Mid-May Hatch-A-Long 2018

[Cerise1924]

Hi, friends!

Anyone is welcome to join this little hatch-a-long for chicks due in mid May. I find I can get a bit overwhelmed by the really busy hatch-a-long threads, so this one is bound to be a bit smaller and maybe easier to manage because of the narrower time frame.

Right now, I have just five eggs in the incubator: two Crested Cream Legbars, one Jubilee Orpington, and two Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtons, all shipped eggs from Papa's Poultry. Anticipated hatch date is May 18. Thankfully, I have the day off work!

I did have six eggs, but I donated one Crested Cream Legbar egg to my little Sebright who has gone broody. Let's see what she can do with it!

What are you hatching? Incubator or broody? New hatcher, or experienced? I'd like to know who else has chicks due the second or third week or May!

 

[GldnValleyHens]

I've got 5 D'Uccle eggs in the bator, started them a week and a half ago. Embryos are looking great so far! I'm not an experienced hatcher, this is my 2nd attempt. Parents of the eggs are Edna Mae, a Mille Fleur and Napoleon, a Porcelain. I'm hoping for some beautiful babies!

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

May 23rd-24th. Lavender Ameracuana's 18 eggs I have 2 broody. First attempt was a big fail. Second shot as my fingers are crossed.

 

[Cerise1924]

Thanks for joining @GldnValleyHens ! Oh, my goodness - D'Uccles are adorable! You are going to have gorgeous little chicks. I would love to see pics of Edna Mae and Napoleon. Are they yours?

Glad your embryos are looking good. I can see one of my Cuckoo Lemon Orps has nice veining, and is moving around, at 7 days. I think I'll candle again at 10 days, to see how the others are looking.

Keep posting!

Cerise

 

[Cerise1924]

@8 Chicks 1967

Lavender Ameraucanas! Wow, you managed to get beautifully coloured hens and eggs! Wishing you good luck with this hatch. Do you know what went wrong last time?

-Cerise

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

@8 Chicks 1967

Lavender Ameraucanas! Wow, you managed to get beautifully coloured hens and eggs! Wishing you good luck with this hatch. Do you know what went wrong last time?

-Cerise

My only guess is they got too cold before my hens went broody we had several morning at or just below freezing. All these eggs I brought in the house and kept at room tempeture. They were still broody after several failed attempts to break them so, I gave up and gave each hen 9 eggs a peace. The first hatch date would have been April 18th. Fingers cross we shall see.

 

[Cerise1924]

Well, one of my CLB eggs shows a blood ring, and the other two don't show any development.
Both my Lemon Orp eggs look great! The Jubilee Orp is so porous, it's really hard for me to see what's going on.
I'm going to try to slide the Lemon Orp eggs under my broody Sebright, once I'm sure she's dedicated. Those will be big chicks for a little mama! Two may be all she can keep warm.
Any advice on having a bantam raise large fowl?

 

[RowanTheRed]

I have eggs due to hatch mothers day weekend. Started with 22, but I'm down to 18. Today is day 14 so I will candle them tonight to see how they fair.

This is our first time incubating. We have a variety of eggs, some from our girls and a dozen from a nearby breeder.

Ours will be all EE. We had 2 roos, one beautiful red EE and one beautiful lavender ameraucana. Our girls are splash Orpington, silver lace cochin, brown leghorns and golden comets.

The eggs I bought are a half dozen each of English blue Orpington and black ameraucana eggs.

For the most part, all has be going as planned. EXCEPT that one of the EBO eggs seems about 4 days ahead of the others and then one other plus 2 BA seem a few days ahead. The breeder told me some of her girls were broody and they mast be a day or two ahead, but I wasn't xpecting more than that!

Anyways, tonight will hopefully give me a better idea.

 

[Julie SC]

I have five Silkie eggs in the incubator. Just put them in on the 3rd. Will keep you posted.

my two broody Silkie girls just hatched out 9 mixed group of Silkie, Sizzle and Frizzle Cochin. Really beautiful colors. Lemon Cuckoo, Millie Fleur, blue and mottled.

 

[Cerise1924]

@RowanTheRed Welcome to the hatchalong! It's very exciting to follow along with your first time incubating, especially with such a lovely variety of eggs. That does sound tricky having eggs that might hatch early, as it complicates the timing of lockdown, perhaps. I think that 18 out of 22 by Day 14 is a pretty good rate!

Looking forward to your updates.

-Cerise