tried I had 12 shipped but 4 came cracked/broken. So put 4 the remaining 8 under a broody and 4 in the incubator. 2 under the broody went to hatch day the other 2 never started. The 4 in the incubator 2 never started, 1 quit around day 5-7 and the last one hatched. One under the broody hatched. the other one internally pipped but never externally pipped and I was too late for a safety hole (I brought it into the incubator so I could watch it after it did nothing). I did an eggtopsy and all veins and yolk was absorbed. I was so sad! so only got 2/12 eggs or 2/8 unbroken eggs.

I ordered these ones from a different seller on ebay and the packaging was better so they all arrived safe. hoping more develop and keep growing and make it to hatch.

The lure of shipped eggs is strong! I keep trying them too. Even with unsatisfactory numbers. I’ve never had the opportunity to try them under a broody but that seemed like a good technique to try.

The 66% were bantam Cochins. Even after dozens of hatches that batch remains one of my favorites. They were so cute and all 18 were different colors! They came from eBay. Unfortunately the seller hasn’t been active for awhile. I’ve messaged about more eggs but never got a reply. I’d buy more in a heartbeat.

Can’t wait to see what hatches for you this round!

 

[Perris]

Hey does the Isabella leghorn lay as well as a white leghorn? I know stupid question. I love my white leghorns but it drives me nuts how white poultry always finds dirt to get in, I mean they can have a field of grass and no mud..it doesn't matter. No not ocd..

I really don't know. These will be my first leghorns of any type, so I've nothing to compare them with either

 

[Iluveggers]

I’ll have to dig through some old pictures. I didn’t take any this hatch. The yolk gets a small darkened spot at about 24 hours. That’s the blastoderm developing. With my 1250 lumen flashlight, and some practice, I can note this change in all colors of eggs.

It’s not so much a “yes” or “no” on fertility. It’s more “yes” or “maybe”. Then I check the “maybe” eggs again 12-24 hours later. That same spot softens in color but grows in diameter. If that hasn’t happened then the egg isn’t developing. This change is harder to spot and just comes from experience and fiddling with eggs. It’s at that point I purged to reduce numbers in the incubator.

If you want to try this out just mark the eggs with your best guess on fertility. Then check them again at the standard 4-7 days. See how you did in your guesses and learn from it.

I checked my two lightest again (almost 48 hours. Still look like orange yolks lol. I’ll just stick to day 5, 7 & 10! You must have lots of experience!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

@Iluveggers Here you go. Pics of early candling. My notes say this was at 36 hours. They were Trader Joe’s table eggs. So they were sluggish to develop. This is the growth I would expect to see on fresh local eggs at 24 hours. The horizontal third pic has no development for comparison.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I checked my two lightest again (almost 48 hours. Still look like orange yolks lol. I’ll just stick to day 5, 7 & 10! You must have lots of experience!

It’s definitely not for everyone but I’m glad you gave it a try! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I candle horizontally with the light directly underneath.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Here are some early candle pics of duck eggs. At 36 and 48 hours. I00% hatch rate! Probably because I can’t stand ducks.

 

[junior67]

The lure of shipped eggs is strong! I keep trying them too. Even with unsatisfactory numbers. I’ve never had the opportunity to try them under a broody but that seemed like a good technique to try.

The 66% were bantam Cochins. Even after dozens of hatches that batch remains one of my favorites. They were so cute and all 18 were different colors! They came from eBay. Unfortunately the seller hasn’t been active for awhile. I’ve messaged about more eggs but never got a reply. I’d buy more in a heartbeat.

Can’t wait to see what hatches for you this round!

These are BBS standard Cochin eggs. I really want splash so hoping for at least 1 pullet!!;

 

[Iluveggers]

@Iluveggers Here you go. Pics of early candling. My notes say this was at 36 hours. They were Trader Joe’s table eggs. So they were sluggish to develop. This is the growth I would expect to see on fresh local eggs at 24 hours. The horizontal third pic has no development for comparison.

Wow that’s crazy detailed! Maybe I’ll take a peek at one of the local white eggs tonight when it gets dark now that I know what to look for. But I’m not removing anything until at least day 5 if I see an obvious blood ring. Thank you for taking the time to post that for those of us still learning! If I can get a pic tonight I’ll tag you & see what you think!