~*Third Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatch-Athon*~ all poultry welcome!

[Arielle]

Quote:

Quote: Eggs are more flexible than you think. OR . . . have been led to think. I thinkof the momma hen and she is always in there fussing about.Yet I also hear they will still hatch if not turned the last 7 days. I would be interested in seeing experiments comparing the hatch rates . . .

I upped the humidity for my two EE hatching and they still got shrink wrapped.

Never had it so bad. Egg shell was far bigger than the dried out membrane-- fortunately they each had an external pip and the breathing hole served them well. Now to see if they fluffed up and survived the night!!

If you wait to start turning until day 3 & then only turn 1-2 times per day, you will get a saddle or double saddle, but still very hatchable. I've never had a problem hatching saddle air cells. They actually hatch better than air cells that are centered but too big. On a saddle cell, the membrane is pulled a little away from the shell, but the chick protrudes into the space more. With a large round cell, the membrane is pulled tight against the chick & it can't reach the shell to pip. I get a lot of those that die in the shell. With the saddle cell, the shell is usually very close to the membrane even though it looks huge. The chick can reach the shell to pip & zip quite easily.
Hmmmmm . . . .you are saying they actually hatch better on their sides after shipping???

You have me convinced! OFf to remove the eggs from the cartons.THey were set the42th so should be good to move them.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote:

Quote: Eggs are more flexible than you think. OR . . . have been led to think. I thinkof the momma hen and she is always in there fussing about.Yet I also hear they will still hatch if not turned the last 7 days. I would be interested in seeing experiments comparing the hatch rates . . .

I upped the humidity for my two EE hatching and they still got shrink wrapped.

Never had it so bad. Egg shell was far bigger than the dried out membrane-- fortunately they each had an external pip and the breathing hole served them well. Now to see if they fluffed up and survived the night!!

If you wait to start turning until day 3 & then only turn 1-2 times per day, you will get a saddle or double saddle, but still very hatchable. I've never had a problem hatching saddle air cells. They actually hatch better than air cells that are centered but too big. On a saddle cell, the membrane is pulled a little away from the shell, but the chick protrudes into the space more. With a large round cell, the membrane is pulled tight against the chick & it can't reach the shell to pip. I get a lot of those that die in the shell. With the saddle cell, the shell is usually very close to the membrane even though it looks huge. The chick can reach the shell to pip & zip quite easily.
Hmmmmm . . . .you are saying they actually hatch better on their sides after shipping???

You have me convinced! OFf to remove the eggs from the cartons.THey were set the42th so should be good to move them.

I don't bother with cartons for anything except quail & that's only because I have trouble turning those tiny buggers by hand...lol

 

[lsmith]

I appreciate all the feedback. You all are very helpful. I am really liking this hatch along.

 

[sonderah]

My 1st Frizzled Easter Egger!! Just for fun to see what they look like! Lol

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Quote: Eggs are more flexible than you think. OR . . . have been led to think. I thinkof the momma hen and she is always in there fussing about.Yet I also hear they will still hatch if not turned the last 7 days. I would be interested in seeing experiments comparing the hatch rates . . .

I upped the humidity for my two EE hatching and they still got shrink wrapped.

Never had it so bad. Egg shell was far bigger than the dried out membrane-- fortunately they each had an external pip and the breathing hole served them well. Now to see if they fluffed up and survived the night!!

If you wait to start turning until day 3 & then only turn 1-2 times per day, you will get a saddle or double saddle, but still very hatchable. I've never had a problem hatching saddle air cells. They actually hatch better than air cells that are centered but too big. On a saddle cell, the membrane is pulled a little away from the shell, but the chick protrudes into the space more. With a large round cell, the membrane is pulled tight against the chick & it can't reach the shell to pip. I get a lot of those that die in the shell. With the saddle cell, the shell is usually very close to the membrane even though it looks huge. The chick can reach the shell to pip & zip quite easily.
Hmmmmm . . . .you are saying they actually hatch better on their sides after shipping???

You have me convinced! OFf to remove the eggs from the cartons.THey were set the42th so should be good to move them.

I don't bother with cartons for anything except quail & that's only because I have trouble turning those tiny buggers by hand...lol
LOL NOW you tell me!!! The sulmtaler eggs are the smallest chicken eggs I have seen for a LF. I'm afraid I will drop them . . . that and Im anxious for them all to hatch . . yeah, I know I'm dreaming. Sure goona try though-- would love to have most of them hatch.

 

[Arielle]

I appreciate all the feedback.

You all are very helpful. I am really liking this hatch along.

We try to be helpful-- an ha ve a little fun along the way too.

 

[HEChicken]

I only tried hatching in cartons once and didn't care for it. Several chicks pipped the wrong end and I couldn't see the pip because it was in the end down in the carton, and they died. Since then I have hatched everything on its side and had much better results. I figure that is how Mother Nature intended it - hens never sit their eggs big end up. So I now always incubate and hatch with them on their sides and have had excellent hatches since the egg carton episode.

 

[lsmith]

I only tried hatching in cartons once and didn't care for it.  Several chicks pipped the wrong end and I couldn't see the pip because it was in the end down in the carton, and they died.  Since then I have hatched everything on its side and had much better results.  I figure that is how Mother Nature intended it - hens never sit their eggs big end up.  So I now always incubate and hatch with them on their sides and have had excellent hatches since the egg carton episode.

That's scary! I received some shipped polish eggs that are now in my bator. I honestly didn't really think that there was that much of a difference and I stuck them in with my other eggs in their sides. I had researched the hatching process and incubating but didn't realize that shipping was so hard on the eggs. I put 17 of the 18 in (one slipped and cracked when my students were unwrapping them) and we only have 7 left. Many of them started but quit along the way. I had left them in until last night and pulled everything since we are locking down tomorrow. I wonder if more would have done better if I had let the sit on cartons first. I'll be happy with whatever hatches though and the ones in there now are moving all around.

 

[Arielle]

I only tried hatching in cartons once and didn't care for it. Several chicks pipped the wrong end and I couldn't see the pip because it was in the end down in the carton, and they died. Since then I have hatched everything on its side and had much better results. I figure that is how Mother Nature intended it - hens never sit their eggs big end up. So I now always incubate and hatch with them on their sides and have had excellent hatches since the egg carton episode.

I had stopped hatching in cartons too for the same reason. THen I was stuck-- how to hlepthe aircell stay put . . . . ..maybe it isn't so important afterall . . . .

 

[yinepu]

Don't be so sure.. lol.. I have hatched out a lot of eggs that had air cells that were migrating all over the egg and full of bubbles (as in the membrane was totally shot all to heck)... you would be surprised at the eggs I have gotten to hatch..