They are hatching!

[sourland]

Hope that you had a successful hatch - welcome to BYC.

 

[ISayWhatThe]

Well It looks like it is just the 2 outta 12, I candled them last night on day 24 and I can see most reached the early stages of development, there are two that are solid black and feel heavier under the light and I quickly put them back and will give it another couple of days.

Is it wrong to be squeamish about cracking them open and having a look? My biggest worry is that I have let them down in some way, I really don't want to interfere with the process, but the two eggs that candled quite black have me a little sad, maybe they nearly made it, I will still give it through to day 26 before I stop.

The other two are bloody hilarious!

One question though, if I bring young chicks to the brood box will there be a bit of a hassle? These two square up to each other all the time, sticking their little chest out and flapping their 20c size wings, its funny but I see it is vaguely agressive?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Glad the two that hatched are doing fine. They are lots of fun to watch aren't they, Chicken TV they call it, comes in all sizes.

Are you planning on getting more chicks? Usually adding more chicks when they are under two weeks old doesn't cause a problem, when they get much older it is harder to integrate them. The sparring with each other is pretty normal, especially with only two, both sexes will do it so it doesn't mean you have two boys for sure either

It is sad to necropsy failed eggs, and it certainly isn't wrong to feel squeamish about it. If you plan on hatching much again, if can figure out what the problem was with the ones that didn't hatch, it may help you with the next batch is the main reason to consider opening up the failed eggs.