The Great Egg Shipping Experiment!

[tommysgirl]

Yes!

Thanks Ron.

Well that was fun! Weird though, I looked at my first egg and could see nothing, then I pulled another...this one from my Delaware that lays wonky eggs, and I saw it right away because it was totally detached and floating around the whole egg with what look like a bunch of smaller bubbles. Does that sometimes happen in non-shipped, carefully handled eggs? Do I need to corner my son and ask him if he has been playing catch with the eggs?

In the other ones I was then able to spot it...slightly off center in the fat end of the egg a dime sized (approx) area. It's harder to find in the darker eggs. My other Delaware has close to 100% fertility according to my weekday morning breakfast tests but her eggs look really speckled when I shine the light through. Are they OK to hatch?

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
The speckled egg is probably a bit porous. They will hatch but can lose too much moisture. If you see a dime sized air cell and some with bubbles, I would not turn them in the incubator(incubating) for 3 days and then turn on the turner.

Good job candling!

 

[Bakerentllc]

The air cell should be a nice circle at the top of the big end of the egg. The closer to that, the less you need to leave the eggs big end up without turning. The guides say up to 8 days but it seems like 3 to 5 is a good maximum. All shipped eggs should sit without turning for at least a day.

I read a very interesting article on turning. It seems turning eggs in an incubator is based on a 1950s study that showed better hatch rates. Contrary to what we are told, you do not need to turn eggs in an incubator ever! They do not need to be turned during the last week and they do not need to be turned during the first week. That is one more reason to not stress out too much during incubation. A lot depends on the health of the parents, storage and shipping conditions and then Incubation factors.

I hope this helps with your hatch!

I have forgot several times to turn on turner after moving eggs around and it has been off a week at a time. Never seemed to hurt much BUT , I'm hatching at an incredible % so I don't want to change anything!! About every other hatch ill get 100% out of 40 or 50!

 

[Wisher1000]

I have forgot several times to turn on turner after moving eggs around and it has been off a week at a time. Never seemed to hurt much BUT , I'm hatching at an incredible % so I don't want to change anything!! About every other hatch ill get 100% out of 40 or 50!

WOW! Well, by all means, PLEASE share your hatching notes with us! Temps, humidity, turning, EVERYTHING! I want to copy you! Do tell us, seriously.

 

[chickadoodles]

 

[mrsamplias]

Quote:

I have forgot several times to turn on turner after moving eggs around and it has been off a week at a time. Never seemed to hurt much BUT , I'm hatching at an incredible % so I don't want to change anything!! About every other hatch ill get 100% out of 40 or 50!

WOW! Well, by all means, PLEASE share your hatching notes with us! Temps, humidity, turning, EVERYTHING! I want to copy you! Do tell us, seriously.

x2

 

[tommysgirl]

X3 I will just be starting my first hatch of very special eggs an about 3 weeks and want to maximize their chances!

 

[Bakerentllc]

X3  I will just be starting my first hatch of very special eggs an about 3 weeks and want to maximize their chances!

 

x2

My temp is 98.8 ( I seem to get more hens) dry hatch until lockdown then 70% humidity. I turn all eggs first 18 days. But I think the biggest thing is your eggs! I have 16 black copper hens and 5 roosters, 5 cuckoo hens and 3 roosters and 3 blue copper hens and 1 rooster. I never let my eggs sit over a week. I do not turn eggs while sitting but I keep in basement on fridge so they get a little shake. The other big thing is your incubator. The brinsea seems to be big on here but for same money you can get a GQF 1202. My 1202 will stay at 98.8 for a year and with it being wood humidity is easier to keep up.

Good advice I hope! I know some things are diff from what you read online but this is what works for me and trust me I have had alot of trail and error!!!

 

[ronott1]

My Duck Hatch is over!

On Wednesday evening I was working on setting up the hatcher for lockdown--Thursday was lockdown and Saturday hatch day. I was greeted by a Duckling on the turner! I set up the hatcher and got it warmed up. I then moved the duckling and the other 13 eggs to the hatcher. They slowly started hatching and the 14th hatched yesterday afternoon.

They were not shipped but thought I would share here about them.

I did make a hatching video of the 8th one:


I quickly got the hatcher set up for the Heritage Rhode Island Red hatch that went to lockdown this morning. Crazy staggered hatches.....

 

[chickadoodles]

That was so neat getting to see the baby duck hatch! Thanks for sharing! How fun!