Started Today for Easter Chicks - Hatch-Along

[frostedcombs]

Hi BYC!

My daughter and I put eggs in the incubator this afternoon in hopes of having chicks for Easter.

The details;
Hova Bator 1602n with fan and auto egg turner.

20 FBCM eggs from a breeder
01 Marans rooster x olive egger
21 FBCM rooster x our own Welsummer hens

This is our first time incubating and we are raring to go. We have read many great threads here and are cautiously/anxiously/ optimisitc that all will go well. We picked up the FBCM yesterday from a backyard breeder. He seemed to have a nice clean, small operation with healthy and pretty birds. Purchased 16 and he threw in some extras. Thanks Ryan!
My only doubt is that our Welsummer hens only started laying the first week of January.
Wellies on the left. Man, everybody mentions it, but pictures sure do not do these eggs justice!








Wish us Luck!! Any tips and advice are greatly appreciated.

 

[mommytomany]

We also started for Easter Chicks! This is the 3rd time that my family has done this! We are very happy to be starting again this year!

 

[frostedcombs]

OK. Tonight was the completion of day 7.
We candled. I had a real tough time as it is my first time candling and the eggs are super dark.

Welsummer eggs fertilized by the BCM rooster. 21
10 look like they are developing
7 are a maybe
4 are not fertile or looking clear

The single Olive Egg is fertile

The FBCM eggs we purchased from the breeder 20
11 are developing
4 are maybe
5 are not fertile or looking clear.

With the darker of either eggs I cannot see much other than a bright end where the air sac is.

I would consider this a fertile Welsummer X



The is a FBCM that I cannot see much other than light at the end. But the contents of the main part of the egg do not allow light to pass so I "assume" things are growing.


And this is the type of FBCM egg I deem infertile or clear


Any advice from dark egg candlers. Nothing smells so is ok to leave everything for a bit or do i need to get thse clear ones outta there?
Help?

 

[frostedcombs]

So today should be the end of day 10. We candled again.

Welsummers
13 look fertile / solid with an air at one end
1 is a maybe
7 are clear / infertile

The olive egger is either fertile or rotten solid.

FBCM
14 look solid with an air gap. all I can really see.
2 are maybe
4 are clear / infertile

 

[frostedcombs]

So today at 4pm is day 18. We took out the automatic turner, and candled again before going back in.

16 FBCM look ok.
The olive egger is a solid mass and I cannot see an air gap.
16 of the Welsummers fertilized by the FBCM are in. 2 look iffy, but do not stink so I am keeping them in.

I have my fingers crossed. My daughter really wants to see some chicks on Easter and as this is my first time..........

 

[frostedcombs]

Help?
I am a bit confused. Today at 4pm PST is the end of day 20. 10 out of 3 eggs pipped already. Lots of rockin and rolling and peep peep stuff going on.
Is this normal? I thought this was all supposed to happen on day 21?

 

[ThaiDye]

Help?
I am a bit confused. Today at 4pm PST is the end of day 20. 10 out of 3 eggs pipped already. Lots of rockin and rolling and peep peep stuff going on.
Is this normal? I thought this was all supposed to happen on day 21?

Do you mean 3 out of 10 pipped? They all hatch at different rates. Some have a very hard time. It could take a couple days for them all to hatch. Just keep the incubator closed & be patient. I had 3 hatch already out of 20. Today is day 21 for me.

 

[frostedcombs]

Thanks for the reply
oops. typo. 10 out of 30.
I am surprised it is happening so early. I thought they would start at he end of day 21 (tomorrow) and really hatch out on Easter. I want the guys to SLOW down!

 

[frostedcombs]

We woke up this morning to find 11 chicks hatched. 3 zipped and working. Another 5 pipped and the rest of the eggs have been pushed out to the perimeter and we cannot see what is going on.
The FBCM chicks are pretty darn cute with their black and white coloring. The crosses are more of an all dark color so far.
99* and 56%

 

[Drapery Mary]

Aww, congrats! I've got eggs I'm waiting on right now too. They should start pipping tonight or tomorrow morning. The last batch I did it took them all 22 days to even pip so I kind of expect the same, it will probably be Monday morning before they hatch.