The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[myfivegirls]

Quote:

Thank you all - i'll get myself back in the race and start collecting those eggs. We are planning on getting another rooster, but i'll be gathering those eggs.

Will they be ok even though they are cold? We've had and ice and snow here (south central oklahoma)

I'm currently doing a "test" hatch with eggs collected during cold weather, like 'teens & 20's. Only a few of the eggs were actually "warm" to the touch when I collected them from the nesting boxes. About six of them weren't collected until evening, meaning they were quite cold, but around 1/2 of them had veins this morning. When I candled the other eggs that were also cold but collected more frequently, most were developing. Time will tell if they hatch, but so far they've progressed more than my previous "test" hatch that were mostly infertile.

So, I'd definitely think it's worth a try to see how many will hatch.

 

[chicken pickin]

Will his death affect their laying for a day or two?

I don't think his death will affect their laying. It wont disrupt their daily routine or stress them out. They should be fine and continue to lay.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Kelly, you were posting as I was typing! Great minds think alike!

Quote: A hen can store sperm for several weeks, so yes, they could still be fertile.

 

[Dustystrail]

Thank you all - i'll get myself back in the race and start collecting those eggs. We are planning on getting another rooster, but i'll be gathering those eggs.

Will they be ok even though they are cold? We've had and ice and snow here (south central oklahoma)

It can't hurt to try. I would even try the ones that have been in the refrigerator if your not sure how long its been since he was feeling up to fertilizing eggs.

 

[gevshiba]

I'm currently doing a "test" hatch with eggs collected during cold weather, like 'teens & 20's. Only a few of the eggs were actually "warm" to the touch when I collected them from the nesting boxes. About six of them weren't collected until evening, meaning they were quite cold, but around 1/2 of them had veins this morning. When I candled the other eggs that were also cold but collected more frequently, most were developing. Time will tell if they hatch, but so far they've progressed more than my previous "test" hatch that were mostly infertile.

So, I'd definitely think it's worth a try to see how many will hatch.

I hatched some for the NYD HAL that were laying in the fridge, on their sides for 5 days. I think 2 out of 3 hatched.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I'm currently doing a "test" hatch with eggs collected during cold weather, like 'teens & 20's. Only a few of the eggs were actually "warm" to the touch when I collected them from the nesting boxes. About six of them weren't collected until evening, meaning they were quite cold, but around 1/2 of them had veins this morning.  When I candled the other eggs that were also cold but collected more frequently, most were developing. Time will tell if they hatch, but so far they've progressed more than my previous "test" hatch that were mostly infertile.

So, I'd definitely think it's worth a try to see how many will hatch.

I also have an incubator filed with eggs collected in the cold. 13 just went into lockdown yesterday (out of 14) and all looked good going in. The others in the bator are developing well

 

[draye]

Just sold the rest of the hatch. Took a small cut but sent them all off with the new owner.

 

[jrfadfarm]

It can't hurt to try. I would even try the ones that have been in the refrigerator if your not sure how long its been since he was feeling up to fertilizing eggs.

Will do. Collected from fridge - the ones I'm sure were yesterday's.

 

[Math]

I also have an incubator filed with eggs collected in the cold. 13 just went into lockdown yesterday (out of 14) and all looked good going in. The others in the bator are developing well

I collected eggs in the cold also and placed them in my Little Giant incubator. Mine went into lockdown today. I had overfilled my Little Giant incubator thinking that maybe half of the eggs would survive and develop.

I ended up with an incubator full of my backyard mix eggs developing and going into lockdown. They survived the cold and developed. Now let's see if they hatch. That's the true test.

Congratulations on your incubation so far. And good luck on your hatch.

 

[Joshua G]

Well, I've acquired some goose eggs and I was wondering if there is anything special about incubating them, or anything to look out for?
Any suggestions would be helpful.