The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[JoyfulPromise]

Ok, so I tried the small water bottle temp test that Oz suggested. The first time I tested it I didn't wait long enough, and the water only tested 94.5. I also noticed that when I had (carefully) adjusted the temp a teensy bit, I turned it the wrong direction and my digital thermo showed a degree or two LOWER, when I meant to go higher!!! Ooops!

Glad I realized that now! SO, I put the water bottle back in, adjusted the temp the RIGHT way, and left it for over an hour. Just checked again - my digital thermometer showed 100.9, and the water bottle temp, taken with the medical thermometer, beeped at 100.8!!! AHA! So, the digital IS accurate!

Thanks again for your help Oz! I will definitely remember this trick in the future!

 

[Gardeningmama]

Here are my eggs getting ready to go in the bator tomorrow!

Five d'Uccle's, 21 BC Marans, and 23 Buckeye's! "49"! I cannot wait until noon tomorrow!

Those are some beautiful Marans eggs! My darkest is about your medium. LOL! Do you even bother candling them?

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Those are some beautiful Marans eggs! My darkest is about your medium. LOL! Do you even bother candling them?

Thank you~ that makes me feel good to hear someone likes them! My lighter eggs are from my Blue Copper Marans. All my Black Coppers lay pretty nice dark eggs. I don't bother candling usually until I put them in the hatcher and by then I can tell if they are developed.

 

[wolftracks]

LOTS of rain here overnight and today... also lots of wind and thunder an it's COLD!!! Only 50 degrees out there right now! Brrrrrr......

Hmm......I wonder how many chicks Mahonri will hatch this year......

I wonder how long till Mahonri starts to stress over the eggs...........

Ok, I picked up my eggs today. Now what do I do, they are nasty. I'm not sure I want to put them in with the others I've recieved.

I'm a newbie so......................how do I clean these ?? Please help

OK, those are nasty. I'd understand if they were geese or ducks, but I can almost smell those. LOL

I've gotten eggs like this. I've never and never will send any like this either. But, I've set both washed and dirty when I've gotten them and had some hatch. You can use a aper towel with water just slightly warmer than the temp of the egg and wie them off as good as you feel neccessary. So use steal wool, but I tried that once and it just frustrated me.

 

[QuailGuy88]

20 buff orpington eggs resting after rough handling by the USPS...found that many eggs had messed up air sacks

Oh well I'll try and let them settle, but not much more I can do.
First time hatching chickens so this should be fun

Happy hatching everyone

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Not sure what others on here do but I would like to hear. I would not worry about the ones with a few smudges but those in the back row that look like they have a lot on them I would get some fine "dry" steelwool and lightly try to take the "poop" off without scrubbing or scratching the whole egg and call it good. You will still have stains but not poop. I know people say not to scrap the eggs because you remove the "bloom" but I hate putting that much in the bator on an eggs--I do want to hear what others do but I have done that with very good results.

I am not recommending this, just wanted to give you some information. My first (successful) hatch was an entire bator full of eggs that had been washed to sell for eating. I watched as she used a wash rag to clean each and every egg, under running water, before she put them in the cartons. Then when I said I wanted to hatch some of her eggs, she reached over and handed me a carton of the newly washed egg! I asked if it would be okay and she said she did it all the time. I took them home, put them in the bator, and hatched over half (and had major temp problems during the first week and a half.) Some people wash off the bloom and use a weak betadine rinse. I've never had any experience with that, so maybe someone else will chime in.

I would seriously be on the email with them. Those eggs are shameful for a purchased product. You may salvage them but the supplier needs to send you a clean set or a full refund.

I once received a shipment of eggs that looked like this. I almost scrapped them because I was so grossed out. A fellow BYC'er suggested I set them anyhow. I did, and most hatched. It's a tough call.

OK, those are nasty. I'd understand if they were geese or ducks, but I can almost smell those. LOL

I've gotten eggs like this. I've never and never will send any like this either. But, I've set both washed and dirty when I've gotten them and had some hatch. You can use a aper towel with water just slightly warmer than the temp of the egg and wie them off as good as you feel neccessary. So use steal wool, but I tried that once and it just frustrated me.

Thank you ALL for the suggestions.

 

[Dogchickenboy]

Id like to hatch

 

[ozexpat]

Ok, so I tried the small water bottle temp test that Oz suggested. The first time I tested it I didn't wait long enough, and the water only tested 94.5. I also noticed that when I had (carefully) adjusted the temp a teensy bit, I turned it the wrong direction and my digital thermo showed a degree or two LOWER, when I meant to go higher!!! Ooops!

Glad I realized that now! SO, I put the water bottle back in, adjusted the temp the RIGHT way, and left it for over an hour. Just checked again - my digital thermometer showed 100.9, and the water bottle temp, taken with the medical thermometer, beeped at 100.8!!! AHA! So, the digital IS accurate!

Thanks again for your help Oz! I will definitely remember this trick in the future

We use this trick in hospitals to monitor drug refrigerators. The opening and closing - even quickly will show swings in the air temp but the temp in the mini water bottle barely moves. Opening your bator has a similar effect. If my Bator is not full, I add heat sinks - small bottles of water that will take on the temp of the bator and help stabilize it faster following me opening it for some reason.

 

[arcountrychick]

I'd like to join in, but I plan to set eggs on the 10th. I'm picking up some eggs Sunday to top off the bator.

 

[mlm Mike]

Id like to hatch

I'd like to join in, but I plan to set eggs on the 10th. I'm picking up some eggs Sunday to top off the bator.

Welcome to both of you!