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

[misbhaven]

This is exactly why I don't candle until day 14. Plus, I only candle until I see the first egg showing development, then I leave all eggs until candling at lockdown. That's when I candle them all and remove the ones which haven't developed.

I consider one live hatchling a success - a miracle! - although I do hope for two so there isn't a solo, lonely chick to raise. More miracles.

It is my habit to assume none will hatch. That's just the way I am. It's so wonderful when eggs become living chicks. But I don't like being disappointed more times than I need to be, y'know?

i don't count my chickens before their hatched ether...........

But yes at least 2 is ideal any more than that and they are bonus chicks

 

[ozexpat]

I have data on thousands of shipped eggs that I have attempted to hatch but I am looking for a larger pool of variables for a research paper on shipped eggs hatchability.

Could anybody who had shipped eggs for the hatch-a-along please PM me with:

Set number
Number viable after 1st candling
Hatch number
How many you assisted
how many pipped but did not hatch
when did you start turning
how often did you turn

I will draw from a hat the name of one person who answers the questions for me and he/she will win a CocoBeachPoultry tshirt

 

[SoManyHats]

just out of interest was there anything else goung on - like new electrical equipment on in the area

also... your NYD malpositioned chicks... were they shipped and what was your turning strategy?

No, nothing weird going on with the electricity.

My NYD chicks were not shipped eggs. They were on their sides through incubation, and I switched from x side to o side 3x a day, so each night they spent on a different side. They were placed upright for hatching, because I didn't have enough incubator space for them to hatch laying down. One malpositioned chick was upside down completely - butt up against the air sac. The other three were positioned in a way that they could not pip internally. Interestingly, all three of those were from the same breeding pen, so genetics may have played a part there. I let the breeder know so she could see if that was a pattern.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I have data on thousands of shipped eggs that I have attempted to hatch but I am looking for a larger pool of variables for a research paper on shipped eggs hatchability.

Could anybody who had shipped eggs for the hatch-a-along please PM me with:

Set number
Number viable after 1st candling
Hatch number
How many you assisted
how many pipped but did not hatch
when did you start turning
how often did you turn

I will draw from a hat the name of one person who answers the questions for me and he/she will win a CocoBeachPoultry tshirt

Wonderful oz

 

[ozexpat]

No, nothing weird going on with the electricity.

My NYD chicks were not shipped eggs. They were on their sides through incubation, and I switched from x side to o side 3x a day, so each night they spent on a different side. They were placed upright for hatching, because I didn't have enough incubator space for them to hatch laying down. One malpositioned chick was upside down completely - butt up against the air sac. The other three were positioned in a way that they could not pip internally. Interestingly, all three of those were from the same breeding pen, so genetics may have played a part there. I let the breeder know so she could see if that was a pattern.

thanks - great detail.

i am really looking for patterns as such


it takes a whole lot of eggs for patterns to become statistically significant

 

[ozexpat]

I have, in the thousands of shipped eggs I have hatched, never hatch an egg with a rolling aircell.

people tell me it can happen

If you are lucky enough to do so and have video or even photos of the aircell, please share with me

apart from in my incubator, its rare to have so many shipped eggs hatching at the same time

your data could help hundreds in the future

muy amable

 

[jinks12333]

Happy Chooks... I will Definitely NOT be candling my eggs till day 14 for the HAL.... I am leaving the incubator alone besides turning my HAL eggs 2xdaily. Its so hard not to go to the basement and not peek..... I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!! lol

 

[Scrambles55]

Funny... there is hail coming down and 2 of my girls are out there eating the hailstones. Silly chickens...

 

[Happy Chooks]

Happy Chooks... I will Definitely NOT be candling my eggs till day 14 for the HAL.... I am leaving the incubator alone besides turning my HAL eggs 2xdaily. Its so hard not to go to the basement and not peek..... I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!! lol

Funny... there is hail coming down and 2 of my girls are out there eating the hailstones. Silly chickens...

Mine do that too.

 

[GerbilsOnToast]

Speaking of processing equipment, I don't mind processing, but my scalding technique/resources leave a lot to be desired. Anyone have recommendations for an easy scalder situation for just a chicken or few? Boiling water on the stove just isn't really good for more than one. Don't want to set up a big water heater driving tub, but something in between? Do they make electric turkey friers or something?

I use a propane turkey fryer - I can set it up anywhere, the pot they come with is perfect depth, and it even has a long probe thermometer!