May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[CindyinSD]

Okay I just got home from the city and had an extra pair of hands so we re candled a few of the dark eggs View attachment 2148477
This one looked clear to both of us View attachment 2148478View attachment 2148479
Number 4 apparently had a detached air cell that settled on its side once it got into the incubator I didn’t see much else View attachment 2148480View attachment 2148481View attachment 2148482View attachment 2148484View attachment 2148485View attachment 2148486View attachment 2148488View attachment 2148489
I believe 14 maybe was one we saw the baby in the air cell moving other than that we saw no movement. I didn’t want temp to drop any further. I’m a bit flustered cause I just don’t know it’s a tight space so I’d like to have the quitters out but it’s so hard to tell

In my experience (and I haven't incubated the dark chocolate eggs yet) it helps to hold the flashlight against the air cell, with the fleshy part of my flashlight hand covering most of the air cell and the head of the flashlight at the level (about) of my ring finger.

The bright air cell makes seeing the dark part of the egg impossible for me once the chick nears full development. I cannot see more than a few mm beyond the edge of the air cell by this method, but what I do see is defined veins and/or movement. Internal pips are easy to see and don't need special efforts, but anything beyond that bright edge, this that I've described is the only way I can even guess at it.

 

[CindyinSD]

If it is a male, I may keep it just for the coloring.

Death Comet.

 

[FortCluck]

Death Comet.

I’m having fun creating names for these because they’ll be in our flock for good if they are pullets.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

In my experience (and I haven't incubated the dark chocolate eggs yet) it helps to hold the flashlight against the air cell, with the fleshy part of my flashlight hand covering most of the air cell and the head of the flashlight at the level (about) of my ring finger.

The bright air cell makes seeing the dark part of the egg impossible for me once the chick nears full development. I cannot see more than a few mm beyond the edge of the air cell by this method, but what I do see is defined veins and/or movement. Internal pips are easy to see and don't need special efforts, but anything beyond that bright edge, this that I've described is the only way I can even guess at it.

If you have time, would you mind sending a photo of what that looks like (the hand position on the egg and where you hold the flashlight)?
Thanks!

 

[CindyinSD]

If you have time, would you mind sending a photo of what that looks like (the hand position on the egg and where you hold the flashlight)?
Thanks!

I'll see if I can get my hubby to help... of course that would mean disclosing the goose eggs I've got cooking. Hmm. Maybe I'll just do it on an eating egg. What he doesn't know...

 

[FortCluck]

If you have time, would you mind sending a photo of what that looks like (the hand position on the egg and where you hold the flashlight)?
Thanks!

@CindyinSD like this? This is in broad daylight with a maran egg...

I figured I’d help since I’m free

By the way you can see the internal pip

 

[CindyinSD]

BTW, Here's a little vignette (below). I gave my almost done goose eggs to my sitting geese. Not a big success. They crushed all but two (one of which I had to cull for injuries )

They were out walking with the little hatchling this morning and I decided to try an experiment. I had eight goslings (theirs) in a brooder. Two-three weeks old--pretty big. I let a couple of them go near the little family (three geese and their gander) and they instantly spread their wings over them like some kind of protecting angels and started hissing at me, warning me away. I brought the rest out and they claimed them, too.

It was so amazing. The goslings fell right into line and they've all been parading around together, grazing and resting in the shade, ever since.

 

[CindyinSD]

@CindyinSD like this? This is in broad daylight with a maran egg...

I figured I’d help since I’m free

By the way you can see the internal pip

View attachment 2148942

Pretty much. I hide the air cell with the flashlight hand, but it's all the same result. Thanks!

 

[kelseyk]

It was all good until it started turning nice outside - we haven’t had much rain this spring, where usually I would’ve had to have a dehumidifier going in the house steady. Haha. The biggest thing for me was the footprint on it. I have very little horizontal space (that’s safe!) to put a bator on so I figured I would live with whatever other issues come with it. Lol. These eggs just seem to be dehydrating a lot faster than I like. Oh well, depending on how the newer one performs, the original may become a backup.

It is still very dry air here - hands are still cracking due to lack of moisture (usually only a problem in the winter) which is probably a big reason why I can't keep the humidity more constant in my Janoel. The air here won't really get too much more humid than what it already is though. Good luck with your new one! I hope that it works a bit better.

 

[FortCluck]

That’s not my darkest maran eggs I’ll get a picture of that one and the green egg one.

@CluckNDoodle if a chick is born from a green egg... what are the chances it’ll lay green?