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

[CGinJCMO]

Quote: Alaskan, since we seem to be on the same threads, I won't go into all the same details but calendar day 9, embryo looked like day 8 or 9, I just can't see into the egg and see day 9 shadows (2 days ago it look more like 10 or 12) .

Amykins, I also felt the same way...So Cool, but So Sad. (great picture by the way LOL) Hubby didn't even want to look but the kids did.

CG

 

[Alaskan]

Wow! Nope, I can't see that much. I can only barely tell where the air sack is on most of them, there are a few I am not even sure of the air sack!

The ones that I can see through a little better I can see the air sack, and then lighter area, and then darker area.

The ones that I think are developing, the darker area has changed in shape and size, a bit bigger now than a standard yolk, as well as differently shaped. Also, the darker area doesn't want to move, it is mostly in one area, doesn't want to float back and forth as you rotate the egg.

Also, the ones that I think are clears..the yolk is still yolk shaped and it also moves around freely. Always wants to float to the top as you rotate the egg.

And Ashem,
It is my understanding that if the eggs were incubated on their sides then they are supposed to hatch on their sides.

 

[ashem0]

Hi all!

An update from my end;

• Candled my Marans - happy to report (!) they are bouncing around in there, 2 have veining etc but no movement that I can see and 1 I believe has quit - but leaving it in there for now.

• My last IB egg had died.
• Disco is doing well - Chirpy, eating and drinking BUT she/he has a lump - ball like (ie fully cylindrical) below the skin just above her R wing. May be fluid. Any ideas anyone?
• Bought a new torch - stronger LED and is working a treat on my Marans. Alsakan - I believe the BCM's shells are allot darker than the FWM, so I can understand why your having trouble candling them.

 

[ashem0]

Just heard from my local breeder who gave me the RIR eggs - he says he had 12/56 hatch. 6 are black like mine. He is a bit perplexed too... apparently.

Ah well! Onwards and upwards!!

 

[Alaskan]

Wow!

Ashem, no idea on the lump. Makes me wonder, maybe you could ask him for one of his chicks? Just incase there is a problem with Disco? So stressful. But maybe it is OK, since it looks like you will get some Marans.

The person you got the eggs from, do they usually have such a bad hatch?



OK....my eggs......

I think some are developing. And some feel different from others when I turn them. Some feel heavier than others. I think the ones with chicks feel heavier because the weight in those eggs is starting to concentrate in one spot, instead of the weight in a clear egg, where the weight is evenly distributed.

Did I explain that clearly? Because I know the eggs don't actually get heavier, they get lighter because of water loss.

I wonder if it is all in my head. But, the dark area is larger in some of the eggs which must means a chick. Since I am hand turning, I will sometimes candle two or three eggs when I turn. I do it quickly and gently, it only takes a few seconds more, so I don't think I am reducing hatch rate.

My incubator is still being a bit off.

 

[ashem0]

Wow!

Ashem, no idea on the lump. Makes me wonder, maybe you could ask him for one of his chicks? Just incase there is a problem with Disco? So stressful. But maybe it is OK, since it looks like you will get some Marans.

The person you got the eggs from, do they usually have such a bad hatch?



OK....my eggs......

I think some are developing. And some feel different from others when I turn them. Some feel heavier than others. I think the ones with chicks feel heavier because the weight in those eggs is starting to concentrate in one spot, instead of the weight in a clear egg, where the weight is evenly distributed.

Did I explain that clearly? Because I know the eggs don't actually get heavier, they get lighter because of water loss.

I wonder if it is all in my head. But, the dark area is larger in some of the eggs which must means a chick. Since I am hand turning, I will sometimes candle two or three eggs when I turn. I do it quickly and gently, it only takes a few seconds more, so I don't think I am reducing hatch rate.

My incubator is still being a bit off.

I can't imagine that would affect hatch rate Alaskan. Mine are out individually for about 1 - 1 1/2 mins at a time when I candle. I don't think it is really doing them harm - when you consider that the hen has to get off the nest for food and water and to do 'her business'! And though I haven't read up on it, I am constantly hearing references to 'cooling'. Does anybody else do cooling? What does it involve?

In my good eggs I see;

• one side has a large dark shadow - can't see through this at all.
• the other side is where the embryo is - I'm sure of this because I've seen them move.
• they kind of float around as the egg is being turned in my hand but when I hold it still they kind of jump a bit.
• yolk might be at the bottom with the chick in the middle or the yolk and chick are side by side.

