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

[ronott1]

Quote: Chrome uses html 5 and not flash.

 

[nate1the1great1]

I am SO relieved you found some eggs. e

You went from 0 to [COLOR=FF0000]137!!!![/COLOR]

[COLOR=FF0000]I hope they ALL hatch for you![/COLOR]

Ya my hens laid at the last second, and then I went down just for a dozen quail eggs, and boom he breeds rare chicken breeds... So that brought it up!! Lol I only have 2 of the pro incubators from tractors supply that I stuff full since by the time it's time for hatching the ones that aren't fertile or die leave room for hatching. How many did you set?

 

[lacymorgan]

are we supposed to post photo of what we set or a list and number?

 

[Dubrovnik]

Well, I'm in the 2016 Easter Hatch-a-long now!

Saw some $2.99 a carton fertile white eggs at Trader Joe's. Could not resist. They are sitting in my 'bator with the Rock Island Safeway $4.49 brown eggs, air cells traced in pencil, x's and numbers on their sides, leaning at an angle in the bottom half of an egg carton with the undersides snipped out so they get some ventilation. Carbon dioxide builds up in the bottom of 'bators that have no ventilation holes in the bottom, and I think it could be the cause of mysterious chick mortality in plastic tote brooders and coolerbators that have no such holes.

I'm somewhat concerned that my first set of eggs, the brown ones, got baked when temps rose for unknown reasons and the eggs became quite hot to the touch. Also many of the brown eggs appear clear on being candled. I've read that the Rock Island fertile eggs have low levels of fertility. So Imma hedge my bets and do a staggered hatch with two kinds of eggs. When lockdown comes for the brown eggs, I'll put in a coffee cup with an inch of distilled water and a washcloth in it to spike the humidity, which has been running around 40-50%. The air cells on the brown eggs are looking good. The white eggs are 2 weeks old but just have little nickel and dime size air cells, and I noticed one saddle shaped air cell and one floating air cell. These eggs are all getting TLC and I am handling them as though they were shipped.

I got a ventilated plastic tote brooder set up with a 150w reptile bulb clamp lamp, a cheap terrarium thermometer, shredded newspaper for litter, a little jar and big lid for a waterer, and I am looking forward to actual bitty chickens. Will post pix.

The local feed store lets customers advertise their hatchlings for sale on a chalkboard out front. I know I can't keep them all; we are zoned for 6 pullets locally. The store in question sells vaccinated hatchery pullet chicks for $3.25 each, the breeds there now are White leghorns, Dominiques, Rhodies and Barred Rocks.

There's a local store that sells eggs of white turkeys for $2.00 a flat. Come April, I'm thinking of trying to hatch some of those when the chickens are sold off. If they turn out to be infertile on inspection, they still are good for omelets, deviled eggs, and what-not. Is it true you can get $10 for a turkey poult?

I am wishing everyone luck, and reading the threads about the MPC Contest eggs with strong interest.

Count: 12 Safeway Rock Island Red Star eggs
12 Trader Joe's white eggs (California whites?)

 

[Cynthia12]

are we supposed to post photo of what we set or a list and number?

Would love to see your eggs!

 

[PaisyQ]

I have to add an egg to my total set. Couldn't resist the temptation this morning when my favorite hen laid me an egg.

So my total set is now at 15.

 

[generaldsherman]

Well, I'm in the 2016 Easter Hatch-a-long now!

Saw some $2.99 a carton fertile white eggs at Trader Joe's. Could not resist. They are sitting in my 'bator with the Rock Island Safeway $4.49 brown eggs, air cells traced in pencil, x's and numbers on their sides, leaning at an angle in the bottom half of an egg carton with the undersides snipped out so they get some ventilation. Carbon dioxide builds up in the bottom of 'bators that have no ventilation holes in the bottom, and I think it could be the cause of mysterious chick mortality in plastic tote brooders and coolerbators that have no such holes.

I'm somewhat concerned that my first set of eggs, the brown ones, got baked when temps rose for unknown reasons and the eggs became quite hot to the touch. Also many of the brown eggs appear clear on being candled. I've read that the Rock Island fertile eggs have low levels of fertility. So Imma hedge my bets and do a staggered hatch with two kinds of eggs. When lockdown comes for the brown eggs, I'll put in a coffee cup with an inch of distilled water and a washcloth in it to spike the humidity, which has been running around 40-50%. The air cells on the brown eggs are looking good. The white eggs are 2 weeks old but just have little nickel and dime size air cells, and I noticed one saddle shaped air cell and one floating air cell. These eggs are all getting TLC and I am handling them as though they were shipped.

I got a ventilated plastic tote brooder set up with a 150w reptile bulb clamp lamp, a cheap terrarium thermometer, shredded newspaper for litter, a little jar and big lid for a waterer, and I am looking forward to actual bitty chickens. Will post pix.

The local feed store lets customers advertise their hatchlings for sale on a chalkboard out front. I know I can't keep them all; we are zoned for 6 pullets locally. The store in question sells vaccinated hatchery pullet chicks for $3.25 each, the breeds there now are White leghorns, Dominiques, Rhodies and Barred Rocks.

There's a local store that sells eggs of white turkeys for $2.00 a flat. Come April, I'm thinking of trying to hatch some of those when the chickens are sold off. If they turn out to be infertile on inspection, they still are good for omelets, deviled eggs, and what-not. Is it true you can get $10 for a turkey poult?

I am wishing everyone luck, and reading the threads about the MPC Contest eggs with strong interest.

Stromberg's sells poults for at least $13

 

[Penny Hen]

Does anyone know where to get a fan for an incubator? Without having to order one online and wait? I already looked up Tractor Supply inventory and didn't see one sold separate...I'd just feel better about the bator from the attic if it at least had a fan

Incubator Warehouse http://incubatorwarehouse.com

 

[draye]

Ok here are my numbers:

11 Svarthonas
10 Spitzhaubens
2 Ayam Cemanis
Total: 23 chicken eggs set this morning

I left the last slot for the possible addition of another AC egg today, but it does not look to be in the cards.

Thank you @draye for the strawberry container idea! I wasn't sure how I was going to keep hatching eggs separated, but definitely need to with SH & AC eggs in the same hatch. And everyone likes strawberries here, lol. Thanks!

You're welcome. I think I found the ideal on NYC somewhere. Tried it and really like the ideal. Works great for the smaller amount if eggs set by a one or two hen run.

 

[Penny Hen]

I noticed my birds acting strange the last few days... this morning I seen why. I have a hawk.

Hopefully I can drive her away before the babies come.

Cultivate Crows.