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

[jbenson]

Candled toinght - yesterday was 14, but I was under the weather and in no condition to pick up fragile eggies. Pulled 5 quitters, so I'm down to 16 for the HAL. I started another round of blue layers 10 days after my HAL eggs (can't stand to have so much empty space in the 'bator) and did a quick candle check on them (this would be day 5 for them) and there is quite a bit of veining starting already. Glad I had a bright light - I'm still not used to trying to see the veining in those blue shells.

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: Yes, Saturday was gorgeous and Sunday was wet but warm....the daffodils were blooming and the flock was out ranging all over the place. Today, not so much.........
You are welcome to it, Mike. We've had more than our fair share...........and Sally, there should be some left by the time it gets to PA!

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Pulled 2 quitters tonight...the polish/silkie cross egg I "fixed" with liquid skin (it was fractured upon arrival at home) and one of my own EE/BR cross eggs. The polish/silkie was moving at Saturday's candle, so it died either yesterday or today. The other egg was wiggling as well on Saturday.

Just to be clear, I did not candle all the eggs tonight...the reason I candled both of those eggs is because they felt a lot cooler than the others when I did my final egg turn for the night. So I just learned something new...if the egg feels significantly cooler than the rest of the eggs, check it. It's probably a quitter, which both of these definitely were (did eggtopsy, yolk had already disintegrated in both eggs), which also proves my theory that the eggs that are still kicking generate heat...the older the fetus, the more heat they generate...which is why the temp of the bator seems to go up close to lockdown. That's my theory, and I'm stickin' to it!

I will candle all the eggs Wednesday right before I lock down the bator. But as for now, my count is 55 eggs still wigglin'.

 

[bantambury]

OKKKKKK im gone on BYC for 3 days and I have 42 forums to catch up on.....LOL

I candled marshie's eggs on day four and all seemed to be growing strong! im candling again tomorrow on day 7. HOPEFULLY no quitters. with 3 eggs I am getting my hopes up, but I RELLY do want 3 chicks!

 

[Gardeningmama]

Pulled 2 quitters tonight...the polish/silkie cross egg I "fixed" with liquid skin (it was fractured upon arrival at home) and one of my own EE/BR cross eggs. The polish/silkie was moving at Saturday's candle, so it died either yesterday or today. The other egg was wiggling as well on Saturday.

Just to be clear, I did not candle all the eggs tonight...the reason I candled both of those eggs is because they felt a lot cooler than the others when I did my final egg turn for the night. So I just learned something new...if the egg feels significantly cooler than the rest of the eggs, check it. It's probably a quitter, which both of these definitely were (did eggtopsy, yolk had already disintegrated in both eggs), which also proves my theory that the eggs that are still kicking generate heat...the older the fetus, the more heat they generate...which is why the temp of the bator seems to go up close to lockdown. That's my theory, and I'm stickin' to it!

I will candle all the eggs Wednesday right before I lock down the bator. But as for now, my count is 55 eggs still wigglin'.

Hmmm very interesting about the egg being cool to touch. Makes total sense especially this late in the game. Good tip!

 

[Cynthia12]

Wow.... Look what fell into my Brinsea mini..

I have no idea how in the world you could have let that happen. What were you thinking?

 

[Quailsong]

I just have to share a couple hatch this week by the broody.

What breed/mix is this chick? He's gorgeous.

 

[Eggsalad]

It snowed today for the gazillionth time since October........


okay, maybe not the gazillionth time............it just seems like the gazillionth time.....

In the 70's (finally) Saturday, first day without 40 +MPH winds so we could work outside. Sunday started beautiful, watched the blizzard start while in church! Pastor called it short, 3" in 45 minutes. Got home to heavy wind (destroyed neighbors' shed roof) pounding rain, sideways snow, marble hail off and on all day. If I ever find that groundhog.....

 

[ronott1]

It was so funny! I had the first egg ever hatch out of my Brinsea Octagon 40. I move them to a Genesis 1588 for hatching, but missed one of the UofA Blues!

I was checking on the other chicks hatching in the Genesis and heard chirping coming from the wrong place!

I looked over at the tilted brinsea and there was a chick there! leaning against the lid. I had my oldest dd hold the brinsea a bit towards level and lifted the lid--the little thing flopped out onto the table.

The chick is in the brooder under the eco glow with one side removed so the it can easily touch the heater if it wants to keep warm.

For those keeping track of humidity, the brinsea is set at 35% and the chick was not stuck at all.

The UofA Blues are very healthy chicks!

 

[Eggsalad]

What breed/mix is this chick? He's gorgeous.

Tough to answer, I tried to keep the eggs straight at first, too many hatched overnight to ever know! I have a flock of 45, 35 very fertile hens because of 10 roosters. They are all supposed to be rare/ heritage breeds and are free ranging/ breeding at this time. I hope to sort it out at some point. Two hens went broody and I accommodated them with my best mix of very dark (marans) and green (rumples) and Sultan hen eggs. No telling the daddies. I believe this to be from a blue or black marans hen and a blue marans roo, but I truly don't know. This was all an experiment to accommodate broody hens. I am definitely not displeased with these "mutt" chicks! They are gorgeous!