She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[RubyNala97]

The cartons were loose in the box like that? That's horrible...
I let my incubator run until early day 23 with no more pips. When they haven't pipped by then, I don't want them to hatch. I'm pretty sure those were the perimeter eggs, because all my hatches came from one side of the tray. That's what reminded me to rotate the tray. It's a simple thing to do, I just forgot about it because I wasn't adding water. I'm rotating every other day this time.
I'm also getting the after hatch deaths again...
I had a few looking puny on Monday. I gave them water, but they just got more and more lethargic. Lost one Monday, one Tuesday, and one this morning. They were all healthy and active on Saturday, so I don't know why they drop off after the hatch. All I can figure is they aren't eating and drinking. I get them to drink when I'm there, but don't know if they do on their own. I've tried to look for any similarities in the ones that died, and all I have noticed this time is they are the blackest chicks. Maybe they aren't bred well, or maybe there is another issue with those pullets. After 6 weeks of hatching and 48 eggs set, I only have 15 chicks to show for it. With my luck, the ones dying are pullets...
I'm trying to be a little more hands on this time by turning the egg tray, but I'm still not candling until lockdown. I'm watching sidewings chicks with keen interest. If his do well, and he hatches better than me in the spring, I may be getting chicks from where he got his

ETA: I also added sav-a-chick to the water, so

No hugs, but I'm so sorry! You should move to Canada and start drinking!!! But, seriously, my first question was going to be sav-a-chick. Have you ever hatched these eggs before?? Like last year? I don't know much about it so I have no great input. Heat, fluids, food. That's all I can think of. Maybe try egg yoke crumbled up with this next batch. I just had a thought. Slightly off topic but can you put some of the BCMs under a broody silkie to hatch and raise??

 

[WVduckchick]

Wv, I had you quoted in there before I lost it...I can't wait to do dual hatches when I get the 20....Call eggs in Spring! I've read before that duck eggs are amazing to candle! I can't wait! I need to do major research on what's the best shipping method for eggs before then! Priority vs express?

I sure hope we can. If hubby doesn't have me committed to a mental institution by then...

The cartons were loose in the box like that? That's horrible...
I let my incubator run until early day 23 with no more pips. When they haven't pipped by then, I don't want them to hatch. I'm pretty sure those were the perimeter eggs, because all my hatches came from one side of the tray. That's what reminded me to rotate the tray. It's a simple thing to do, I just forgot about it because I wasn't adding water. I'm rotating every other day this time.
I'm also getting the after hatch deaths again...

I had a few looking puny on Monday. I gave them water, but they just got more and more lethargic. Lost one Monday, one Tuesday, and one this morning. They were all healthy and active on Saturday, so I don't know why they drop off after the hatch. All I can figure is they aren't eating and drinking. I get them to drink when I'm there, but don't know if they do on their own. I've tried to look for any similarities in the ones that died, and all I have noticed this time is they are the blackest chicks. Maybe they aren't bred well, or maybe there is another issue with those pullets. After 6 weeks of hatching and 48 eggs set, I only have 15 chicks to show for it. With my luck, the ones dying are pullets...
I'm trying to be a little more hands on this time by turning the egg tray, but I'm still not candling until lockdown. I'm watching sidewings chicks with keen interest. If his do well, and he hatches better than me in the spring, I may be getting chicks from where he got his

ETA: I also added sav-a-chick to the water, so

That is very curious. I'm beginning to wonder more about your pullets now...

Maybe you need to run a batch of d'uccle or something before you run more BCMs? But you don't lose any silkies after momma hatches them, right?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Don't... ever... lol... said I wanted a couple broody's... been fighting broody's for months now... is very contagious... think I was up to 11 at one point... and they cause all kinds of havoc...
Cream Legbar decided to go broody... she was a screeching banshee and refused to let the other girls into the coop to lay... was an Easter Egg hunt every day...

I honestly at this point am not interested in having a broody hen. I don't think it would bother me if I never had a broody. But you're right, I'll probably have a ton at one time with my luck...lol

Believe it or not, its my silkies who go into the coop first, every night. They take their place on the roost, then get booted when everyone else clamors in. Then the turkey goes in last and wipes them all out! I'm waiting for one of the LO roos to put her in her place!

I shake out PDZ, then cover the floor with straw. Pine shavings in the nest boxes.

Even when I moved the Reds, they took right away to the new boxes. There are 6 boxes, most of them use 1, but I'll find an egg or two in one of the other boxes. I had one laid outside in the run, but only once. Otherwise, they are smart girls. I'm so impressed with their production and smarts...

My silkies are the first ones in every night too so they can claom their spot on the roosts...lol
I use pine in the box and straw on the floor now and apparently the majority of them prefer the straw to lay.

I didn't even want to talk about it yesterday but I got the new eggs! I ever so gently unwrapped them and gave them a quick candle as I put them into an egg carton to rest. When I saw the air cells, I literally saw myself flushing $$$ down the toilet and I was

I'm realizing that I've been very fortunate with the past shipments I've had. And always hatched out over 50%. But the air cells were always intact. I'm wondering if it's the way she packs the eggs compared to the other breeders. I think I like the way the other people pack the eggs much better. Maybe FL to NY is just a bit to far. Even though I've hatched from Southern GA. I just

2 eggs were cracked but she did send 18 eggs. I guess I have no other choice but to set them and hope for the best. I hate tying up the incubator on eggs this bad but if just 2 hatch, I will be thrilled!! I'm open to any suggestions.

