Set 86 Eggs Tonight *FORTY-FOUR Hatched--Hatch Over *

[speckledhen]

I just set 86 eggs. Yup, that's right, I'm officially insane. All were shipped except the BBS Orps. Doesn't this look like a fun mix?

10 BBS Plymouth Rocks
8 EE and/or Ameraucana (the P.O. was pretty rough on these--air cells are detached in most or all)
4 Silver Laced Wyandotte
5 Blue Laced Red Wyandotte
1 Lav Ameraucana x Black Copper Marans (olive egger)
6 New Hampshires
20 Barred Plymouth Rock *14 from one source and 6 from another, different lines--hatching in separate bators and receiving ID bands*
14 Buff Orpingtons
12 D'Anvers *5 Porcelains & 7 Mille Fleur*

and finally, 6 BBS Orpingtons from my own pen, all belonging to Smoky since Dusty isn't laying at the moment.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Holy Chicken!!! I sure hope you have lots of room for all those chickies!!!! I do believe you have outdone yourself! I

down to you and your ambition. I cant say as I would aspire to such heights because my neighbors would

! Have fun!!!!

 

[Qi Chicken]

Wow, for some reason I thought you were downsizing!! Looks like fun though! Good luck to you!

 

[chickpeaz]

I love it! My 'bator will only accomodate a maximum of 20 eggs (I know, because I have 20 eggs crammed into it right now) -- thank goodness, too, because it's the only thing holding me back.

 

[FourPawz]

No, Cynthia, you're not insane. You have just been hit with a virulent form of chicken math, like the rest of the forum

 

[debilorrah]

If I had a cabinet bator Ken would leave me.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, the plan isn't to keep them all, but have a large pool to choose my keepers from. This ought to do it if even half of them hatch. Yes, I am downsizing. I really am. Remember, most of my flock is older, the oldest over five years old and quite a few others over three and four years old. I also realized that unless I hatched some Barred Rocks from outside sources, shortly, all my BRs would be gone, and I always want those in my flock.

virulent form of chicken math

Perhaps I should be culled. Does that disease produce carriers?

Deb, I don't have a cabinet incubator. I'm using two Hovabators and am hand turning all the eggs in one of them, since I have only one turner. That may be a PAIN, but there was no choice. At first candling, I'm sure that I'll be removing quite a few eggs and the number I must turn by hand will most likely be decreased.​

 

[speckledhen]

Wow, I can't believe this one! Out of 86 eggs, 80 of which were shipped, at first candling there are 76 that are developing nicely! *Made a correction after a miscount* May be more because I left a few in that seemed to be forming blood rings, but couldn't tell for sure anything except that they were fertile and had developed a bit--could be it's just a thick vein on a couple and they're fine. Time will tell. The six BBS Orp eggs from my own hens were not fertile

so LH, Adonis is your last hope at the moment for a Suede son.

Kathy (halo), every one of the EEs and Ameraucana eggs we thought were done for are developing, all 8 of them! They had floating aircells, but seems that some may have stabilized. Out of the BBS Rock eggs, there are 5 growing nicely, one is too murky to see into, and two have a possible blood ring forming. One has veining but a floating air cell so no idea what will happen there.

Kathyinmo, out of 14 Barred Rocks, we have 11 developing nicely, 2 clears with detached aircells, and 1 possible blood ring forming, but it may be deceptive so I only pulled the two with no veining.
The rest of them are also doing great for shipped eggs:
Of 5 BLRW, 4 are developing, 1 clear.
Of 6 NHs, 4 are developing, 2 possible blood rings forming.
Of 4 SLWs, 4 are developing
The one Lav Amer/Marans seems to be developing, but that shell is way dark to be certain-I will try again on that one.

Of the other eggs in the bator, out of 14 total Buff Orpingtons from two sources, there are only 3 either clear or forming blood rings. The other 6 Barred Rocks seem to be developing, but a couple of the shells are too speckled/splotchy for me to see well.

All in all, I think that is a great candling session for shipped eggs.

Almost forgot the 11 out of 12 D'Anvers that are growing in there!

ETA: Tragedy!

OH, NO! Turned on the slide projector to candle that Marans egg again (it is growing!) and the bulb blew! What will I do without my great candler on the biggest hatch I've ever done?!

 

[petunias212]

wow! that's a whole lot of candling to do....i candled my 24 when i first began and thought that was a lot! sounds like fun though

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I had over 60 eggs from a breeder and I can't remember how many of my own

start hatching yesterday.... and I feel insane! Talk about nervewracking.... I'm using the egg trays for hatching, and though it's a Sportsman, there hardly seems to be room for the chicks once they hatch. Next time I hatch that many at once I will probably lay the eggs down.