The American Cemani Breeders Club...open forum

[Chickenwingo]

I am moving in your incubator, lol looks better then some people house's..

 

[Steadfast]

Day 8 of incubation.

How am I doing?

Most of my eggs are veined. I marked the air bubble on those. Looks like a "O".

I have 6 eggs that look like nothing is happening. I put a "?" On them.

 

[DCchicken]

Day 8 of incubation.

How am I doing?

Most of my eggs are veined. I marked the air bubble on those. Looks like a "O".

I have 6 eggs that look like nothing is happening. I put a "?" On them.

Off to a good start. I would caution about over handling of the eggs. I actually only candle on day 8 and then on lockdown. I also check the weight. They need to have the weight reduced by about 13%. The day 8 candle is just to remove any clears. The lockdown candle is to move any slow growers to a second chance incubator.

 

[blackbirds13]

I candle my eggs on day 3 to ensure they are fertile or growing and then I candle every couple of days or sometimes once every week. I just make sure I wash my hands prior. I mark eggs as I go when I think I may have a problem with then not advancing or if I think I may have a blood ring (I find that happens more so with shipped eggs). I've heard about eggs going bad and blowing up in the bator which has never happened to me and I want to ensure it does not. I candle a lot and have great hatches with my own eggs but just as you would for your other chickens you need to practice good bio-security. I candle before lockdown but then I refuse to open the bator to assist any chicks with hatching.
If I'm using shipped eggs I do let them sit for 24 hours prior then do not turn for the first 3 days of incubation. I also dry incubate for the first 18 days which has increased my shipped egg hatching rate, especially for Marans which were kicking my butt for a while.

My second pair of birds from Mike will ship end of May. My first pair are doing well thus far and have adjusted well to their outdoor brooder these last 2 weeks.

 

[nicalandia]

I candle my eggs on day 3 to ensure they are fertile or growing and then I candle every couple of days or sometimes once every week. I just make sure I wash my hands prior.

Quick Question blackbirds,

I used to Sex chicks with a high degree of probability even before they hatched, these were id+/Fm Sexlinks(female with black skin and males with clear white skin) they came from a White Leghorn Mother(Large Mate White eggs, so very visible) and a Fibromelanotic Father, as they were Dominant white the males had a very clear skin and the down allowed for the candle light to pass thru their tissue quite easy, now for females that had full expression of Fibromelanotic(skin, connective tissues, heart) the light didnt pass at all so side by side I could tell which were the boys and which were the females,

now here is my question, have you noticed such a difference when you candle the cemani eggs from the Legbar eggs? or blue makes it more difficult?

 

[blackbirds13]

Quote:
I have never candled Cemani eggs as I've only had them for 2 weeks and they are juveniles. This might be question that DCchickens can answer as I believe he has had the opportunity to incubate and hatch both.

 

[DCchicken]

Cemani eggs are pinkish cream in color and easy to candle. They are easier to candle than cream Legbars. I also second washing your hands before touching the eggs.

Edited to change sex to handle. I will try to post some candle pics of Cemani eggs tonight. One of my Cemani pullets decided to go broody and even rolls eggs over and sits on them. So I have to wait until night or she gets angry.

 

[nicalandia]

They are easier to sex than cream Legbars. I also second washing your hands before touching the eggs.

what do you mean Easier to sex? before Hatch like I did(using sexlinked id+/FM and Id/fm+) or... I mean both genders should be pitch black... or do you mean easier to candle?


oh I stopped washing my hads right after I gave up on the hens washing their shanks and underbelly...

Edit.. on the Pinkish color, I was told that the pinkish color you find in EE is an actual gene and not a shade of brown, and if you sand them down(using fine sand paper) you could not see white as you would with brown eggs, they are supposed to be pink to the core

 

[blackbirds13]

oh I stopped washing my hads right after I gave up on the hens washing their shanks and underbelly...

I am NPIP and after the hellacious and rampant episode of disease we had here in New Hampshire last year I am not one to take bio-security carelessly or frivolously. My flocks are clean and tested and I like to keep it that way. In speaking with various long term breeders it is an area they stress. Washing my hands is part of that regardless of how dirty my hens or the surface of the eggs are. Especially when dealing with shipped eggs and your own flock it's a good idea to just keep the practice going. Maybe where you are it's not a factor but for me it is. Almost burned once so really cognizant of it now. The state also checks your brooders and separation of various poultry and sometimes your incubation areas in regards to pet traffic and the like. I am certified nationally and have been issued a number 12-225 so I try to practice it regularly in all my actions as I do have a young child around and expect him to do the same. I do if for the security of the eggs within and my life without to include anyone who buys my eggs or chicks. It's part of an overall security plan I try to follow.

 

[nicalandia]

I am NPIP and after the hellacious and rampant episode of disease we had here in New Hampshire last year I am not one to take bio-security carelessly or frivolously. My flocks are clean and tested and I like to keep it that way. In speaking with various long term breeders it is an area they stress. Washing my hands is part of that regardless of how dirty my hens or the surface of the eggs are. Especially when dealing with shipped eggs and your own flock it's a good idea to just keep the practice going. Maybe where you are it's not a factor but for me it is. Almost burned once so really cognizant of it now. The state also checks your brooders and separation of various poultry and sometimes your incubation areas in regards to pet traffic and the like. I am certified nationally and have been issued a number 12-225 so I try to practice it regularly in all my actions as I do have a young child around and expect him to do the same. I do if for the security of the eggs within and my life without to include anyone who buys my eggs or chicks. It's part of an overall security plan I try to follow.

I see your point,