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

[aplynn]

Marans have leg feathers. Even if your marans hens don't, it would probably be in their genes. Many breeds have recessive feather stubs that can show up now and then, Mainly when you don't want them...

I never knew that I have learned SO MUCH from BYC and all the people on here. I am kind of excited I hope they keep the feathers on the legs it is sooo cute

You guys are the best

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:

Quote: Tolbunt polish, thank you!! she loves them too!!

I'm in!!!

Welcome Amy!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
​

Collection & Storage of Eggs​

​

Choose eggs that are of good size, not abnormally big or small. Do NOT set dirty, cracked, or porous eggs.
Clinical studies at the University of Arkansas have shown that if your going to set a dirty egg, set the dirty egg,
DO NOT SAND, WASH OR WIPE dirty eggs as hatchability decreases with these practices!
ALL ABOUT WASHING EGGS! CLICK on.... post #10836
Cuticula is the thin membrane that covers the whole eggshell that is made from the sticky fluid when laid which covers it and quickly dissolves due to carbondioxyde activity.
This membrane can be penetrated by gasses but functions as a kind defensive mechanism to prevent the entry of bacteria.

The washing and rubbing action also serves to force disease organisms through the pores of the shell. Place the eggs upright in an egg carton with the FAT, air cell end of the egg UP! Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for storage. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 55-65 degrees. Rotate your eggs a 3 times a day to keep the embryo from sticking. An easy way to turn all of the eggs at once is to place a thick book under one end of the carton, and later remove the book and put it under the other end of the carton, 3 times a day. Before adding eggs to the incubator always WARM eggs UP slowly to room temperature. IF THE EGGS ARE COLD Condensation can cause bacterial growth on the eggs! You can collect eggs up until 10 days or so, but after the 7th day lower hatch rates may result.
Stored eggs take longer to hatch (about one hour per day of storage).

It is important to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling your hatching eggs!

Omphalitis, yolk sack infection is caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell and easily kills embryo's and newly hatched chicks. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs. For more information on storing eggs refer to Recommendations for hatching egg handling and storage


​

​

Now if you MUST store hatching eggs longer, store in same cool conditions as above, set SMALL END UP to avoid water loss, PH changes etc, see plastic bag storage below. There is much more info should you research storing for long periods.

ABSTRACT

When eggs were held in storage, the small-end-up pack position without turning, their hatchability was equal to or better than that of eggs packed small-end-down. When eggs were stored in the small-end-up position for 2 to 4 weeks, it was, not beneficial to turn them daily as had been previously demonstrated to be advantageous for eggs stored small-end-down. Thus, the inconvenience and expense of daily turning can be avoided without loss.Evidence is also provided that hatchability was equally good whether eggs were stored on their sides and turned through 180° daily or stored small-end-up without positional change.http://pubs.aic.ca/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjas69-005
PLASTIC BAG EGG STORAGE!!! http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=618820
Temporary heating before incubation and enclosing eggs in plastic bags during storage improves hatchability, especially when storage is prolonged. A high humidity during storage also improves hatchability, probably due to a reduction in water loss. The changes in albumen pH during storage are discussed in so far as they provide a possible explanation for relationships between environmental conditions during storage and hatching results.

Effects of inverting the position of layers eggs during storage on hatchery performance parameters
Storing eggs with the small end up is an alternative method to improve hatchability and to reduce egg weight and hatchling weight losses in eggs derived from young and old breeders stored up to 14 days.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2012000400003

COLLECTING, WASHING & EGG STORAGE​

Digital Egg Scale - Accurate Humidity Measurement and Egg Sizing HERE
Collection & Egg storage info: Hatching Eggs 101 & post #647
The effects of setting eggs small end up click HERE
ZONES OF COLD INJURY fro EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT post #36213
EGG Quality https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
Several Reasons Why Your Hens May Stop Laying Eggs click HERE
Winter Blues w/the Roos, why are my eggs infertile ugh starting post #1986
PULLET EGGS??? post #41984 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
DOUBLE YOLKERS NOT suggested but they can hatch with assistance post #46649
Use your Turner for storing eggs post #53551
Fertility:

• IS IT FERTILE? Many images see post #43324
• Managing Fertility click HERE
• Reproductive Physiology of the Hen post #40628
• HOW long does a ROO SPERM REMAIN IN HEN post #40628
• Polyspermy is typical in birds. Several sperm enter the germinal disc region post #40644
• 
  Example 57 out of 126 were declared fertile.
  
