June Hatch A Long

[Bookworm0124]

Also this morning around 7:00 am I awoke to our first external pip!

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It's so exciting!! I have two now that have done it!! Can't wait!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

My duck eggs are under a broody chicken (first time hatching). I tried to set pure Blue Swedish eggs, but there could be a Khaki Campbell x Blue Swedish in the mix! Due to hatch Tuesday, as you can see, one is pipping today, but the one with all the veins definitely isn't ready yet.

5 eggs total:
1 external pip
1 internal pip
1 that looks like the above 2 in development that hasn't pipped
2 with lots more veins, one with obvious movement (I saw a wing or something) and one without movement

Good luck on your hatch, Pirate Girl!!!

 

[Bookworm0124]

Ok, I am not 100% caught up (this thread moves quickly), but want input from those more experienced.

Day 26 duck egg, dead or alive? It didn't look terrible to me, but I did not see movement.

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I'm really not sure as I'm still learning, but at day 26 I would put it back and see what happens. It may have been resting when you candled. The two I have that have not pip'd externally yet- one isn't really moving but I'm leaving it in.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

It's so exciting!! I have two now that have done it!! Can't wait!!

Yeah!

 

[Bookworm0124]

Ah, so it’s an attempt not to “have all of your eggs in one basket”? Ha ha! Sorry lame joke! After removing clears, we have a total of 16 eggs left that we’ve been incubating, with 10 of those being shipped Black Copper Marans that I can barely candle. Wednesday night is day 18 and we plan to put them under our two broody gals then, so hen and pipped babies can chatter and start bonding. I had thought that I’d keep the most questionable ones in the incubator, but we recently had an incident with a black rat snake raiding a setting guinea on a nest that resulted in me taking a dozen guinea eggs and putting in the incubator. Since I only have the one incubator, lockdown would be a pain and could compromise the guinea eggs, so I’m rethinking the broodies. One broody is a barnyard mix and one a silkie. I think that the mix is more likely to abandon slow hatching eggs, so I may put the more questionable eggs under the silkie in hopes she will be more patient with the hatch time. Decisions decisions! Ours are first time broodies too, so no guarantee of good behavior!

Very stressful. So sorry about the snake. I'm really hoping she behaves. These weren't "cheap" eggs, came from someone who shows her birds. I'm hoping to get one or two show quality and delve into showing them myself. My husband thinks it's hilarious

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I'm not sure if I can sneak babies under a duck like you can a chicken, they're usually still pretty alert at night. Has anyone here tried?

I have not tried. I have a broody Welsh Harlequin duck with no eggs who takes up a nest box and hisses and lunges at anything that walks past. I’m sure that I could not sneak anything under her at any time!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Very stressful. So sorry about the snake. I'm really hoping she behaves. These weren't "cheap" eggs, came from someone who shows her birds. I'm hoping to get one or two show quality and delve into showing them myself. My husband thinks it's hilarious

Yeah, I was freaking out about the snake!!! My guineas are nesting in the coop - which is a minor miracle! I just happened to get home early from work and heard a big commotion. I ran over, work clothes and ballet slip ons and all, to see guinea hens leaving the coop ina panic and a large snake with an egg half swallowed! I did feel like quite the hero when I grabbed the snake by the tail and hauled it out. I was afraid that the girls would abandon the nest so checked for damaged eggs/development very quickly and grabbed some eggs as backup stock. Mommas later resumed setting, another minor miracle after a nest raid! If their eggs hatch, I’ll put these in a brooder and sell the keets.

 

[jolenesdad]

I have lavenders hatching right now... they are so darn cute

YAY lavenders are adorable chicks!!! Can’t wait to see them all fluffed up!!!

View attachment 1816087 View attachment 1816088 We got 3 hatchlings this morning, can see a few have unzipped so expect they will be out by time we get home and lots of pipped eggs.

Yayyyyyyy!!! Dancing.

I nearly went into withdrawals while the site was down this morning. lol! Those were my prime BackyardChicken forum hours.

I put my Mottled Orpingtons, Crested Cream Legbars, and Whiting's True Blues on early lockdown today because after final candling the Legbars air cells are already changing shape like they're going to hatch so I bet I'll see some peeps on day 19-20!
My final count on lockdown is 10 Mottled Orps, 4 CCLs, and 3 WTBs!
Started with 33, 11 infertile, 5 quitters. I was told to expect 50% fertility with the Orps though so I'm still happy!
Fingers crossed that all 17 peeps hatch successfully!

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All my CCL hatched a day early last time have you seen that in your other hatches?

Eeeek!! So cute! I know they're still wet but it sure looks like you have 2 pullets there!



I think the primary distinction between Whiting's True Blues and Arkansas Blues are just that they were originally developed by different people with the same goals, consistently blue eggs. Since I have experience with the Whiting's and not the Arkansas I will say that the eggs are a lovely blue color every time and my Whiting's also keeps up if not surpasses my White Leghorn in egg production! I get an egg every day from her unless it's stormy or blazing hot, then she lays every other day. I also think she's an adorable smaller chicken that lays a decent sized egg! They also vary in color quite a lot so it will be interesting to see what hatches this time!

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She is so adorable and I LOVE the mixed feather colors of the girls. Adding to my desirable list. I like varied flocks.

Ok, I am not 100% caught up (this thread moves quickly), but want input from those more experienced.

Day 26 duck egg, dead or alive? It didn't look terrible to me, but I did not see movement.

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I feel like odds are good with that veining?

 

[jolenesdad]

Yeah, I was freaking out about the snake!!! My guineas are nesting in the coop - which is a minor miracle! I just happened to get home early from work and heard a big commotion. I ran over, work clothes and ballet slip ons and all, to see guinea hens leaving the coop ina panic and a large snake with an egg half swallowed! I did feel like quite the hero when I grabbed the snake by the tail and hauled it out. I was afraid that the girls would abandon the nest so checked for damaged eggs/development very quickly and grabbed some eggs as backup stock. Mommas later resumed setting, another minor miracle after a nest raid! If their eggs hatch, I’ll put these in a brooder and sell the keets.

Those mamas are keepers!!!

 

[Bookworm0124]

I have not tried. I have a broody Welsh Harlequin duck with no eggs who takes up a nest box and hisses and lunges at anything that walks past. I’m sure that I could not sneak anything under her at any time!

That's what I have and what she's been doing lately lol. I went out to try and candle yesterday to check on air sacks. She wouldn't move. I'm going to try and bribe her with peas soon.