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

[amyfitz100]

So in addition to my bator, my black hen went broody a week or so later. She had one egg and two golf balls. Yesterday I checked everything while I saw she was up (very convenient for me -- she does her thing at noon everyday) and my brown hen was sitting on the eggs and screaming at me! Is it normal to have an eggsitter? I went out 15 minutes later and no one was on the eggs -- and there were four eggs, all different colors, all warm. I put an x on all of them. Then the black hen came back. I still got all 4 eggs possible yesterday, so the ones under the broody were not new. I don't know how old they are. Is that okay?

I went back out a couple of hours later and a brown egg with an x on it was sitting next to her. What does that mean? It was cool. I would stick it in my bator, but I'm supposed to start lockdown today. When it gets dark tonight I'm going to take someone's (sorry, I lost your response/name in all these posts!!!) suggestion and go candle all of her eggs. If she doesn't peck my hand off...

 

[quailtrail]

Nothing sweeter than a momma hen with babies.

I so wish mine stayed bloody longer than 3 days.

 

[orpington13]

Why do I insist on going to look at the chick bins when I go to Southern States to buy feed???

Although, I'm glad I did this time. No chicks, but keets...with one, lone baby all by itself laying on its side, barely under the heat lamp, isolated in one of those cardboard chick boxes.

"What's wrong with that baby?" I ask.

"Dunno, it was like that when the shipment got here this morning. It either got too cold overnight, or it got trampled." says employee.

"Aww, poor thing. I hope it makes it." I say.

"Doubt it. One of the guys in the back will probably break its neck to put it out of its misery." says employee.

Yeah... I. Don't. Think. So.

Meet Gilly:

Awwww...

 

[orpington13]

A Joke:

A Woman Walks into the car shop and says "I need a 710!"
The Employee says "What is That!"
after a long time of looking up what a 710 is he finally asks to see the car
He takes one look at it turns it side ways and says "OIL!!!!!!"

 

[CackleJoy]

I have an early bird! I KNEW I heard cheeping while I was tracing air sacks for lock-down! This one was in a real hurry. Not a pip in sight otherwise. I expect a few more early birds tomorrow and hoping for a bunch Friday. What a surprise!

 

[amyfitz100]

I went back out a couple of hours later and a brown egg with an x on it was sitting next to her. What does that mean? It was cool. I would stick it in my bator, but I'm supposed to start lockdown today. When it gets dark tonight I'm going to take someone's (sorry, I lost your response/name in all these posts!!!) suggestion and go candle all of her eggs. If she doesn't peck my hand off...

I took that one in the bathroom and candled it, saw just a yolk shadow and decided to crack it and see how far along it was -- probably the extra eggs all came from this weekend when my husband was collecting. How old does this look?

 

[Math]

I have 5 pips. Hatch day begins tomorrow night or maybe earlier.

 

[Quailsong]

I took that one in the bathroom and candled it, saw just a yolk shadow and decided to crack it and see how far along it was -- probably the extra eggs all came from this weekend when my husband was collecting. How old does this look?

2 days, imo. How old were the other eggs? They might have been further along & warmer - she'd notice if one was behind or bad by how cool it'd feel.

 

[amyfitz100]

2 days, imo. How old were the other eggs? They might have been further along & warmer - she'd notice if one was behind or bad by how cool it'd feel.

She went broody 8 days ago and she only had one egg. Yesterday I saw the clutch when she was up and there were three more eggs, from different hens. I usually keep really good track of who lays what, but I went out of town and things got complicated. I've collected the right number of eggs today, but I think at least one is climbing on her and trying to lay in her spot...

 

[Euarto Gullible]

It just turned Day 18 this evening. Went to put my eggs on lock-down and one had already externally pipped. Woohoo! Easter Hatch is underway!