In my bad eggs I see;

• a very runny and heavy looking shadow that moves quickly and doesn't really float.
• smatterings of dark bits all around the yolk.
• no obvious veining.
• no definitive side A & B. No light/dark side - it just looks like a big runny glob.

I find I can see more by actually holding the torch there for maybe 30-60 secs because my eyes adjust and then I see more. I also got a stronger torch. So I can see more than ever now.

I think the breeder would swap Disco, he's actually a very nice man. But I'm a bit over it all now and I don't want to make a fuss - he did offer to give me some more eggs though. I'm also planning on using him in the future for feed - he delivers for free - even fills the bin up for you. Disco's lump is rather worrisome though - because looking at it today, I think it has veining inside - not just fluid. But she's eating and drinking well and does not appear to be in any distress. She also has her first feathers coming through!

 

[Alaskan]

Uh! I don't really see that at all. I wish I saw what you see!

In some eggs, that I think are clears I see
1. Mostly clear
2. A small roundish yolk
3. The yolk moves easily and freely, and always wants to rotate to the top

In the eggs that I think have chicks
1. The clear part is much smaller
2. The darker part is larger and not a yolk shape,
3. The darker part doesn't want to rotate as much, it wants to stay in the same place and doesn't more freely


I wonder if your eggs look different from mine because they were shipped. I have read on some of these threads that shipped eggs can have all sorts of odd things.

As to cooling, when I was looking at the website for the Brinsea incubators, they were explaining that their incubators now have a cooling period once per day. It wasn't clear just how cold they let the eggs get. But it said that recent research showed better hatch rates with a once a day cooling period.

Anyway, my incubator is so ..... Not precise, that all of the eggs get some cooling off and on throughout the day.

I do. It like the fact that I will have to wait almost two more weeks!

I want to KNOW if I am actually getting any chicks or not! Ack!

 

[ashem0]

Uh! I don't really see that at all. I wish I saw what you see!

In some eggs, that I think are clears I see
1. Mostly clear
2. A small roundish yolk
3. The yolk moves easily and freely, and always wants to rotate to the top

In the eggs that I think have chicks
1. The clear part is much smaller
2. The darker part is larger and not a yolk shape,
3. The darker part doesn't want to rotate as much, it wants to stay in the same place and doesn't more freely


I wonder if your eggs look different from mine because they were shipped. I have read on some of these threads that shipped eggs can have all sorts of odd things.

As to cooling, when I was looking at the website for the Brinsea incubators, they were explaining that their incubators now have a cooling period once per day. It wasn't clear just how cold they let the eggs get. But it said that recent research showed better hatch rates with a once a day cooling period.

Anyway, my incubator is so ..... Not precise, that all of the eggs get some cooling off and on throughout the day.

I do. It like the fact that I will have to wait almost two more weeks!

I want to KNOW if I am actually getting any chicks or not! Ack!

I came across this, I think I found it on another forum - can't remember now. Anyway, I found it helpful. My eggs are definitely a bit scrambled from being posted - the airsac extends down the side of some of the eggs. I guess, when I look at them, I am satisfied if I can see some veining.

 

[ashem0]

Sorry Alaskan - the picture didn't attach - here it is.

 

[ashem0]

What does a quoll look like Ashem?
We don't have raccoons in Italy, which makes a nice change after the US, but the neighbour's cat took our pet rabbit, so I wouldn't trust him with younger hens and I still don't know what took our full grown goose last month - she was way too big for a fox to snatch and would've fought like mad because she was on a nest of eggs...

I caved...and candled..16 going strong...2 that I was unsure of on day 8 I now discarded - definitely infertile - so really a shockingly high infertility rate. I will email the breeder after the hatch about it, not now.

Alaskan: I checked, all my yolks are at the bottom now. the embryo sits on top to one side. Above that just space and veins, then above that the aircell.
I took two photos for you to compare to the little you can see in your dark eggs:
The aircell is behind my hand, otherwise it affects the contrast in the photo. Both of these were white eggs. The second one the little guy was really flexing his legs - I could see the whole leg shape as well as the normal C shape of their bodies and the big black eye.

This is a Quoll. Pretty but pretty viscious too. They kill senselessly. Rip off heads and leave the rest. Nasty little things. I spoke to one fellow here in the mountains whose street had about 6 yards with chooks in it - one night a pack of these things went through the whole street, killed all the chooks. Also happened to my Auntie's Chooks.

Those pictures of your eggs are great! You can see so much more in light eggs.