Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[NotAFarm]

Quote:


We are going to get to 200 yet!!

 

[SierraView]

I hope we get more I based my guess on there being more people. lol

 

[Wisher1000]

Now that we are thinking about collecting eggs, time for you "old Pros" to give us your best advice on choosing and storing eggs for the hatch day. Give us your thoughts on cleaning the eggs and handling while waiting. Where do you store them and what day do you start collecting? Us first timers are all ears!

 

[1muttsfan]

Okay Im in!
Eggs are coming this week, eggs in the incubator are due to hatch on the 15th. Two broodies in the back to take care of eggs already in the incubator, just in case they want to hatch late.

Yay Mom, glad you joined us - Farmerboy and Hillbilly Hen are also in

Shipped Eggs with air cell damage: Hatching Tip #?

This was posted by aveca:

my vet gave me a plan sheet quite a few years ago..it says for shipped eggs after the initial 24 hr rest period she had me place them in the forced airin turner but do not turn the turner on for the 1st 5 - 7 days depending on the damage..i have seen some pretty bad bubbly air cells heal as they grow and become surrounded by the veining..that gives embryo time to get a good start, after that a candeling and turner goes on..you will be suprised that those will hatch, hatch them in upright position in case air cell tends to travel a lot at lockdown time. we hatched a bunch of del eggs for a freind that were shipped.

I hope this helps

Ron

Ron, would you consider posting the entire sheet if you have access to it? I would love to see it.

 

[Mahonri]

When I had roos, I would start collecting 10 days before set day and I'd mark the day collected on each egg. If I didn't have room in the bator for everything I'd collected, the oldest eggs wouldn't go into the bator. I at one time had an extra fridge that I could keep at 50-55 degrees to store the eggs... rotating them inside the fridge 3 times a day. I know some that keep them at room temp (72 degrees) and they rotated them every day. You just don't want them getting too cool nor too warm.

 

[gryeyes]

I don't clean the eggs. I've been lucky never to have received any dirty ones from sellers.

I don't clean the eggs I gather for eating, either, unless they are really dirty (after rainy days - those darn chickens don't wipe their feet before entering the nest boxes!) and then I just pick off any stuck shavings and wipe the eggs with a dry towel. Dirtier eggs, I keep for myself and wash with water warmer than the eggs themselves, just before I crack 'em open.

For storing eggs, I put them on the counter in my kitchen in flats.

For HATCHING eggs, shipped and received before the set date, I just let them rest in the office (where my incubators are set up).

 

[buckabucka]

I had never considered putting the shipped eggs in the incubator without the turner on for several days. I guess I need to know what a broken up air cell looks like. I really have never had success candling. The light I have is bright, but it gets so flaming hot that I feel like I shouldn't hold the egg up to it for long. I usually just candle right before lockdown, - the developing eggs look black by then. If anyone has a candling "cheat sheet", I could use one.

I've only hatched twice, the first time was a total failure (my rooster was apparently not fertile). The second time was shipped eggs. I only rested them for 12 hours and put them immediately in the turner. 10 of 13 hatched, so I was really lucky.

Also, should I start incubating the shipped eggs immediately after a 24 hour rest? As opposed to waiting until our official set date? I don't know what day my eggs will arrive, but it is best to get started ASAP, correct?

 

[BHep]

 

[Mahonri]

HOWDY BETH!

 

[Lotsapaints]

I have a few not really producing enough to sell more than 4 or 6-pure I have Bourbons and Midget Whites then I have a Blue Penciled Tom in with Auburns and some Midget Whites I only have one Palm laying and she travels around who knows what tom...what a hussy. Like I said I'll start putting them up on the 24hr auction this weekend when I have a better idea of what I have.