October Hatch-a-long 2022🎃🐣🍁

[Clodill4rel]

If you have another incubator you can use one as a hatcher and place the eggs in there as they reach DAY 19 development
(sgnificant drawdown).

I will set that deal up today! Your wonderful

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So only 7/11 hatched this go round. 2 were malpositioned and needed assisting, these were smaller eggs.
I have these two caged off in the incubator so they can find their feet without being pestered by their more vigorous hatch mates.
My birds generally lay 40 gram eggs, give or take a few grams. Some of these were as low as 34 grams. After this hatch and experience from previous hatches, 38 grams is going to be my cutoff weight for hatching eggs in the future. A few smaller eggs are in the next set due in a week, I’ll see how they do. I keep good records, so can easily look back and see what works best.

 

[3KillerBs]

My birds generally lay 40 gram eggs, give or take a few grams. Some of these were as low as 34 grams. After this hatch and experience from previous hatches, 38 grams is going to be my cutoff weight for hatching eggs in the future.

Those sound so tiny to me!

My largest in this batch was 64g. The small ones were 3 at 47g and 1 at 46g -- which I set as a sort of reluctant experiment with the goal of getting ahead on my F2 generation and acceptance of the fact that hatching pullet eggs can be iffy -- though all were developing at the last check (I'll see how they are today).

I would prefer not to hatch anything under 55g but I'm not to the point of being able to be that choosy yet.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Those sound so tiny to me!

My largest in this batch was 64g. The small ones were 3 at 47g and 1 at 46g -- which I set as a sort of reluctant experiment with the goal of getting ahead on my F2 generation and acceptance of the fact that hatching pullet eggs can be iffy -- though all were developing at the last check (I'll see how they are today).

I would prefer not to hatch anything under 55g but I'm not to the point of being able to be that choosy yet.

They do seem small.
Relative to the birds’ size they are quite large, though dwarfed by my BCMs nearly 80 gram eggs. Most of my standards lay 60-70 gram eggs.
I have successfully hatched pullet eggs without problems, though there is definitely a correlation with size and the malpositioned chicks.
Fingers crossed yours do well.

 

[3KillerBs]

Relative to the birds’ size they are quite large, though dwarfed by my BCMs nearly 80 gram eggs. Most of my standards lay 60-70 gram eggs.

My FCMs and my California White lay the biggest eggs -- pretty much in those ranges, at least in the spring. I noticed that the fall eggs are a few grams smaller.

I'm aiming for a flock average of about 65-70 over time.

The biggest egg I ever set, a 74g FCM egg was dead-in-shell after lockdown.

Looking at my notes, I did hatch a 46g Easter Egger egg for my Easter hatch. All those eggs -- from a local trade -- were about 10g below my averages.

 

[CSolis]

My bantam cochin mix has moved into her new accommodations for hatch day. Today is day 13 of incubation. I cleaned up the baby crib brooder on the front deck (under the overhang) and got it all prepared for the big move out of the bantam pen. Not wanting her to be disturbed or any additional eggs 'donated', this was my best choice. She is sitting on one of her eggs, one of Betty's eggs, and 4 F1 eggs from my project pen. She rode the royal princess 'litter' in style..

Two eggs from this hen and her dad (pictured)

And 2 from this hen and same rooster.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

My bantam cochin mix has moved into her new accommodations for hatch day. Today is day 13 of incubation. I cleaned up the baby crib brooder on the front deck (under the overhang) and got it all prepared for the big move out of the bantam pen. Not wanting her to be disturbed or any additional eggs 'donated', this was my best choice. She is sitting on one of her eggs, one of Betty's eggs, and 4 F1 eggs from my project pen. She rode the royal princess 'litter' in style..View attachment 3278416View attachment 3278415Two eggs from this hen and her dad (pictured)View attachment 3278417 And 2 from this hen and same rooster.View attachment 3278418

Excellent use of an old crib!
She looks quite content in her royal digs!

 

[CSolis]

Excellent use of an old crib!
She looks quite content in her royal digs!

I can watch the happenings from where I sit (via the front window) She's head back down doing the broody stare now. Glad she's settled in.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Just pulled another early quitter from the shipped eggs. Down to 9.

Photo of the egg. The eggshell on this one is more opaque but you can clearly see two little blobs instead of a formed embryo.

Side view of the same egg shows some of the blood pooling. Shown also in black-and-white again to better see details.

Compare these to a healthy 8 day embryo in this photo.

 

[3KillerBs]

Just pulled another early quitter from the shipped eggs. Down to 9.

Photo of the egg. The eggshell on this one is more opaque but you can clearly see two little blobs instead of a formed embryo. View attachment 3278476View attachment 3278490


Side view of the same egg shows some of the blood pooling. Shown also in black-and-white again to better see details.

View attachment 3278477View attachment 3278489

Compare these to a healthy 8 day embryo in this photo.View attachment 3278478

I am learning so much from these posts!