• Hatch Rates
  
  
  Example 50 of the 57 fertile eggs hatched the % hatch=
  

Washing, Cuticle, Sweating eggs:

• ALL ABOUT WASHING EGGS! post #10836
• The Cuticle removal in hatching eggs post #25379
• The Cuticle removal for those big eggs and Duck eggs? post #25379
• The importance of preventing ‘sweating’ eggs Click HERE
• Overcoming late mortality when hatching Peking duck eggs post #20952

Egg Quality:

• EGG Quality https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
• Egg defects and CORRECTIVE steps, several pages filled with detailed information Click HERE
• Optimum Egg Quality from your Flock: click HERE
• BIRTH DEFECTS CONVERSATION AND INFO ON WORMERS!! post #25707 post #25706
• Abstract DIPPING EGGS IN VITAMIN C AND COOLING EGGS DURING INCUBATION PERIOD post #33828
• 

UPDATE:​

I have pulled extremely helpful NOTES, LINKS &​

Informational Post Links from the incubation w/ friends thread​

for EVERYONE'S convenience and will continue to put them HERE:​

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links
​

 

[Sally Sunshine]

LAST REMINDER FOR THOSE THAT ORDER SHIPPED HATCHING EGGS!! DID YOU REQUEST HOW TO COLLECT AND SHIP YOUR EGGS? IF NOT READ this please!!




HOW I PERSONALLY SHIP EGGS AND THE REASONS BEHIND IT ALL
Alettertoeggshippers.doc 30k .doc file
ShippingEggsTheSallySunshineWay.docx 175k .docx file
note these files are still a work in progress, thank you @Chaos18 for creating them
post #40168
How Sally Sunshine Incubates SHIPPED EGGS post #53845





Did you ask the seller for 1-2 day old clean eggs only, DATED? Did you ask them to be individually bubble wrapped,placed AIR CELL UP, wrapped in a plastic bag, BEFORE setting the lot in newspaper packed tightly so that the newspaper doesnt draw out MORE moisture in them, and did you ask them to PLEASE DOUBLE BOXED them babies, and ask them to be Marked FRAGILE SYRUP IN GLASS NO XRAY???? WELL, WELL did you did you hugh???

ENVISION a big five day air cell vs a day or two day air cell, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE during travel, the more air in that egg, the more room the egg can give way in there, plus a 5 day egg has a different ph than a one and two day egg!!!! we can blame usps YES, but we have to put some blame on sellers too and ourselves for not requesting what we deserve!

Don't be afraid to ask for your eggs fresh, and wrapped a specific way!!!! you are paying for your eggs, you are the customer! you want a good hatch from shipped eggs, its ALL in how you order your eggs and if you get them fresh and a small air cell will take that trip much better than a large air cell!!!

WORDS OF WISDOM!!!! if the seller gives you sighs or moans or excuses, DON'T BUY THEIR EGGS!!!! We all know what a fresh vs not fresh egg looks like, by the time we get our eggs we should have an egg that is about 5-6 days old after shipped or less!

An egg with a small air cell is a higher quality than an egg with a larger air cell. When an egg first laid, there is no air cell but as time goes on and the egg cools, an air cell forms and continues to grow in size because of the pores in the egg shell itself. The air cell can be measured by using an air cell gauge, which is a card that is held up to the egg while candling. An example of an air cell gauge can be seen below.

The following Word File can be used when ordering shipped eggs, it is our suggestion that you copy/paste/edit to help you get the best eggs possible. Letter written by ozexpat

An open letter to egg shippers.doc 27k .doc file

REMINDER THAT YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT
OF DAMAGED SHIPPED EGGS
SEE LINKS FOR INFO! https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-truth-about-insuring-hatching-eggs
http://www.jordan-farm.com/blog/


​

BIO SECURITY!
Risks associated with hatching eggs of chickens
http://www.slideshare.net/mahmoudghonim/handbook-of-poultry-diseases-2
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/biosec/consult/draft-ra-hatching-eu-ca-usa-aus.pdf




