I candled my eggs today. This is my first time to incubate eggs and to candle. I'm a little disappointed. Out of the 16 Ameraucana eggs, only 8 are still viable (I think), and out of the 7 Welsummer eggs only 4 are left (that I can tell). I'm using a still air incubator, and the eggs on the outside of the incubator (closest to the heating elements) are the ones that are still alive and kicking (as far as I can tell). The Ameraucana eggs were shipped to me from WA and despite explicit instructions not to deliver and to call upon arrival for pickup, the eggs still got delivered to me. I'm beginning to wonder if our local postal workers can read. The times I've had chicks delivered I had to call multiple times to see if the chicks were in, and they always asked me if I wanted them delivered while each box was marked call for pick up.
But I don't think the post office is to blame because the Wellie eggs were hatched out here, and they're still close to 50%. I'm sure it's operator error. Next time I use this incubator I'm going to try to put as many eggs around the perimeter as possible, and hopefully my hatch rate will be better.
I also candled the eggs I put under my broody Delaware, and out of the 8 I put under her it looks like only 2 are viable.
I guess on the bright side when/if the eggs in the incubator hatch I can put them under the broody Delaware instead of having to use a heating lamp, and she should be able to cover them without trouble.
But I don't think the post office is to blame because the Wellie eggs were hatched out here, and they're still close to 50%. I'm sure it's operator error. Next time I use this incubator I'm going to try to put as many eggs around the perimeter as possible, and hopefully my hatch rate will be better.
I also candled the eggs I put under my broody Delaware, and out of the 8 I put under her it looks like only 2 are viable.
I guess on the bright side when/if the eggs in the incubator hatch I can put them under the broody Delaware instead of having to use a heating lamp, and she should be able to cover them without trouble.
