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

[ocap]

good morning, results from the hatch before the Easter hatch-a-long, 33 set (never candled) 16 chicks as of day 22 plus 11 hours, had one zip and hatch at day 22 plus three hours. I am almost afraid to admit that I don't like to candle the eggs.

 

[NotAFarm]

GOING FISHING! HAVE A FUN WEEKEND ALL!!

Have fun and catch a boat load!

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Day 8 candling: I am not sure what to make of some of these eggs. Was able to identify veins in a few but most were just dark shadows, some big and some small. All were put in at the same time so looking for some expert opinion here on some sample eggs: My comments/questions are below the pics: Almost 60% of the egg taken. Growing too fast? Will die? or possible early hatch on day 18/19? Can't identify anything except for the shadow Shadow is pretty light? Quitter? I don't see any blood ring though. Again, more than 60% of the egg taken. Whats going on here? This seems like a good one. Really small shadow but floating and moving on its own. I can see the air sac though. Again really small with no identifiable veins. Kindly ignore the dark spots. They are mud/poo What should I do with the really small ones? Take them out or leave them in till day 18?

Cool pictures! In my opinion, day 8 is too early to remove anything except eggs that are leaking or smelly. At this stage, developing eggs can look very different. You're still seeing a lot of shadow from the yolk. And depending on how the chick is positioned, each egg can look very different. I've had eggs where at day 18, the chick seemed to take up significantly less space in the egg. I figured they were developing slower, but then they hatch on day 20! There's really only a few things you're looking for here: -the air cell (you should candle from the air cell end btw). Is it getting bigger? Is it getting too big? Is it moving? ( shipped eggs) Sometimes with thinner eggs, I'll raise my humidity a touch because the air cell grows too fast. You'll pay more attention to air cells in another week or so. At day 8, it won't be very big. Also, air cells on shipped eggs can take on bizarre shapes, but they can still hatch. -veins. Easier to see from the air cell side. May not be that obvious on day 8, especially in darker eggs -blood rings. Sometimes thick veins can look like a blood ring. I always leave them in for a few more days to be sure. - movement. For me, this is the easiest way to gauge the health of the egg. Even on dark eggs, by day 10 you'll be able, once your eyes adjust, to see a shadow shifting inside the egg. No movement can mean they're resting though. And later on when the egg gets crowded, they can barely move at all sometimes. The more you candle and hatch, the better understanding you'll have of what you're seeing. Good luck!

 

[LBKS]

Hmm, have a floppy chick hatch. Any quick ideas before I have to go to work? Dipped it's beak into electrolyte/probiotic. Not much else I can think of other than putting it in a divided area so none trample it. So limp :/

 

[JennaLynn122]

Good morning all. This little guy? is who woke me up peeping his head off... what did he want? Held! Already spoiled!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Hey MIKE.....

GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!!!

FRIDAY THE 11th of APRIL!!

​

1st up! Random Funny Posting
Post on the Funny posting thread April 11th
between the hours of 8am-8pm Eastern Time!
To check your time zone: map, converter​

POST POST POST! Post Pictures, quotes, stories, jokes, etc!
I will use a random number generator to select several winners for this time frame.
READ RULES BELOW!


MINI Contests
& Fun Night
Same Thread and will begin APRIL 11th at
8:30 pm Eastern Time and run approx. 3 HOURS!
To check your time zone: map, converter

We will hold a bunch of MINI contests, games, quick caption contests, trivia etc. You may have to be quick, you have to pay attention but most of all you have to laugh and have fun!
These contests will be quick paced & will be judged by Sally Sunshine and Gardeningmama, your host’s for the day!
REMINDER that your host's reserves the right to disqualify posts not following the rules.
​

​

MINI-Contests & FUN
We will be holding mini contests & fun every 3-5 minutes in the evening section! There will be some Random Funny postings, some specific, Trivia Challenges, Scavenger hunts, Online searches, Guessing Games, Captions Creations, Dance parties, and more and more! Heck we even have Easter Egg Decorating!
We have attempted to make it possible for everyone to understand and play!
ASK QUESTIONS on the thread, we are here to help!



TIPS:
Refresh page often!
IMAGE SEARCH is your friend!
Sometimes you need to be QUICK!
Several open browsers sure do help!
Watch for Sally Sunshine & Gardeningmama's POSTS,
they will be BIG & BRIGHT!
WHEN WE HIT TARGET post # STOP posting!
If you’re from a different Country message me please!
Winners will be updated on the OP as we go! (Original first thread post)
And PLEASE bare with us, there is only 2 of us behind the silly madness and we may need multiple bathroom trips!

FOLLOW THESE RULES:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-fun-night-5th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long

 

[Happy Chooks]

I candled tonight because I needed room... Got more eggs today!
I have 31 left from my 53 (I think that's right) set for this HAL. I added 38 eggs to my bator though! Yikes!! Don't tell the husband!!

I also have 11 eggs in the hatcher. There are 3 external pips but none of them are the Jubilee Orps I want soooo bad.

It's just now day 21 but I really want them to hatch.

In my experience, Orps are lazy hatchers. They take their darn sweet time.

