March Hatch-A-Long

[Stick Chicken]

It's not too late! Welcome.
That is a pretty hen. She has a nice color.

 

[Merrymouse]

Hi All, hatching newbie with a question. i set my eggs last Sunday so it says Im on day 15 (the brinsea counts backward from 21) and I have not even opened the lid. Temp has been steady at 99.6 ish. Im using the mini brinsea with 7 eggs. When do I candle....and how do I candle....and what do I look for? and whats a blood ring....? I did tell you guys I would be annoying with questions Here's a picture of my crested cream legbat Kiki sitting on my lap just for something pretty to look at while you ponder all my dumb questions

 

[SA Farm]

Questions aren’t annoying or dumb. We’ve all been first-timers at some point
You can candle whenever, really. I do an early one at 6-7 days to pull empties (non-starters usually infertile). And check for quitters just before lockdown. (Blood ring looks like a red line through the middle of the egg.)
To candle, I use my cell phone flashlight and hold the egg over the light in a dark room. You typically want to hold the egg with the air sac over the light so you can see better. Side can work too, but it depends on the colour of the egg and whatnot.
I only look for air sac, veining, and blood rings or anything else abnormal.
You can just see the veining in the body of this one that’s just about 2 weeks/4.

It’s waaay easier to tell in person. Taking pics of eggs being candled isn’t easy

 

[Stick Chicken]

Typically, you want to candle after approximately a week so that you can see if there is development in the egg. To do this, you want to go into a dark room and put use a candler or a strong flashlight(I use a flashlight, personally). You want to put the light against the egg and look for veins or a dot, both of which may be moving around the egg. This means that the egg is fertile and is growing. However, sometimes it is hard to tell with a darker colored egg.
I hope this answers your questions...

 

[Stick Chicken]

Sorry @SA Farm didn't see your answers.

 

[SA Farm]

Sorry @SA Farm didn't see your answers.

It’s all good

 

[2Chic]

Hello everyone! I'd like to join in. I have small hatches of LF Dominiques & Bantam New Hampshires scheduled each week. Struggling with Wyandotte fertility so looking forward to candling the latest batch next week. I run 2 Hova-bator 1588s. One as incubator and the other as a hatcher.
I've read earlier discussion regarding power outages. I experienced the 1st while incubating in early Feb. It got me to thinking I needed to plan to better protect chicks and eggs in the future. Not wanting to invest in a generator, I decided upon a power inverter and a box of Little Hotties. Figured both those things would get used around here even if I didn't experience another poultry emergency. Anything else that I should keep on hand?

 

[Sinful chick]

Ok Im in. I have never done this before so Ill need a lot of help and moral support
I got a Mini Brinsea Advance II and plan on setting 7 eggs today. I dont have roosters so Im getting some from a breeder friend nearby today. I wanted more colorful egg layers so Im hopefully getting some wheaten marans, maybe cream legbars, olive eggers but her specialty is swedish flowers so I may get some of those too. So a mixed batch depending on what she collects today. I have no idea what Im doing but from what Ive read the brinsea kinda does all the work but Im sure I'll have questions so you all have been warned

I’m following you!!!

Feed stores, Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist...are all options, or if you are handy you can make your own. The Styrofoam base models do well enough if you are only going to incubate a couple times a year. Used ones are usually about $40-50. New $80-90. Also will need a decent thermometer (or 2) and hygrometer to measure humidity...these will cost another $10 or so.

It is worth it, even once, to wait with anticipation and then see chicks hatch before your eyes. I timed a hatch one time for Christmas day. Nobody cared what was under the tree, they were glued to the incubator watching chicks pip and hatch.

Cant wait!!!

 

[cppeace]

Welcome newbies
Ye questions are welcome here for sure. Looks like ya'll have been answered so far.

 

[Stick Chicken]

Hello everyone! I'd like to join in. I have small hatches of LF Dominiques & Bantam New Hampshires scheduled each week. Struggling with Wyandotte fertility so looking forward to candling the latest batch next week. I run 2 Hova-bator 1588s. One as incubator and the other as a hatcher.
I've read earlier discussion regarding power outages. I experienced the 1st while incubating in early Feb. It got me to thinking I needed to plan to better protect chicks and eggs in the future. Not wanting to invest in a generator, I decided upon a power inverter and a box of Little Hotties. Figured both those things would get used around here even if I didn't experience another poultry emergency. Anything else that I should keep on hand?

Welcome.