May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[CindyinSD]

So, we are the ones that put eggs in the incubator while waiting for a hen to go broody. We set 12 OE (BCM x Ameraucana) and 6 BCM, but intended to candle at a week and only keep 6 developing OEs (I doubt I’ll be able to tell with them BCM - so tough to candle!). I thought fertility would be poor because the roo had only been in there for a few days when we started collecting eggs, he is clumsy, and he has 14 hens to cover. Today is Day 4, and every OE egg is developing! I find them so beautiful - I forgot how quickly I get attached to incubating eggs! So, DD and I are discussing - she thinks we should stick with the plan and eliminate six OE eggs at one week, so we can keep the total at 12 eggs and still hope a hen will go broody and take care of the chicks. Now I’m torn and want to keep all of the eggs going and figure something out... We had planned to butcher some of these as meat birds, so extras wouldn’t necessarily be bad... Has anyone here eliminated developing eggs? Or placed 18 babies with a hen? We have Marek’s, so we can’t give away or sell the chicks, unfortunately...

Keep them all!!!

 

[FortCluck]

Nope have not ever been in this position. Normally just buy baby chicks and make sure they are hens which we have been super lucky until last year and we ended up with only 2 hens and 7 roos.

Get a good flashlight and candle the eggs. It's the only way you'll know what's going on. If you can post pics, we can let you know what day they look to be on. It'll be an estimate, but it's better than nothing.

 

[Honora]

So, we are the ones that put eggs in the incubator while waiting for a hen to go broody. We set 12 OE (BCM x Ameraucana) and 6 BCM, but intended to candle at a week and only keep 6 developing OEs (I doubt I’ll be able to tell with them BCM - so tough to candle!). I thought fertility would be poor because the roo had only been in there for a few days when we started collecting eggs, he is clumsy, and he has 14 hens to cover. Today is Day 4, and every OE egg is developing! I find them so beautiful - I forgot how quickly I get attached to incubating eggs! So, DD and I are discussing - she thinks we should stick with the plan and eliminate six OE eggs at one week, so we can keep the total at 12 eggs and still hope a hen will go broody and take care of the chicks. Now I’m torn and want to keep all of the eggs going and figure something out... We had planned to butcher some of these as meat birds, so extras wouldn’t necessarily be bad... Has anyone here eliminated developing eggs? Or placed 18 babies with a hen? We have Marek’s, so we can’t give away or sell the chicks, unfortunately...

For sure keep them all. It’s possible to lose chicks even up to hatching day, so the fact that they are all developing doesn’t mean they will all hatch. Like the saying goes....

 

[chickiebaby1]

I'm going to join this hatch-a-long!! I plan on setting d'uccle,bantam cochin, silky and polish/frizzle eggs this weekend. I just hatched out some silky, turken and barnyard mix this week and it gave me the hatching bug. Now I can't wait to get more babies.

 

[wolfwalker]

May is going to be absolutely bonkers for me with 6 separate hatches, I just ordered FBCM eggs. Just candled the May 4th hatch and removed 1 with no development out of 22 CCL.

 

[kelseyk]

Just set my Gold Appenzellers - Hatch day is May 14th.

 

[BertyRoux]

Is it Monday yet?

Candled last night, found one I need keep an eye on. Also saw several active little ones kicking around in there, which is encouraging.

 

[SharW75]

Joining in! We have one broody bantam cochin with about a week to go, so she could still make it for an April hatch. Another bantam cochin is on about day 4, so she'll definitely be a May hatch. We're also getting ready to set some eggs in the incubator--some of ours, and some shipped (due Monday, but hopefully arriving tomorrow... ).

We candled our furthest along broody a few days ago, and saw wonderful things in all three of her eggs!

 

[SueT]

Broody Moonshine is on Day 2. I was able to be there today when she took her break from the nest, and I discovered an extra little egg had been laid, so now she has 6. I marked the new one in case any more are coming so that I can remove them. She has been known to lay an egg or 2 when broody. She's my only bantam, so it is definitely hers.
Luckily none of the other 5 hens like her upstairs nest box. They fight over the milk crates. Her eggs should be safe up there, but I'll have to move everyone down after hatching.
My 9 remaining incubator eggs are on Day 9. There are a couple Day 2 eggs in with them as insurance/replacements for any of Moonshine's brood.

 

[CindyinSD]

My faithful broody Narragansett isn't having very good luck. She started out with twelve eggs. All but three began developing. I put on some gloves and a long-sleeved shirt (body armor) last night and candled what she had left. Took away three more and left a few questionable ones. I sure hope she gets at least a few babies out of this. Such a good girl.