Thank you!!
Do you think that would be better? I was planning on setting tonight which would be 32 hrs. Tomorrow a few of the eggs will be 7 days old. What do you think?
No candling until lockdown? Seriously, I think you're right. They need me to be as hands off as possible. No candling till lockdown. Sorry, I'm just trying to really let that sink in! I'm going to ask the kids to hide both my flashlights I use for candling and not give them over even if I beg!! I was thinking of keeping humidity between 35-40% so the air cells don't get to big, since they will be all distorted shapes. Thank you!!

I have to say (gulp) I almost agree with SC with one minor difference. I would still candle at day 14 to check the air cells because if they are off it still gives you 4 days before lockdown to adjust and attempt to get them right be it drop humidity to increase them or up humidity early to slow them down.

Or it gives us something to look forward to, and At

Day 3 candle results: 24 heartbeating eggs, 5 clear, 2 possible early death. Looking for the early death and clear ratios to be high in this case. These eggs arent mine, and i know his drakek ratio is bad, the hens are stressed from the overbreeding.

That's pretty good!

 

[scflock]

No hugs, but I'm so sorry! You should move to Canada and start drinking!!! But, seriously, my first question was going to be sav-a-chick. Have you ever hatched these eggs before?? Like last year? I don't know much about it so I have no great input. Heat, fluids, food. That's all I can think of. Maybe try egg yoke crumbled up with this next batch. I just had a thought. Slightly off topic but can you put some of the BCMs under a broody silkie to hatch and raise??

I sure hope we can.  If hubby doesn't have me committed to a mental institution by then... 



  That is very curious.  I'm beginning to wonder more about your pullets now... 

 Maybe you need to run a batch of d'uccle or something before you run more BCMs?   But you don't lose any silkies after momma hatches them, right?

I'm starting to think about trying a few under a silkie, but it's getting late in the season. I'm thinking it could be the Pullets as well. I have pullet/hen eggs marked this time, so I will try to keep up with the chicks after the hatch. This will probably be my last batch of the season, or Mrs. Flock will have a padded room for me, too

 

[AmyLynn2374]

There are things that can be controlled, if you aren't ignoring what's happening! I don't "worry"... I "monitor".

I do both!! lol

I'd let that one go. The only fighting allowed in here is me and Amy, and that's only once every 4 weeks

And yes, I said "me and Amy". I know how she loves it when I get top billing

'Amy and I' is the grammatically correct way to say that.

The cartons were loose in the box like that? That's horrible...
I let my incubator run until early day 23 with no more pips. When they haven't pipped by then, I don't want them to hatch. I'm pretty sure those were the perimeter eggs, because all my hatches came from one side of the tray. That's what reminded me to rotate the tray. It's a simple thing to do, I just forgot about it because I wasn't adding water. I'm rotating every other day this time.
I'm also getting the after hatch deaths again...

I had a few looking puny on Monday. I gave them water, but they just got more and more lethargic. Lost one Monday, one Tuesday, and one this morning. They were all healthy and active on Saturday, so I don't know why they drop off after the hatch. All I can figure is they aren't eating and drinking. I get them to drink when I'm there, but don't know if they do on their own. I've tried to look for any similarities in the ones that died, and all I have noticed this time is they are the blackest chicks. Maybe they aren't bred well, or maybe there is another issue with those pullets. After 6 weeks of hatching and 48 eggs set, I only have 15 chicks to show for it. With my luck, the ones dying are pullets...
I'm trying to be a little more hands on this time by turning the egg tray, but I'm still not candling until lockdown. I'm watching sidewings chicks with keen interest. If his do well, and he hatches better than me in the spring, I may be getting chicks from where he got his

ETA: I also added sav-a-chick to the water, so

Seriously I am sorry to hear that. That is very strange. Maybe you should candle more and give them some "tough love" and strengthen them up before they hatch.

 

[RubyNala97]

I have to say (gulp) I almost agree with SC with one minor difference. I would still candle at day 14 to check the air cells because if they are off it still gives you 4 days before lockdown to adjust and attempt to get them right be it drop humidity to increase them or up humidity early to slow them down. 

That's an excellent point. What do you think about me trying to stay more towards 40% humidity (I'm going to try hatching in cartons anyway) since the air cells are all funky shapes? I'm just worried if they grow to big the chicks will malposition and fail to pip again.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sorry for your eggs, Ruby...

SC, did your BCM's all come from same source?

Forgot what else was posted, sorry...

Ok, I'm gonna try to address the shipped eggs issues, but hoping my phone doesn't keep dumping my post...

Mornin' ya'll...

 

[scflock]

'Amy and I' is the grammatically correct way to say that

Yes, ding dong, I know that
I explained why

 

[scflock]

Sorry for your eggs, Ruby...

SC, did your BCM's all come from same source?

Forgot what else was posted, sorry...

Ok, I'm gonna try to address the shipped eggs issues, but hoping my phone doesn't keep dumping my post...

Mornin' ya'll...

Morning? There isn't a coast in this country that excuses you calling it morning
My pullets were from the same breeder that Tate came from. I bought 4 Bev Davis hens a few months later. Those are the girls laying the beautiful eggs, and the penguin chicks. 16 of the eggs in this batch came from them, so if those eggs do much better, I think I know where the culling will start

 

[rossfam06]

The red side isn't hatching BCM, but it's not about percentages, it's about sanity. What will candling do to improve the hatch? It's not like you can sprinkle fix-a-hatch on the eggs that aren't developing to make them develop. You can fret and worry over every egg that doesn't look right at every candling, or you can look at it like a Christmas where you get to peek under the paper on Dec. 22

I did for my very first hatch and hatched 3 out of 6. So 50% my very first time.