​

Kristins horribly shipped eggs and hatch post #57321

 

[NaJoBeLe]

Well lessons learned. Went into lockdown with 13 of 13 for my test hatch. Everything seemed to be going good. First chick had pipped sat morning and was hatched by sat night. Don't remember the numbers but sat night into sun through out the day was busy with zips and hatches. Unfortunately woke up this morning with 3 half zipped, shrink wrapped, dead in shell. Something happened with humidity during the night. went to bed around 40% which is low but was as high as I could get it and when I checked it this morning it was at 5%. Still have 4 eggs in there that haven't started doing anything yet. Time will tell on those. Collecting for the hatch along now. Also have some Partridge rocks coming that I won off ebay. Hopefully I will get at least a roo out of those so I can set up a purebred pen of those.

 

[TJordan]

I

Well lessons learned. Went into lockdown with 13 of 13 for my test hatch. Everything seemed to be going good. First chick had pipped sat morning and was hatched by sat night. Don't remember the numbers but sat night into sun through out the day was busy with zips and hatches. Unfortunately woke up this morning with 3 half zipped, shrink wrapped, dead in shell. Something happened with humidity during the night. went to bed around 40% which is low but was as high as I could get it and when I checked it this morning it was at 5%. Still have 4 eggs in there that haven't started doing anything yet. Time will tell on those. Collecting for the hatch along now. Also have some Partridge rocks coming that I won off ebay. Hopefully I will get at least a roo out of those so I can set up a purebred pen of those.

f you have a problem getting it up try warned rocks. Soaked sponges or even a wet rag in the corner.

 

[NaJoBeLe]

I
f you have a problem getting it up try warned rocks. Soaked sponges or even a wet rag in the corner b

Yeah I have been doing research and I take extensive notes during my hatches. I think I have a formula now that should work. while it isn't recommended by everything I've read the best approach I had was last hatch on the front of the year I used the flashlight that I use for candling to partially cover one of the ventilation holes and humidity came up. I think when I clean and disinfect this go round I'm going to reseal the bottom. Then I will use the aquarium gravel in the water channels as a heat sink, at lockdown I will plan to add water to the channels and prbly still use the jars with sponges and water. Another variation I tried that seemed positive was adding a airstone and aquarium pump into one of the jars.

Need to do some more reading on the links that Sally just posted. I seem to be making it to lockdown with decent success but haven't been able to consistently get my hatches above 60-70%. More practice and time hopefully I will get there.

 

[ronott1]

Those are the cutest chicks! What breed are they?
When you say "TJ" chickens or "Trader Joes" are you talking about chicken hatched from store eggs? Or a particular breeder?
I have seen several people here talk about hatching fetile store eggs. I would like to try that. Not sure where to get them in podunk northern Idaho..

I kept 5 chicks hatched last year from Trader Joe's fertile eggs. They are a month over a year old now and even when I thought they had slowed down, they were actually hiding the eggs in the shed!

This year I hatched eggs from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I can't tell which chicks are from TJ's or Whole foods and this year I hatched 32 out of 45 set. It looks like I have 16 pullets from the hatch. I will be selling some of them but will use some of them to replace some older hens.

 

[Myfourladies]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
​

Collection & Storage of Eggs​

​

Choose eggs that are of good size, not abnormally big or small. Do NOT set dirty, cracked, or porous eggs.
Clinical studies at the University of Arkansas have shown that if your going to set a dirty egg, set the dirty egg,
DO NOT SAND, WASH OR WIPE dirty eggs as hatchability decreases with these practices!
ALL ABOUT WASHING EGGS! CLICK on.... post #10836
Cuticula is the thin membrane that covers the whole eggshell that is made from the sticky fluid when laid which covers it and quickly dissolves due to carbondioxyde activity.
This membrane can be penetrated by gasses but functions as a kind defensive mechanism to prevent the entry of bacteria.

The washing and rubbing action also serves to force disease organisms through the pores of the shell. Place the eggs upright in an egg carton with the FAT, air cell end of the egg UP! Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for storage. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 55-65 degrees. Rotate your eggs a 3 times a day to keep the embryo from sticking. An easy way to turn all of the eggs at once is to place a thick book under one end of the carton, and later remove the book and put it under the other end of the carton, 3 times a day. Before adding eggs to the incubator always WARM eggs UP slowly to room temperature. IF THE EGGS ARE COLD Condensation can cause bacterial growth on the eggs! You can collect eggs up until 10 days or so, but after the 7th day lower hatch rates may result.
Stored eggs take longer to hatch (about one hour per day of storage).

