The 9th Annual BYC Easter Hatchalong!

[Pensmaster]

I don't get it....
What do we have all these 'hatching rules' such as you MUST keep the pointy end down and when your storing them keep pointy and turn the eggs 2-3 times a day when storing?
The hens don't do this.
Most of the time when I have a problem incubating I think "What would a broody do?" and then all is good.

Good question lilJoe one I asked myself many times. So I experimented once and didn’t turn them even for incubator time. Disastrous results so the exercise to the yolk is important. I’m sure in the nest the eggs get rolled about more than we realize.

 

[ronott1]

Ok, so these aren't Easter HAL chicks, but they're still fuzzy (and proof that my incubating techniques are improving slowly). Came home from a 12 hour day to these little treasures.View attachment 1295613View attachment 1295616 I like Cugly the naked neck. It's my favorite. It's got an awesome mustash and a bow-tie, too. (not sure if one of my NN girls layed this one, or if a NN boy got to my ameracauna girl)

Awesomeness!

Congratulations!

 

[ronott1]

I have turned the whole bator before, it works.

Here is a blast from the past! We used to have tetris stacked hatching egg contests:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/easter-tetris-contest.53929/

An example:

 

[Cynthia12]

Ok, so these aren't Easter HAL chicks, but they're still fuzzy (and proof that my incubating techniques are improving slowly). Came home from a 12 hour day to these little treasures.View attachment 1295613View attachment 1295616 I like Cugly the naked neck. It's my favorite. It's got an awesome mustash and a bow-tie, too. (not sure if one of my NN girls layed this one, or if a NN boy got to my ameracauna girl)

Awww.. a NN! Congratulations on your babies. I also have some that have hatched. Not due until tomorrow. Two eggs from my own chickens!!!!! Hey guys.... green! From my back yard.... guess what they both are?! Oh yeah, Nn's! Bow ties, I was hoping for bowties. Now I have more pipped, they are from my Columbian Plymouth Rock. Wondering if those will hatch out as sexlinks..dad was a Cinnamon Queen. Had to place him yesterday. They always find that voice. Ok, someone tell me, how long do I have fertile eggs going on out there? I have plenty set, but there are folks out here wanting Nn's.

 

[ronott1]

Good question lilJoe one I asked myself many times. So I experimented once and didn’t turn them even for incubator time. Disastrous results so the exercise to the yolk is important. I’m sure in the nest the eggs get rolled about more than we realize.

artificial incubation mimics what hens do. They roll the eggs, keep the temperature correct and even adjust humidity. At "lockdown" they pull feathers out to increase humidity.

 

[Pensmaster]

Awww.. a NN! Congratulations on your babies. I also have some that have hatched. Not due until tomorrow. Two eggs from my own chickens!!!!! Hey guys.... green! From my back yard.... guess what they both are?! Oh yeah, Nn's! Bow ties, I was hoping for bowties. Now I have more pipped, they are from my Columbian Plymouth Rock. Wondering if those will hatch out as sexlinks..dad was a Cinnamon Queen. Had to place him yesterday. They always find that voice. Ok, someone tell me, how long do I have fertile eggs going on out there? I have plenty set, but there are folks out here wanting Nn's.

Set them till they don’t hatch anymore.

 

[Cynthia12]

I love your name for this baby. I had one named Ugums once. Can't tell the color here, post a photo when it's dry.

 

[Cynthia12]

Set them till they don’t hatch anymore.

Sounds good to me!

 

[ronott1]

So I had a teensy peek at a few eggs this morning. I found a pretty deformed aircell, unevenly saddle shaped I guess you could say. Missed it at setting. Incuview so they are laying on their sides. Too late to help it?

Don't worry about it.

Eggs that have shipping damage do better at lockdown set in egg cartons. The eggs are big end up tilted away from the big part of the air cell

 

[JaeG]

Yay, it's finally Thursday (at my end of the world). So I can set my Button eggs today. I have 22 going in at midday.