September Hatch-A-Long

[rosinsk1772]

I am looking to buy some Swedish Flower Hen eggs to hatch in early October.
I have my homemade incubator warming up. Normally I hand turn the eggs, but with my schedule this fall, I have decided to invest in an automatic egg turner, which should arrive within the next few days.
I am have a few different options for buying eggs.  There is a seller on this BYC who might be within driving distance, and I know of another seller on ebay who I have done business with in the past who also has eggs for sale and is within driving distance.
We'll see what happens.

Do you live near Massachusetts? I bought mine from Twin Cedar Farms which I highly recommend. They ship as well I believe. The owners have an impressive chicken farm. The SFH are all pure

 

[Y N dottes]

Update and last post forthis page. The chicks are three days old now and doing great. Momma bird is taking awesome care of them and they've started going on walks around the yard with the rest of the flock.

That's great. . . thanks for sharing everything with us

 

[lauraschicks]

I agree. The box was in near perfect condition and none of the eggs were cracked or broken but that doesn't say much to how they treated it. I'm hoping they didn't get scrambled.  If so, then at least I got my chicks last night so I won't be completely without.  Even if one hatches I'd consider it a success because they were shipped from Maryland to Oklahoma.  What a trip!

The last batch I received through the mail was listed as having been delivered on Friday on the tracking information, but didn't get to me until Monday. 6 bantam Mille Fleur Cochin eggs. All 6 have been either infertile or killed before they could develop.
But I still have 8/9 ducks eggs that I think are viable.

@everyone

Has anyone candled and found the developing mass and veins on two sides of the eggs, connected in the middle at the top of the egg, but lying like a pancake over an egg with an apparently clear albumin hill in the middle? Most of the developing eggs have a solid mass/blob. I don't see any blood rings and they seem to be changing each time I candle.

 

[redhen689]

Do you live near Massachusetts? I bought mine from Twin Cedar Farms which I highly recommend. They ship as well I believe. The owners have an impressive chicken farm. The SFH are all pure

Thank you. I live in Pennsylvania. I know of two sellers in PA. One is on BYC, but I'm not sure how far away ( I just sent him a PM), and an ebay seller who I have done business with in the past, he is just shy of a 2 hour drive away, which is about my limit, unless I'm traveling that way for something else. I have never dealt with shipped eggs. I hear too many stories about eggs that never develop.

 

[VA Raptor]

I agree. The box was in near perfect condition and none of the eggs were cracked or broken but that doesn't say much to how they treated it. I'm hoping they didn't get scrambled. If so, then at least I got my chicks last night so I won't be completely without. Even if one hatches I'd consider it a success because they were shipped from Maryland to Oklahoma. What a trip!

Congrats on your new babies. I hope you get something out of this new batch.

Shipped eggs seem like such a crap shoot, but sometimes there's not a local alternative.

 

[krista74]

I have HUGE news!

We are on Day 20, and there has been no chirping, no movement of the eggs, nothing.... I was 110% convinced all my eggs were dead, especially since there is a death-like smell in the nest, and we had two rotten eggs explode over EVERYTHING on Day 14, including the other eggs and my Broody Hen.

Anyway, I went into the coop this morning and it was dead quiet. I fed everyone and watered them, and then decided (against all my better judgement) to just have a quick look under Broody and see if anything was happening......

As I lifted her front end up gently, I was met with the beautiful face of a little baby chickie!

I have no idea if 'he' is a boy or a girl, but 'he' was obviously born overnight because 'he' has had time to dry off and fluff up. I am going to call 'him' Peepers, for now!

'He' is just so darn cute I want to eat him up!

So, for anyone who thinks no movement and no chirping = no chicks - have hope. Peepers is a miracle chickie. There are 6 other eggs under my Broody so I will watch and keep my fingers crossed he/she gets someone to play with too.

I am so happy, especially for my dear Broody who has worked so hard.

- Krista

 

[Y N dottes]

That's great news. . . its good your broody has a rewards for her hard work

 

[chantelhatt]

I have HUGE news!

We are on Day 20, and there has been no chirping, no movement of the eggs, nothing.... I was 110% convinced all my eggs were dead, especially since there is a death-like smell in the nest, and we had two rotten eggs explode over EVERYTHING on Day 14, including the other eggs and my Broody Hen.

Anyway, I went into the coop this morning and it was dead quiet. I fed everyone and watered them, and then decided (against all my better judgement) to just have a quick look under Broody and see if anything was happening......

As I lifted her front end up gently, I was met with the beautiful face of a little baby chickie!

I have no idea if 'he' is a boy or a girl, but 'he' was obviously born overnight because 'he' has had time to dry off and fluff up. I am going to call 'him' Peepers, for now!

'He' is just so darn cute I want to eat him up!

So, for anyone who thinks no movement and no chirping = no chicks - have hope. Peepers is a miracle chickie. There are 6 other eggs under my Broody so I will watch and keep my fingers crossed he/she gets someone to play with too.

I am so happy, especially for my dear Broody who has worked so hard.

- Krista

we all most have the samw thing happen only i never had any eggs explode< i have one cute little chinese silkie and five more under her

 

[krista74]

Yay!

Today is going to be a GREAT day!

- Krista

 

[Yara]

I just set my eggs. I got 12 but one was cracked on further inspection. Just gonna go with the flow and hope for a few peepers in 3 weeks!