It is important to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling your hatching eggs!

Omphalitis, yolk sack infection is caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell and easily kills embryo's and newly hatched chicks. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs. For more information on storing eggs refer to Recommendations for hatching egg handling and storage


​

​

Now if you MUST store hatching eggs longer, store in same cool conditions as above, set SMALL END UP to avoid water loss, PH changes etc, see plastic bag storage below. There is much more info should you research storing for long periods.

ABSTRACT

When eggs were held in storage, the small-end-up pack position without turning, their hatchability was equal to or better than that of eggs packed small-end-down. When eggs were stored in the small-end-up position for 2 to 4 weeks, it was, not beneficial to turn them daily as had been previously demonstrated to be advantageous for eggs stored small-end-down. Thus, the inconvenience and expense of daily turning can be avoided without loss.Evidence is also provided that hatchability was equally good whether eggs were stored on their sides and turned through 180° daily or stored small-end-up without positional change.http://pubs.aic.ca/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjas69-005
PLASTIC BAG EGG STORAGE!!! http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=618820
Temporary heating before incubation and enclosing eggs in plastic bags during storage improves hatchability, especially when storage is prolonged. A high humidity during storage also improves hatchability, probably due to a reduction in water loss. The changes in albumen pH during storage are discussed in so far as they provide a possible explanation for relationships between environmental conditions during storage and hatching results.

Effects of inverting the position of layers eggs during storage on hatchery performance parameters
Storing eggs with the small end up is an alternative method to improve hatchability and to reduce egg weight and hatchling weight losses in eggs derived from young and old breeders stored up to 14 days.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2012000400003

COLLECTING, WASHING & EGG STORAGE​

Digital Egg Scale - Accurate Humidity Measurement and Egg Sizing HERE
Collection & Egg storage info: Hatching Eggs 101 & post #647
The effects of setting eggs small end up click HERE
ZONES OF COLD INJURY fro EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT post #36213
EGG Quality https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
Several Reasons Why Your Hens May Stop Laying Eggs click HERE
Winter Blues w/the Roos, why are my eggs infertile ugh starting post #1986
PULLET EGGS??? post #41984 UNDER CONSTRUCTION
DOUBLE YOLKERS NOT suggested but they can hatch with assistance post #46649
Use your Turner for storing eggs post #53551
Fertility:

• IS IT FERTILE? Many images see post #43324
• Managing Fertility click HERE
• Reproductive Physiology of the Hen post #40628
• HOW long does a ROO SPERM REMAIN IN HEN post #40628
• Polyspermy is typical in birds. Several sperm enter the germinal disc region post #40644
• 
  Example 57 out of 126 were declared fertile.
  
• Hatch Rates
  
  
  Example 50 of the 57 fertile eggs hatched the % hatch=
  

Washing, Cuticle, Sweating eggs:

• ALL ABOUT WASHING EGGS! post #10836
• The Cuticle removal in hatching eggs post #25379
• The Cuticle removal for those big eggs and Duck eggs? post #25379
• The importance of preventing ‘sweating’ eggs Click HERE
• Overcoming late mortality when hatching Peking duck eggs post #20952

Egg Quality:

• EGG Quality https://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf
• Egg defects and CORRECTIVE steps, several pages filled with detailed information Click HERE
• Optimum Egg Quality from your Flock: click HERE
• BIRTH DEFECTS CONVERSATION AND INFO ON WORMERS!! post #25707 post #25706
• Abstract DIPPING EGGS IN VITAMIN C AND COOLING EGGS DURING INCUBATION PERIOD post #33828
• 

UPDATE:​

I have pulled extremely helpful NOTES, LINKS &​

Informational Post Links from the incubation w/ friends thread​

for EVERYONE'S convenience and will continue to put them HERE:​

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links
​

Thank you for this!! I need to save this info for the future!

 

[CountryChic95]

I have finally secured some Lav Ameraucanas for the hatch a long! So I'm in