Setting eggs today...20th May...anyone else?

[ashem0]

Quote:
Yes, Alaskan that's what I was thinking about the wine bottles. Does this mean you have got yours in a carton upright? Wow! I thought they had to be on their side - pointy side downward if possible - for incubation. But big end up for storage/settling. Interesting! So how will they be able to get out when they start pecking through the shell? Will you lay them down then? I'm curious. Are you able to post a picture of your setup?

 

[Alaskan]

Some incubators are actually designed so that the eggs "stand" for the entire time.

On a different thread someone described how the chicks hatch upright, they don't have any problems doing it.

I haven't hatched this way before, but I wanted to try it.

I posted a pic from my PC, but it doesn't work well from this iPad, when I change devices I will post a picture.

 

[CGinJCMO]

I'd like to join in. I put eggs under a broody Monday, the 20th and Tuesday, the 21st. That means hatching should begin the week of June 10th (which that week I'll be at Day Camp most of the day with my son so I won't be bugging her while the hatching happens

).

This is my first time hatching. I have an EE roo and EE hen so I know those blue eggs will be "pure" EEs. I had been saving some blue eggs waiting and hoping for a broody. The broody is a 1 year old Barred Rock and she's been sitting in a nest for a week (got nudged out today so I'm going to have to block the other girls so I don't have to move eggs back under her again. I had moved a broody OEGB the week before and caused her to give up so I didn't want to chance a repeat).

I guess Monday will be the first day to candle (if not raining).

CG

 

[ashem0]

G'day CG! Lucky you having a broody Hen laying around!

I have in my little incubator 6 french wheaten marans and 6 isa browns. Today - Sunday 8am here, it is day 4 for my M's and day 7 for the IB's. I have candled them last night - started with the IB's and couldn't stop for curiosity so went on the Marans! I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but it would seem my Marans are so far doing well, I could see the eye and some spider-like veins beginning.

The IB's however are a different story. Technically I was told they were 5 days when I put them in, so I have kind of missed this window of opportunity to see them at the same stage as the Marans. On candelling them, all I can see is a very defined air sac and black everywhere else. On one I think I can also see some blood smearing. And only on one other I think I saw some movement, but I really cannot tell! I guess either they were further along than the fellow said they were and that's why I can't really see anything....or they have died???

 

[ashem0]

I've been scouring the net trying to find similar images of what I found last night candling my 7day Isa Browns. This picture is pretty much what I found in all my IB eggs. Everywhere I look it suggests the eggs are infact further along, say between day 15-18? I'd really like some feedback on this if anyone has some thoughts on it. Or does it mean they are not viable this early on if in fact they are only 7 days along??

 

[Alaskan]

I haven't done a heck of a lot of candling.....but to me that looks like a further along chick....way older than 7 days.

 

[ashem0]

I haven't done a heck of a lot of candling.....but to me that looks like a further along chick....way older than 7 days.

Me too. I started another thread about it here; Candling eggsperts please check this out - give me your thoughts. To try and get some more feedback.

Since writing it, I checked one of the eggs again. It is definitely further along than 7days. Saw feet and head...beak too I think! Quite active. Not sure if the other IB's died in transit though cause I can't see any movement. I think this one I rechecked might be about 13-15 days. Funny to think I originally thought all the IB's were failures, then rechecked one, saw movement and looked at them all from a whole new perspective! This is such a fascinating thing to do! I think I'm hooked!

 

[Alaskan]

The only problem I see....

Is how in the world will you know when to stop turning them??!

 

[ashem0]

I've been wondering that too Alaskan! Some of them look quite full in there! But luckily the breeder who sold me the eggs emailed me back saying yes they are 12 days along. Apparently he has 40 other eggs in his bator which he took these from. So I will have to make that my new calendar for them I guess. Glad I candled them!

 

[loopy12]

Ashen, I would say those are maybe day 15. I would candle them every day for the next few days until you see the beak appear in the air cell....then lockdown super fast...look for twitching just under the air cell in the meantime, that's the only place you'll see movement now.

I had been going to say if they were 3 days different just to stop turning all at the day 18/15. Turning is mostly critical from something like day 3 to 12, less of an issue later on.

Re. Thermometers, if space is an issue, look for a probe one you can dangle in through an air vent.

Welcome CG!

I am candling tomorrow, but a lightening strike has taken out our Internet at home, so may not be able to update for a few days....