The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[abmaddox1981]

 

[bantambury]

I think marshie is meaning to tell me something.....LOL

I just love the temperament of broody silkies! today may just be the day for her to get some eggs if a local ameraucana breeder is open! im so sad she became broody ONE DAY AFTER CLOSING SET DATE hahahah

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

Haha she sure is Bantambury!

 

[austinbndr28]

 

[Happy Chooks]

How can I candle all 35 eggs without them cooling off too much?

A hen will get off the nest to eat/drink/poop, so don't worry about them cooling off.

Hi all! I did the day 5 candle, and of the 24 I set, 19 are developing! Yaaaay! So excited.

I'm really feeling down tonight. After losing two of our NYD chicks to the dog yesterday, I was hoping for some good news candling tonight. Well, I did not get it. A couple days ago, I did a quick candle and saw development in only 11 out of 30 eggs. Tonight I did my in depth candle to mark air cells and such, and only two of those 11 are definitely alive. 7 of them are most likely quitters (no movement, and veins look to be disintegrating), and 2 had blood rings.

So what are the main possible causes for quitting between days 5 and 7? Other than temps, which seemed fine to me (but I can't be sure because all my temps said something different).

I'm sorry. The most likely is temperature.

My 6 are still wiggling around.

Finally got to do a complete candling for Day 7 tonight! So exciting! I candled all 49 eggs in the turner, picking them up if necessary while my sister took notes on a list of the eggs that I had made. I didn't worry about leaving the top off for the maybe half hour it took because I have had broody hens be off the nest for longer than that with no problem for the eggs. I had MUCH better results than expected! Lots of healthy veins and little embryos swimming around happily!

Pulled 4 definitely clears and left 4 others that were questionable. Here is the breakdown...

Buff Orpingtons - 13 set - 13 ALIVE!

BO Mixes - 12 set - 11 ALIVE! Pulled one clear - opened - broken runny yolk? No embryo.

Blue Barred Rocks - 9 set - 3 ALIVE, 4 - ?, 2 Pulled - clear, infertile.

BBS Copper Marans - 8 set - 6 ALIVE! 1-?, 1 Pulled - clear, infertile.

Olive Eggers - 6 set - 6 ALIVE!

BRxPR - 1 set - 1 ALIVE!

Total Results - 49 set - 40 ALIVE for sure - 5 Questionable - 4 Clear and pulled, infertile.

Thrilled with the BO's, bit disappointed on the BR's, but most of them are young, under 1 yr, and the one older hen is 5 yrs old. Will try again later with them.

Overall VERY happy tonight!

Here's hoping most of these swimming little embryos make it to lockdown!

Great candling! Hope everything continues to go well!

Hi, I had thought a very annoying, poorly timed power outage which made me a day late to set had knocked me out of the game, but a P.M. from BYC's wonderful team let me know that it was okay, so mark down my 14 hatch-a-long eggs please! I have a mixture of Ameraucana (BBS and Wheaten) SBELS and Swedish Flower Hen eggs.

Welcome back!

Quote: The first hatch is so exciting, but also stressful.

22842CF5


Does any one know which hatchery or breeder can send day old chick internationaly??? Want some black copper marran, barred plymouth rock, blue cochins and some buff brahma

Can any one help me???
I live in Aruba and 3 years that we dont get any full breed chicks shipped to Aruba, in the past morris hatcheries used to send us but they stopped breeding exotic breeds, they only ship layers and broilers now can any one recommend me a hatcherie or breeder

I do not know of any hatcheries that will ship to Aruba.

Went out to the coop to feed and change waters and my d'Uccle roo decided he was going to start being all roo-like and protective of his ladies. Instead of hopping off the top of the waterer like he normally does, he decided to cock-fight me instead. This is the first time I have ever gotten injured from a rooster spur. I now know what it is that people say when they are scared of bantie roos. He was one mean dude!

What a little brat!

I just got the ok to breed, grow and whatever needs to be next.....seriously... ok so need to move forward...I am in Maine. ... thoughts or ideas??? I want to bring hard to find breeds back to Maine

Yay! Figure out the breeds you want, and look for breeders that can ship you eggs or live birds.

Candled my late eggs..to look for bullseyes..I'm seeing a lot! Now, if they can stay strong and start veining. Will probably candle a few in a few days, just to get an idea, then leave them until day 7. I just may get some chicks out of these! Woot! She does pack well!

Beautiful picture!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Okay, I will admit it, after all the talk about incubator plugs, I decided to pull mine and give it a try.

 

[bantambury]

this is just beautiful!

 

[bantambury]

I just need a bit of some wise words for my unsuccessful experiences with broodies...

marshie has her butt back on that nest of hers now.
she is sitting on two golf balls I gave her last night.

i'm going to TSC later and may buy 6 bantam chicks to put under her......but the last time I showed her a 5 week chick it broke her broodiness........do you think I can just suddenly swap eggs for chicks under her and act like they hatched? because a mamma hen does know when an egg pips so......what would you do?

she has been broody for 5 days.....and I dont want her to leave once she sees a chick.

 

[PAchickenlover]

Hey guys, sorry I was MIA the last few days. Had some things that needed to be taken care of. Anyhow, I was sitting here on my couch this morning and my seven year old son comes in to me saying mom, look what I did..... Well you would never guess what he did do... lol

 

[NotAFarm]

Just read 660 posts (last night and this morning) to catch-up on the thread. Too many things to quote individually so......
I'm sorry to hear of health issues among hatchers and/or their family members, prayers were said as I read and I'll keep them in future prayers.
Congrats to the winners of contests and to those having cute chicks, goslings, ducklings, emus (is there a "baby name" for them?) and kittens.
Oz great pics, and that is some operation you have there!
Austin your pic is so serene and peaceful...great job!
Predators happen.....be prepared for them.
Very interesting reading on the different shipping/incubating/hatching subjects.

Just doing my own in this hatchalong but knowledge is power so saved some links for future reference. Thanks!

I was gone so haven't candled yet. I will do so tonight to see what I have to transfer to my three broody hens/pullets. I will be preparing their broody areas today and move them tonight. If they all stick to the new nests, they will get their clutches of eggs on Tuesday night. I've been ready for Spring for quite a while now and nothing says it's Spring like momma hens and chicks!