The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Cynthia12]

Hi,

I did not plan to get in this year.. BUT

I set eggs today 103.. of which 18 are turkey eggs SO I am in with 18... I am hoping for none to hatch but a Tom was seen with my hens so I thought "what the hay" and incubated them. I will be putting my toms in next week..

I will add chicken eggs next weekend..

 

[StarMeKritten]

  Aww, you have a Princess too.   I just got mine to quit being broody.  I was going to give her some babies that I had hatching, but changed my mind..to mucky out there!  And all of my other pens are taken up that I have used as a broody pen.   I love that last chick, upper left one.  Coloring?

We have a Princess too. Hehe. She's my husband's 14 year old cat.

 

[shahtir101]

I had a hen go broody. So, I won't be setting with all of you guys on March 5th. But, I will still follow along. Good luck everyone!
@Happy Chooks

 

[PaisyQ]

That's a good question. I'm not exactly sure if it matters what time of the day is best. Hopefully someone else will chime in who has better experience with choosing the best eggs.

If it was me trying to pick the best eggs to hatch...I would choose the eggs that you are certain are viable (as in not frozen) that have the most consistent size and shape so the embryo/chick doesn't have difficulties. You also want to avoid porous eggs or eggs with visible defects.
Your eggs will be very fresh so you have that aspect covered already.

Thanks. I was worried that the eggs I collect this weekend would be getting too old, but you don't think that will be a problem? They've dropped their predictions for the end of the week's highs down to 27. The interior of the coops are usually warmer than the outside temps, but the eggs are still quite cold when I collect them. Tomorrow is still supposed to be in the 40's, so maybe I'll just set the eggs I collected from this weekend and any good ones I get tomorrow. That should fill up all my spaces.

 

[Penny Hen]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll go try that.

I sure hope there are some others still alive in there. It would be so nice to know they made it all the way to hatch. Its so amazing to see them break into the world for the first time.


Poults are so much fun. I can't wait to see yours when they hatch.

Would that be a wild Tom?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sorry for not announcing bantam duck set time. In my defense, I am on vacation right now in Washington DC.

 

[karenerwin]

We have a Princess too. Hehe. She's my husband's 14 year old cat.

We are going to be picking up 2 kittens tomorrow. Do you have any experience with introducing kittens to chickens? I am thinking do it while the kittens are young so the chickens are bigger and can teach the kittens not to mess with them, but I don't know if that is the best approach or not. Any advice?

 

[Kluk-Kluk]

Woo-hoo! Just had one of my Japanese bantams go broody, as I had hoped. (After incubating in an incubator and buying day-olds, both of which required me to be mama and raise chicks in a brooder - talk about high-maintenance babes, especially when introducing to the rest of the flock! - I've decided that broody hens doing the incubating and chick-raising is SOOO much easier! My bantams have been great mamas! ) I'll give my future mama a few days to settle into the nest that I want her in. Then I'M IN!!!

 

[Eps32]

Ok guys I WON the Orust egg auction. I'll be hatching this rare breed for the hatch along. Supper excited!!!!!

 

[Cynthia12]

We have a Princess too. Hehe. She's my husband's 14 year old cat.

Aww, 14! That's good ol age. They can live quite a while when taken care of. My mom had a 22 yr. old cat. True Story!