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

[LadyHawkeAvry]

 ITS SO HARD I JUST CANT!! LOL

I haven't rotated the seramas in a day... seeing of the cells will settle.
GOODNESS SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE ALL CANDLERS AND FLASH LIGHTS FROM ME
  
I normally candle on day 4 for anyway to check out progress, and candle again on day 9.

I took my surviving freaky air cell egg, stuck it in the back of the incubator, and ignored it. I think it may have finally set... It hasn't been turned in days... I am fighting the urge to check it... The rest of the incubator is due to be candled tomorrow, so I will check it then. I'm optimistic. I thought it may have died, but usually when the embryo dies with a free air cell, it never sets... I'll know tomorrow. I feel your pain, the suspense is killing me!

 

[suebgbr]

I think the battery fairy needs to visit you lot!
The battery fairy usually visits our house about 2 weeks after christmas and targets the games with annoying music, repetitive phrases or the other wonderful toys that relatives buy but don't have to live with

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I think the battery fairy needs to visit you lot!
The battery fairy usually visits our house about 2 weeks after christmas and targets the games with annoying music, repetitive phrases or the other wonderful toys that relatives buy but don't have to live with

I wish I had known about the battery fairy when my daughter was small........

 

[tntchix]

I think the battery fairy needs to visit you lot!
The battery fairy usually visits our house about 2 weeks after christmas and targets the games with annoying music, repetitive phrases or the other wonderful toys that relatives buy but don't have to live with

I wish I had known about the battery fairy when my daughter was small........

I knew. We were besties for years

 

[suebgbr]

....or the chicks will come out with a USB port!

 

[chicken pickin]

Where are you located?

Southern New Hampshire. But I just rechecked the forcast and looks like it is just going to be a possible quick afternoon snow shower. *Phew*

 

[SandraBH]

Sorry, I thought it said not to post our totals...50

 

[Happy Chooks]

Snow today! I was able to candle 3 eggs while one of the broodies was off the nest. 1 had veins. 1 wasn't one of the original 14, no veins but maybe something, I don't know when it was laid. 1 had no veins. Should I toss the ones that aren't developing?

It's WAAAAAAAYYYYY too early to be tossing any eggs. Leave them be!

Alright, I don't know if this will count, but this is my story and I am sticking to it. On Monday the 9th I set 12 eggs in a panic around 2:00 pm because I, for some reason, thought that was the day I was supposed to set the eggs. When I was able to get back on here at this wonderful "chicken people" place I realized that I was way ahead of schedule. So I threw my hands up and just added eggs for the next 3 days because there was no way I could remember to do it on Saturday, the 14th. We were hosting a double birthday party that day for our boys. They got Wheelers! It was a big day. So for the days of the 9th-12th I set 29 mixed breed chicken eggs. I set 0 guinea eggs. If this counts I am still in with you guys. I do have some woes...out of 84 eggs I set since Jan only 2 hatched out. 2 were killed by an accidental 5 yr old boy fall. They would die just before hatch and others would die in the middle process. A couple even beaked through then died as their beaks hung out of the shell.

There has been sooooo much chick death in this household. We changed incubators and Sunday was supposed to be their hatch date. The first hatched out Tuesday. The other 3 hatched out today. I checked the air pockets of others. I still have 7 alive and about 15 gone....some ready to hatch...blood was drawn in and so was the yoke. I currently have 4 lovely ALIVE chicks in a tote today.... And hopefully 7 more. BIG QUESTIONS!!!!!!! Why are my chicks hatching out late? Why are they dying? Will my 29 eggs still count for the total count? I did have a regular tractor supply bator with egg turner. The new bator is a hova bator and I opted out of doing the egg turner. Have bator hidden in a non drafty place under a dresser. I would be happy to share more info if needed to answer my questions. So confused and sad...what am I doing wrong. I believe we have lost over 100 eggs/chicks. I would not want 100 but I keep trying to replenish our stock.

What you set on the 12th will count for the Total number of eggs set, but you're welcome on this thread anytime.

Incubator Wars!

Breaking News!​

This just in! There may be some "fowl" play in this battle of the 'bators! During this mornings' scheduled egg turning Contestant #2 spotted the addition of a mystery egg in their incubator. Not knowing what to do, the Judge was called in to make a ruling. At the moment we are still waiting for him to come back with a decision. In the meantime let's fill you in on what has transpired thus far.

Contestant #1 has had a rather uneventful incubation. Her store bought incubator and turner have been working non-stop, while she has been going about her daily tasks unhindered. Aside from a minor mishap with a secondary thermometer on day 3 it has been a rather uneventful hatch.

Contestant #3 has been a roller coaster of unknown events. After the quitting of Speckles, Amber stepped up to care for these eggs. This may not have been the best decision. After this morning's brief restroom break, Amber become disoriented and returned to the wrong nest box and needed some encouragement to return to the correct box and waiting eggs. It is common knowledge around the "farm" that Amber, while fiercely protective, is not the brightest tool in the shed. The judge did managed to get a quick count of the eggs in Amber's box during this unexpected escapade. Miss. Amber started with 8 eggs. However, there are now 14 eggs in the box. This number may to many for her to cover properly. As we speak a plan is being formulated to separate her and her original 8 eggs to a separate nest box, away from any other sneaky hens. We will bring you updates as soon as we have them.

Contestant #2... oh, wait just a minute. It would appear the Judge has returned with a decision. "The origins of this egg are unknown, but all creatures deserve a chance at life. The mystery egg can remain. However, the results associated with this egg will neither count for or against this team." There you have it folks! The egg stays! It would seem that the young men believe contestant #1 is behind this whole situation and have issued a challenge. "Our eggs and our incubator are strong enough to handle this disturbance. In-fact the more eggs there are the stronger they become, and we can prove it. Can you?" Wow, folks, what a challenge. Proving the strength of eggs... I wonder what they could "cooking up" now.

...yep..hmm...ok...sounds go. Contestant #1 has agreed to the challenge and extends the challenge to all participants and observers of BackYardChickens Easter Hatch-A-Long. Folks, all you have to do is post a picture or link a video of you proving the strength of eggs. Please include the quote "Incubator Wars Challenge" along with your post. All ideas and creativity are up to you. This challenge is for the fun of it and no prizes will be issued at this time. To keep from flooding this forum all challenge related posts must be posted by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time March 20.

We will be back again soon with more exciting updates in our Incubator Wars for now, Good Day and Happy Hatching!

You need to mark the eggs and remove any unmarked ones every day. I like to use a sharpie, as pencil will wear off.

Today is a good news/bad news day.
Yesterday I couldn't seem to get the temp stable but watched it closely. It did get up to 102.5 for a maybe 1/2 an hour but It was going from 98 to 101 and finally settled down in the evening! Today has been uneventful. Thank Goodness!

This morning I watched as 2 geese came on to the pond. Then 2 more. I scared them off but 2 returned later.

I usually don't mind a couple of geese making a pit stop. but not this year. And the 2 that returned looked like a mating pair.

The other bad news for today is I had to cull one of my RIR's. She had vent gleet and I couldn't get her any better. She was in pain and her abdomen was very swollen. I though maybe yesterday she was getting better, her comb color was better, but today she could hardly walk. She was one of 5 that survived an attack by a couple of neighborhood strays shepherd/beagle mix and beagle. She is the 2nd one in 2 months to succumb to internal issues. Neither had been laying.

But the good news is the bator is stable today!

Sorry about your hen.

 

[Happy Chooks]

You all candle too much! I haven't touched mine.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You all candle too much! I haven't touched mine.

If only I was given patience......lol