Trader Joe's Fertile Eggs - Started 8/11/12

[tlcmama]

This got me through the night

 

[Habibs Hens]

thats a cool video thanks for sharing

 

[itsredcandy]

OMG im gonna throw up
i put mamma and the eggs in their own brooding box and she refused to sit back on them!!!!!

After 10minutes I put something in front of the nesting box so she couldn't get out of it
essentially giving her no where else to go but on top of the eggs

what am i going to do???!?? I knew this would happen, she is SO sensitive and attached to
one of our other hens. do you think i should put her buddy in there with her??

I cant leave her barricaded in the nesting box forever

HELP

oh and there was MOVEMENT in more than one egg when i candled!!

Awesome for movement. I would put the eggs back where mama is comfortable. I am planning to move mine in the next few days.

 

[itsredcandy]

mostly, they can't be frozen. In fact, storing eggs to be hatched should be done around 45 - 55 degrees (I think I remember that correctly?) which is the same for wine, which should give those of you out there lucky enough to have a wine fridge a duel purpose now! LOL

I am having my husband convert our wine fridge to an incubator for quail eggs.

 

[tlcmama]

update - i took the barricade down this morning and made her area much smaller
put in food and water and watched on and off for about an hour.

she ate, drank and when I checked back in before leaving for work she was happily sitting on "her" babies

when i got home from work she was still sitting on the eggs having obviously repositioned them as they were all about 6inches closer to the nest opening - she had them all covered and gave me chicken eye when I looked at her

WHEW - that was a rough night. thankfully what-did-I-do and cluck-cluck were up and talked me off the ledge - thanks mammma!!

okay PICTURES!

here's the candler I made:




Making good use of "back to school" shoe box. Notice the sketchers Z-Track logo on the left.
So I used the super bright Costco flashlight. Made a holder for it and for the egg.
Second picture is a practice egg from the fridge. Notice the super bright area at the bottom. I put cotton around the opening thinking it would focus the light into the egg - but all it did was make a highly reflective annoying spot under the egg.
I'll replace that with a dark strip of fleece or something next time.

OKAY - Actual candled eggs while my ****** off hen paced and squawked at me:
Here are 2 of the best




Again sorry for the bright annoying cotton chair!

First pic - Definitely chick in there with veins - if you can see the bright straight line above the cotton (most of the eggs had that) Air pocket?

Second Pic - (side view) chick on the left with veins and room to grow on the right?

There were more than one that were actually moving on their own. I was freaked to turn them too much as then seemed to be sloshing back and forth in there and I didn't want to hurt them.

Wish us luck

 

[cluck-cluck]

They look good!

mine all hatched today save one. It never peeped, finally checked it and it was dead, so sad. But we did get 5 fuzzy butts! So cute!

 

[chicksooner]

lurking. this is exciting.

 

[tlcmama]

lockdown? i dont have to do that right?
little browns in charge right?

 

[itsredcandy]

lockdown? i dont have to do that right?
little browns in charge right?

Yeah, don't think you have to do anything with the hen taking care of them.

 

[NJchixs]

lurking. this is exciting.

X2