Well just as a note, as I closed it down tonight, two broodies have decided to share the remaining 15 eggs and the five chicks. They broke a pipping egg in a squabble for nest rights, probably a few hours away from hatch and decided to share. It is absolutely hilarious to watch chicks go out to eat & drink & try to figure out which broody to go back to cause they both purr, tidbit, and scratch close feed for the chicks. I am a little sad cause I saw the panic and intensity of the hens trying to get the chick out of the shell, it was gasping, look fully formed, just needed a few more hours...it was very sad and I felt so bad for the hens trying to get it up & running. Nature is so beautiful & cruel. Two more went broody today. This will make five....not sure I can handle or accommodate that many. Can the sound of chirping chicks cause a hen to brood? I am beginning to think so. The two new broodies just absolutely locked down, stealing eegs, growling, ALL puffed up. I truly do not know how you incubator folks handle it all. I think I may write something up, I would like to have an incubator cause you never know when a hen may go broody, but a broody takes care of so much. Trying to hatch, everybody sounds like a kid with a box of Cracker Jacks...just can't wait for the prize at the bottom of the box. Of my hatches, I know one is a Sultan, maybe silkie mix dad. Grey , black face, five toes, and feathers like you stuck it in a light socket!

Yes, I believe that broodies and chicks make other hens go broody. It's contagious. Sorry you lost one. No reason you can't have an incubator AND use broodies.

Quote:

You two are funny!

I am not disrespecting anyone using an incubator, I would LOVE to have one of those little self turning models.( Brisn something) I personally was not ready to have chicks at this time last year, although it was in the plans for the near future, now I just had hens go absolutely broody and taking over the favorite nesting boxes. I built them a maternity ward and moved them and now I have more broody hens showing up. I wasn't even ready when I got these birds at this time last year as an adoption/rescue thing. Two days of warmer weather and I'm knee deep! I'm sure we'll work it out, I would just like to be able to catch my breath now & then. My hubby would LOVE to have Guineas, I told him AFTER we get the chicken thing all squared away. I was offered quail ( all I would take) ducks and turkeys this year already. Got to get the chickie birds set up better first, so hard to say no !!!!!

Broody chickens can raise turkey poults. Just sayin'.

Took some allergy medicine to combat the high pollen causing my eyes to itch, it was the only thing that let me sleep, I think. When I woke up to new peeping I thought for sure the first pipper would be out - it is just now zipping it seems. A second egg is externally pipped too. Wish they would hurry up

They are always the slowest to hatch when you are watching.

I'm nervous as all get out. Sigh! My Call eggs are due to hatch on Wednesday, I think. I set them 1 day (23rd) early for Call Egg set. I am wondering when I will get a pip, and when I'm actually supposed to lockdown. I think Sunday? Everything says Calls hatch around day 24 but can take up to 3 days to hatch. So would the pip happen 3 days early or on the 24th day?? Half have small aircells because I kept the humidity high to control aircell growth on the wonky cells (which worked, I kept them from growing an amazingly small amount) but now I'm afraid for the small cell ones. GAWD! Did I mention I'm nervous!

No idea, but I'm excited for you! All you duck people have me contemplating ducks!

GOING FISHING! HAVE A FUN WEEKEND ALL!!

Have a great time and catch lots of fish!

Quote: Very good advise. If you are unsure, leave them in the incubator.

Hmm, have a floppy chick hatch. Any quick ideas before I have to go to work? Dipped it's beak into electrolyte/probiotic. Not much else I can think of other than putting it in a divided area so none trample it. So limp

Is it's yolk sac absorbed? Can you leave it in the incubator until it gains some strength? (or separate it in the brooder)

 

[Happy Chooks]

Good morning all. This little guy? is who woke me up peeping his head off... what did he want? Held! Already spoiled!

Awww, adorable!

 

[Gardeningmama]

Hey MIKE.....

GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS!!!

FRIDAY THE 11th of APRIL!!

​

1st up! Random Funny Posting
Post on the Funny posting thread April 11th
between the hours of 8am-8pm Eastern Time!
To check your time zone: map, converter​

POST POST POST! Post Pictures, quotes, stories, jokes, etc!
I will use a random number generator to select several winners for this time frame.
READ RULES BELOW!


MINI Contests
& Fun Night
Same Thread and will begin APRIL 11th at
8:30 pm Eastern Time and run approx. 3 HOURS!
To check your time zone: map, converter

We will hold a bunch of MINI contests, games, quick caption contests, trivia etc. You may have to be quick, you have to pay attention but most of all you have to laugh and have fun!
These contests will be quick paced & will be judged by Sally Sunshine and Gardeningmama, your host’s for the day!
REMINDER that your host's reserves the right to disqualify posts not following the rules.
​

​

MINI-Contests & FUN
We will be holding mini contests & fun every 3-5 minutes in the evening section! There will be some Random Funny postings, some specific, Trivia Challenges, Scavenger hunts, Online searches, Guessing Games, Captions Creations, Dance parties, and more and more! Heck we even have Easter Egg Decorating!
We have attempted to make it possible for everyone to understand and play!
ASK QUESTIONS on the thread, we are here to help!



TIPS:
Refresh page often!
IMAGE SEARCH is your friend!
Sometimes you need to be QUICK!
Several open browsers sure do help!
Watch for Sally Sunshine & Gardeningmama's POSTS,
they will be BIG & BRIGHT!
WHEN WE HIT TARGET post # STOP posting!
If you’re from a different Country message me please!
Winners will be updated on the OP as we go! (Original first thread post)
And PLEASE bare with us, there is only 2 of us behind the silly madness and we may need multiple bathroom trips!

FOLLOW THESE RULES:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-fun-night-5th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long

 

[JennaLynn122]

Awww, adorable!

thank you. Hoping this one or at least one of the rir is a rooster. For now his name is Chanticlaire. Lol