The 8th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!

[Cynthia12]

Joining the hatch (by accident). I set 29 duck eggs at 1 am sunday. Didnt pay attention to when they'd hatch... oops... changes our normal easter plans since Im not leaving that weekend now lol.

First time with a turner. I have the newer black flat one instead of the common yellow ones. Any experience with these? I dont think i like it. I marked all with x/o's placed them x side up and every time i look x's are still up. They're tilted and i know its moving them some but not fully turning, HELP

 

[Cynthia12]

okay - I will be setting some on the 25th!

 

[chonsey]

I have a dozen assorted eggs.
Ready for the Easter hatch-a-long!

 

[ChickAsThieves]

Can experienced hatchers pretty please weigh in on whether or not you wash your eggs before setting? I've seen so much conflicting information and I don't know what to do!

Thank you!

 

[minihorse927]

For the Easter hatch, how many eggs are people putting in on Saturday? What type of eggs are you putting in?

I'm putting in three dozen eggs this Saturday, they are a mix of silkies, polish, and frizzles.

I personally do not wash my hatching eggs

 

[BantyChooks]

Can experienced hatchers pretty please weigh in on whether or not you wash your eggs before setting? I've seen so much conflicting information and I don't know what to do! 

Thank you! 

Not experienced, as I've only been hatching for a year, but I don't wash. I just don't set dirty eggs.

 

[Lozuufy]

Can experienced hatchers pretty please weigh in on whether or not you wash your eggs before setting? I've seen so much conflicting information and I don't know what to do!

Thank you!

I generally don't wash eggs because I collect them a million times a day and they have no time to get poop'y, but I have in the past if they were really too dirty. Seems like they developed/hatched just as well as as the ones I didn't wash. You just want to make sure the incubator is super sterile so nothing gets into the shell.

 

[NotAFarm]

Can experienced hatchers pretty please weigh in on whether or not you wash your eggs before setting? I've seen so much conflicting information and I don't know what to do!

Thank you!

I don't wash eggs for hatching. If there is a single clump on them, I let it dry and try to get the clump off with dry paper towel. If they are soooo dirty I'd call them filthy, I don't use them for hatching. I always candle on day 10, anything not developing is removed from the incubator or from under my hens that are sitting.

Keep in mind that I am talking about chicken eggs, duck eggs may be different....some one that has more experience with them will have to let you know about them.

 

[ronott1]

Can experienced hatchers pretty please weigh in on whether or not you wash your eggs before setting? I've seen so much conflicting information and I don't know what to do!

Thank you!

I have washed lots of eggs and it does not hurt them. Why would it? It removes bacteria if an egg is very dirty and hatch rates were the same between washed and washed eggs.

Eggs with a lot of poo on them should be washed as well as eggs with yolk on them from bad packing and shipping.

Washing with bleach can stop some illnesses that are spread external to the egg. It will not help with illness that is spread from the inside of the egg though. You really have to be careful with stuff like that.

 

[Razadia]

Great news! My test hatch is over! This was what I woke up to this morning.

4! All 4 eggs hatched! These were all laid the day before and day of being set. I'm surprised to get not only 100% fertility but also 100% hatch. I didn't think one of them would hatch. To make things even better, one of them has a beard, so I know who its dad is.