setting eggs today, anyone want to join me??

[alaina]

Well, I've been having some bad luck.

First, my egg turner took a crap. I heard it making clicking noises Wed. AM, and noticed it had quit turning the eggs!! So I called around to different TSC's, finally found a store that had one still in stock, so I went and got it and transferred the eggs. So I guess I dodged a bullet!! Whew!!
Then, this morning, I went out to check on my broody, and she was off her nest, just sitting on nothing, looking at me. All her 7 eggs were cold. So I've given up on those, I can't see any thing at all in them, so evidently they never even started to develop!! So disappointing!!

I can't see much in most of the eggs I have in the bator, so I guess I will just leave em all in there until day 21 and see what, if anything, hatches! At least no bad smells in there!

 

[Tiss]

Did you try putting broody back on the nest? My broody has gotten confused a few times and ends up sitting on the wrong nest. She was on the wrong nest for hours last week but I candled last night and the eggs looked perfect for day 12. Are they dark shells so you can't see thru?

I'm so sorry for all your troubles. This hatching stuff is hard.

 

[alaina]

I did try, this wasnt the first time I found her off the nest, but the other times, the eggs were still warm. I think she was tired of setting. Oh, well. I am amazed that the percentage of hatching is so low. Was reading the thread where people can post their hatch rates, and the at best it seems to be in the 40's. I remember having an ameraucana hen back in the 80's who sat on 14 eggs and every single one hatched and she had 14 lovely chicks! Unfortunately, I went out one morning to her (completely chicken wired) pen and they were ALL gone, caught a weasel in there who got stuck inside, he was too fat to get back out after eating 14 chicks. Poor mama hen!!

 

[Tiss]

Oooh, that is too sad. I've set a live trap around here and caught coons and possums. They don't remain "live" long after I get em.

Red seems to be hanging in there. I feel bad for her because her original eggs should have been hatched by now. She has 6-7 days yet to go.

 

[Tiss]

This last week is the hardest. I'm so impatient!

 

[alaina]

IKR!! I am impatient too, go into lockdown a week from today, sooooo looking forward to new chicks!!

 

[destin0709]

Me too!! I don't lockdown til the 22nd on my ducks. Why can't they grow faster. I just want to keep candling them to make sure they are all still moving. Agghh

 

[Tiss]

I got home late last night and went out to the coop to collect the day's eggs and make sure Red was sitting on her nest not the newly laid eggs (as she's done twice). It was all I could do not to grab her eggs out and candle them. Today is day 18. Even though hens don't know about lock down, I didn't think I should mess with them.

 

[dkcrumly]

Keeping my finger crossed for you Tiss!!!

I had one baby hatch yesterday and the other 4 are pipping and chirping like crazy this morning! My bantam Cochin pullet is being a fantastic broody mama!

 

[Tiss]

Quote:
I saw your pic. It was too adorable!!!