March hatch along. My first incubation ever

[Redheadhomestead]

Hey all, not sure how these hatch alongs work, but I wanted to document my first incubation and figured I could share with everyone along the way. If this post is in the wrong place please move it!


24 eggs went in the incubators today at 5pm

We are incubating 21 prairie bluebell hen eggs and 3 barred rock hen eggs

The rooster is a welsummer.

I collected eggs from 2/21-2/24 and here we are.

 

[jdfog2]

We’re hatch day buddies. My eggs hatch the 18th, too. Super excited!!’

We candled ours and 29 of 30 look good so far
I was hoping for 50 to 70 success so we still have a good chance of meeting that

 

[jdfog2]

Oops. I meant 50 to 70 PERCENT success

This is what happens when I am on my 1st cup of coffee, lol

 

[Redheadhomestead]

I’m pretty sure based on latest candling that I’ll hatch 18-19/22. If that’s the case I’ll be at an 80ish % which I’d be very pleased with. Additionally if I could get the hen/roo split to fall into my favor that would be great also haha

 

[Redheadhomestead]

Ok so we’re sitting at day 5ish and I’ve candled all the eggs for the first time. The data is as followed:

21/24 eggs are for sure fertilized and currently progressing

1/24 pretty sure is just harder to see but still making progress

2/24 I see a clump/ blood island but no vasculature formation so unsure on those.

Additionally 3 of the eggs are very porous and not ideal eggs for incubation but I used all I had to fill the incubators and they seem to be progressing without issue. Below is a pic of one of the barred rocks, some of the bluebell eggs as well as one pic of the porous nature I was referring to. #letsgrow

 

[Redheadhomestead]

alright alright I candled again a last night a couple days later and it turns out it’s just really tough to see with the naked eye. I put them on there and it looked totally dark so I took a picture to send a friend and the vasculature showed up great in the pictures. It’s wild they don’t look like this. Anyway 9-10ish days left and I think we have 19 out of 24 progressing nicely!

 

[Redheadhomestead]

I have quite a few eggs that look like the “porous” one you posted. I described mine as “splotchy.” Is porous the actual name of this? I can’t tell what is happening in these eggs, and they look totally solid colored & normal until they are candled. Do you know why they look like this?

Also, I did day 10 candling on Tuesday. We have 11/22 definites. Several that never showed signs of development (probably infertile), and at least 1 early quitter. Hatch day is the 18th. I’m so excited!!

Porous is definitely the terminology I would use and have seen used in the “sticky” forums specifically under the candling threads. It’s less than ideal if you had your choice of eggs but mine seem to be doing fine and if I had no choice I’d use them all day long. Nothing wrong with the egg just manufactured from the hen a little different. I’m sure someone could give you a more scientific explanation of why, but personally I would chalk it up to reproductive variation. Lot of people have opinions on these forums, perhaps some would say more calcium but my shells are solid and thick so I wouldn’t put much thought into it. The 18th?! That so cool. Keep me posted on your hatch! Would love to see some pics.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I did my candling early this morning and surprisingly I see definite 8 out of 9, the other is a welsummer mix egg and hard to see through. I'm happy for all your possible littles

 

[junior67]

Mine are on day 18 around 2:30 tomorrow so that is when I start lockdown as well. I am so excited to have baby chicks again!!!!!!!!

 

[Redheadhomestead]

That’s great info!! Thank you for passing that along. I’m trying to keep expectations very low for this first hatch, but who are we kidding it’s gonna sting a little if we come in real low.