June Hatch a Long

[Alaskan]

Okay - really excited now - I went to pick up my guinea eggs to put in the bator - I get there and this sweet lady shows me her flock - she has some beautiful LF Cochins.

I walked around and talked with her for a bit about the cochins and then she took me to the next coop over from the cochins - THERE she had these gorgeous, GORGEOUS French Birchen Marans (from Wade Jeane's bloodline!!)

I could not believe what I was hearing (or seeing) - so I asked about buying some only to find out that she had placed an add to sell some of the eggs but didn't get any takers - so she refrigerated them. As we walked through her coops she collected all the eggs the hens had laid this morning - 4 LF Cochin, 2 Birchen Marans, and one Dominique. We went inside to get the guinea eggs that I had gone to pick up and she showed me all the info on the bloodlines of her Marans - we talked a bit longer AND THEN - when I got ready to leave - she handed me the eggs that she collected while we were walking through the coop. She asked me to let her know how the hatch comes out and if I would like to purchase more eggs! I couldn't believe that I only paid $15 for ALL of these eggs (guinea and chicken).

WOW - now I am super excited about this hatch!!!

Hatch day for chicken eggs: June 14th
Hatch day for guinea eggs: June 21st

That is a DREAM COME TRUE! (Except of course, maybe she should be arrested for being a 'chicken math' enabler. )

 

[BearSpringsFarm]

That is a DREAM COME TRUE! (Except of course, maybe she should be arrested for being a 'chicken math' enabler. )

LOL - sure made my day!!

 

[TheCrazyChick]

Second batch in a row with zero zilch nada chicks hatched. My rate was better BEFORE I added the dang fan! Actually only one of them even had a chick inside at all, so I think I have had a bad run with shipped eggs. The next 10 days I am driving pretty much all over Ohio and picking up eggs direct from the breeders. If that doesn't help, then I am packing away the incubator for a good long while.

 

[mrsguardian88]

Second batch in a row with zero zilch nada chicks hatched. My rate was better BEFORE I added the dang fan! Actually only one of them even had a chick inside at all, so I think I have had a bad run with shipped eggs. The next 10 days I am driving pretty much all over Ohio and picking up eggs direct from the breeders. If that doesn't help, then I am packing away the incubator for a good long while.

I'm so sorry to hear this!! I hope you have better luck with getting them on your own!! (((Hugs)))

 

[Alaskan]

Second batch in a row with zero zilch nada chicks hatched. My rate was better BEFORE I added the dang fan! Actually only one of them even had a chick inside at all, so I think I have had a bad run with shipped eggs. The next 10 days I am driving pretty much all over Ohio and picking up eggs direct from the breeders. If that doesn't help, then I am packing away the incubator for a good long while.

Totally frustrating!

I am starting to think a $300 incubator is maybe worth the reduced stress level

 

[TheCrazyChick]

Totally frustrating!

I am starting to think a $300 incubator is maybe worth the reduced stress level

I am thinking the same thing, but not sure I can justify that kind of expenditure. Maybe the $150 type. Not sure. Will be doing a lot of research first.

 

[TheCrazyChick]

I'm so sorry to hear this!! I hope you have better luck with getting them on your own!! (((Hugs)))

Thanks! I'll let everyone know if there's a big difference in hatch rate!

 

[mrsguardian88]

Wow. So I candled tonight and saw definite development in 19 of 24! The other 5 either had a red ring or too clear, but I left them in to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks! I guess I should have more faith, I was starting to lose all hope after not seeing much in my buffs last night. Going to try to wait until day 7 to candle again!

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Candled my shipped eggs along with local breeder eggs and a handful of my eggs I set. Pulled 1 Non fertile of mine, 1 seeping shipped (Was sent with attemped repair) and 1 local (Same as shipped failed repair.) Almost tossed alot more but figured let em cook and check in a few days/week. They just seem to be late developing, except mine. Will figure something out. Might put in seperate hatchers so if they are 3-4 days off I won't kill late bloomers. Really glad I made that homemade bator and repaired/altered the other dead LG. Still thinking making a Homemade cabinate style but waiting on that scenario.

Tomorrow most likely setting Rouen and Guinea eggs. Then some chickens a week from then for an experiment I am wanting to try. After that its up to the birds. I think I need a break from set/roll/candle/lockdown

. If I don't I'll end up with 500 birds before my pullets mature this summer/fall.

Broody BA still stone cold sitting. As well as broody guinea hen. Have a rough idea when BA due, around the 3rd (I hope) and NO IDEA when guinea is due. Could be this month or next. Don't even know how many eggs she has yet. Have not had a chance to see nest w/o her on it. Both these girls are determined. Which Is nice for me. 1st broody chicken ever willing to go the distance and with guineas last year had great hatch rate considering we didn't even know about the nest they had been sitting on. And they hatched amlost every egg (we helped a couple after mamas left the nest but mama took to them fine). Just bad brooding after the hatch.
1st 2 weeks in June will be a killer on me from hatch and brooding. After that I might take a breath and cull some birds I don't want to ever go into breeding, will save them for layers though. Or freezer camp in the case of boys.

 

[EggieRowe]

I couldn't wait another day so I candled last night instead of tonight. All 6 OE eggs were developing. Nice to see normal air cells - these eggs I collected in person instead of having shipped. I can't make out the air cells in the 6 dark Marans eggs. I guess I'm going to have to break down and get a candler. I was using a pretty strong LED flashlight. Any suggestions on a good model or an easy DIY project?