The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[Razadia]

When I have to wash eggs, I let them air dry and then mist them with a solution of Betadine (povidone iodine) from the drug store and water- usually around a 2 to 1 water to iodine solution. After the first side dries I roll them over and spray them again. This gives them an antimicrobial coating to replace the bloom and seems to work well.

I completely forgot about that. Thanks Chooks! I'll be doing that the next time I have to wash my eggs.

This time there's all mine too. So much cheaper than years gone by.

I just started to work on some low fertility with 2 of my breeds, but none of the eggs after are in here. Then I went out just a minute ago to 4 Marans hens in a nest box making all kinds of noise and 2 more Maranas and one of my Ameraucanas waiting to get in. I pulled out 4 eggs and though hmmmm. Then I put them with the 18 I held back. Never put all you eggs in one basket, or incubator. LOL There was only one Maranas egg in there, so looks like one if none of them have laid so far. Getting great fertility on their's so that's good.

Last year I was hatching eggs for a family friend, so I mostly had his eggs in the bator along with some of mine. I went to collect eggs from the game pen and the little nuts were running around with an egg. It doesn't happen often, so I'm not sure if they're breaking them on purpose or if it's by accident. I would have had my last three eggs if they hadn't done that. Now I just need one.

 

[myfivegirls]

I set 42 eggs in Genesis 1588 incubator (abt 1 pm EST). It's my first time using an incubator, so I'm excited! In fact, it's the incubator that was partially paid for by the Amazon.com gift card I won from the BYC article contest last year.







There were so many other eggs I had saved for hatching that I didn't have room for, after setting the incubator, I'm trying a few ways to hatch some more.

I have one broody hen - Lydia the Partridge Chantecler - that I put a few eggs under; she's been trying to go broody all week, staying in the nesting box most of the day. But, she still laid 5 eggs this week, which are now in the incubator. I have to move to her a dog crate tonight and see if she'll continue setting there.

I have 3 other hens that show signs of wanting to go broody - including Daisy the EE who hatched out two batches last year. I'm doing an experiment to see if I can help them decide it's time to go broody. I set them up in plastic dog crates with sheets over them to make it darker inside, and put the "extra" eggs that it doesn't matter if they hatch or not. We'll see if it works or not. Daisy already settled down on them, but the other two pullets aren't quite sure what to do. (Even though when they're in the nesting box, they growl, hiss & one even pecks me hard.)

As far as breeds, they'll all be "barnyard mixes".

Michael Jessie - Blue Andalusian/ Easter Egger mix


Andrew - Easter Egger Rooster (the lighting wasn't so great - he is a gorgeous rooster!)



Main two roosters: Easter Egger, Blue Andalusian/ Easter Egger mix - ran with most of the girls, but also spent the night with the other two roosters to maintain their 'friendship".
Hens that I'm hatching eggs from: Easter Egger, Red Star, Partridge Rock, Partridge Rock,Partridge Chantecler, Dominique, Blue Andalusian/Partridge Rock mix


Secondary two roosters: Freedom Ranger rooster (Big Boy raised by Daisy in July 2012) ; Golden-Laced Wyandotte - these were in the 'chicken tractor' with a few Red Stars, one Freedom Ranger pullet all week; a few days later, I added 2 RIW, 1 Blue Andalusian/Red Star pullet, 1 Dominque






Pumpkin the Freedom Ranger Rooster & Zaccheus the Golden-laced Wyandotte

And since all the roosters, except for the Freedom Ranger, has access to all the hens within the last couple weeks, there's no telling who's going to be the father of each chick! I love it being a surprise, and later trying to figure it out!

I've been looking forward to this, and I'm so excited to be hatching eggs out from my own chickens!

 

[mstricer]

Wish you would have sent those my way lol. I would have sent you a big hug.

I would have blown her a kiss on to of that! LOL

Chook I'm still thinking you can send me those eggs. Lol

 

[Caitlin_VT]

At 1:30 EST I set 10 Lavender/Split Ameraucana eggs and 18 of a mix of EE and OE eggs. Still waiting on a small group of Orpington eggs that the PO somehow lost!

 

[mama2my4]

Here are mine! Only half is for the Hatch-A-Lomg, because I couldn't wait!

I set 8 SFH and 12 OE/EE.

 

[Selah]

We had to make a new cooler 'bator to do this hatch, as we have a variety of Americaunas (lav, splash, etc.) and Lav Orpingtons due to hatch in the old one tomorrow. The pictured eggs were set after noon...22 of a variety of Silkies (Thanks to WVStruttin'!) and 2 Black Dutch, and 15 of our own Buff Orpington/Red Stars, which have been giving us the sweetest, most beautiful, lovely laying chickens. That's a total of 39 for the Easter Hatch.
Now it's off to build another coop!

 

[debs_flock]

I'm going to be running a day or so behind. I'm waiting for the eggs/chicks in the incubator to vacate, so I can set the batch for this hatch. I haven't even sorted them out yet. I should be set by tomorrow evening at the latest.

Kelly, is there a window for setting to be considered part of this hatch? I see people mentioning staggered hatches that are due in the next couple of days, all the way to eggs that will be set a week or more from now. I'd say that would make it very difficult to wrap up the contests (such as total hatched, etc.). I know there are no hatch time sensitive contests, but I'm assuming there is a window of time the hatch should fall within.

Have to go press my nose to the hatcher and root on the new chicks!

Good luck hatching to every one!


Deb

 

[mstricer]

Where oh where is Sally

 

[krazykat0373]

I have set 3 bantam Black Sumatra eggs, 6 sizzles, 7 lavender Ameraucanas, and 13 bantan Cochins for this hatch-a-long....so 29 eggs all together.
After reading about and seeing all the eggs set, I am going to be way low on my guess of 1973

 

[angelobutter]

I'm going to be running a day or so behind. I'm waiting for the eggs/chicks in the incubator to vacate, so I can set the batch for this hatch. I haven't even sorted them out yet. I should be set by tomorrow evening at the latest.

Kelly, is there a window for setting to be considered part of this hatch? I see people mentioning staggered hatches that are due in the next couple of days, all the way to eggs that will be set a week or more from now. I'd say that would make it very difficult to wrap up the contests (such as total hatched, etc.). I know there are no hatch time sensitive contests, but I'm assuming there is a window of time the hatch should fall within.

Have to go press my nose to the hatcher and root on the new chicks!

Good luck hatching to every one!


Deb

Yes I would love to see an official "you are in the hatch along" time window as well.