Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[CluckNDoodle]

Just got my Marans hatching eggs in and wow...I can’t see the darn aircells to save my life. Even with my 1000 lumen flashlight. Sigh. One was cracked badly but the other 14 look perfect as far as no cracks. Just dying to know how bad the air cells look so that I know how to proceed. I guess I’ll just incubate them upright in cartons and turn manually until I figure it out. The aircells always get easier to see as the chick grows because there is some contrast in there. Here’s a pic of my eggs. Threw in a store bought brown egg to show color better.


Edited for spelling View attachment 2024843

Those are some beautiful dark brown eggs! Which Marans type did you go with from Gypsy?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

He’s doing okay

Yay! I'm so glad to hear this!

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Those are some beautiful dark brown eggs! Which Marans type did you go with from Gypsy?

These ones are actually Black Copper from a seller on eBay. Gypsy Hen ones come next week. I just wish I could see the darn air cells haha

 

[CluckNDoodle]

These ones are actually Black Copper from a seller on eBay. Gypsy Hen ones come next week. I just wish I could see the darn air cells haha

Yeah, that's really frustrating! Did you try wrapping something around the flashlight to make the beam smaller since the flashlight was bigger than you expected?

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Yeah, that's really frustrating! Did you try wrapping something around the flashlight to make the beam smaller since the flashlight was bigger than you expected?

Yep did cardboard and poked a hole so that’s the only place light is coming out.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yep did cardboard and poked a hole so that’s the only place light is coming out.

Well phooey. We just need to get you a brighter one then, lol.

 

[BluebirdHomestead]

Well phooey. We just need to get you a brighter one then, lol.

Right?! I’m wondering if it’s even possible to see the aircells before incubating them. I’m sure I’ll be able to tell by day 10 or so what’s going on. But without that contrast of light and dark, the eggs just look like a clear.

 

[two j farm]

I went out to pick eggs up a few minutes ago and I'm pretty sure I have a broody buff orpington. It's 39 degrees here and raining like crazy. I have never had one to set this early.


I think they know when I turn my incubator on because someone sets every time.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have broody turkey number 3 for the year on a clutch of 8

 

[gmjarvi]

Hello all! New member here! I've been keeping chickens for a while now and this year I am going to attempt hatching my own eggs for the first time ever!

Mind if I join in your March hatch-a-long? My first batch of eggs will be going in the 'bator this Sunday! Blue Ameraucana, Black Copper Marans, Blue Splash Marans, Lavender Orpington, and Salmon Faverolles all from a regional NPIP certified breeder .