Trying to not count my chicks before they hatch

[Jbently28]

So I have 2 broody hens at the moment. Because I've had some unsuccessful hatch rates in the past, I only have them a total of 10 eggs this time. 1 of them was infertile, 1 was crushed early on, and the other one showed a pretty distinguished blood line on day 9. I am now left with 3 EEs, 3 buff orpingtons, and 1 bantam Cochin egg. They are a staggered hatch all ranging between day 14 and day 16. This is by far the most successful development of eggs that I've had so far. Most of them have been crushed or stopped developing by day 10. I'm trying my hardest not to get my hopes up, but it appears as though my hens are finally getting the hang of things. The fact that I've only had one accidentally crushed egg this far is awesome in my books. All of the remaining 7 eggs are developing perfect. There is tons of veining, lots of movement, and the air cells are right on point. Saturday is going to be the last time I candle them. It's just a waiting game from this point on. Crossing my fingers for some healthy chicks

 

[Orpingtons43]

Good luck with your hatch!! I’m currently incubating 9 fertile Easter Egger eggs and I ordered 8 Lavender Orpington eggs that will be here on or before July 9th, 2018!! Here’s a link to my hatching journal https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/from-eggs-to-adults.1255389/page-7#post-20178454 Feel free to join!! I can’t wait! I hope we both have successful hatches!!!

 

[Jbently28]

I failed to mention that my Roo is a RIR. However, the day before I pulled these eggs I had discovered that my neighbor's Buff Orpington Roo had slipped into my yard and staked claim on my girls. This is definitely going to be an interesting hatch for sure.

 

[Orpingtons43]

I failed to mention that my Roo is a RIR. However, the day before I pulled these eggs I had discovered that my neighbor's Buff Orpington Roo had slipped into my yard and staked claim on my girls. This is definitely going to be an interesting hatch for sure.

Ooh interesting indeed!

 

[Stepnout]

I failed to mention that my Roo is a RIR. However, the day before I pulled these eggs I had discovered that my neighbor's Buff Orpington Roo had slipped into my yard and staked claim on my girls. This is definitely going to be an interesting hatch for sure.

Back door BANDIT! lol!

 

[Jbently28]

Back door BANDIT! lol!

My hens free range during the day. My rooster has been staying in the coop during the day while my kids are out playing and gets let out to free range when they are inside. My husband lets the hens out every morning before he goes to work. I've never once had a problem with their rooster coming into my yard. We found him in the yard again a few days later. You would think that my rooster would have lost his mind, but instead he went after my husband when he tried to run him off. He's a very young rooster so apparently my rooster didn't seem too threatened my him. They never once showed any kind of aggression towards each other.

 

[Jbently28]

Ok so I kinda screwed up with my counting of days . I totally forgot that when I came back from vacation that the EE eggs that I placed were already developing. The date that I wrote on them was the date that I placed them under my broody. I'm not exactly sure how they were developing already unless it was from our heatwave that we had come through with 100+ temps. My EE is nowhere near broody and willingly gave up her eggs without a fight. In fact, she had no interest in them whatsoever. She is housed separate with my Roo as she is a feisty little thing who likes to pick on my other hens. Anyways, I went out to candle the eggs one last time and to mark the air cells for hatch day as they are on day 17. I said I wasn't going to do it until tomorrow, but with it being Saturday and having plans, I decided to go ahead and candle all 7 of them today. I pulled my bantam and 3 EE eggs first. I noticed a small crack in the wrong end of my bantam egg. It definitely is not a pip, so I taped it up and placed it back in the nest hoping for the best. I candled my 1st EE egg and was pretty shocked that the air cell had already tilted. Not only had it tilted, but it had started to internally pip. I checked the 2nd one and everything was still normal with it. I get to my 3rd one and not only had it internally pipped but it was chirping as well. You can only imagine my response as I was still thinking that they were only on day 17. So now I will be moving the remaining 4 eggs to my bantam. Oh, and I forgot to mention that my TURKEY is hatching them for me . Btw, if you want the best brooder and mama you can imagine, Turkey hens are the way to go. They'll hatch and raise anything you give them. So now I'm sitting here trying to hold back the urge to keep checking for external pips.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A friend's broody turkey hen hatched a bunch of my chicken eggs for me.
But PLEASE, if you really want success, refrain from any contact with your setting hens, especially when hatching is imminent.
The beauty of having a broody hen is that you have to do nothing. She takes care of everything, you need no electricity, thermometer, hygrometer, turner, no candling, adding water, etc..
A setting hen knows more innately about hatching chicks than we ever will with a lifetime of incubating.
She will keep the temperature precise. She will turn them religiously and at the correct frequency for the stage of the eggs. She may reject eggs that aren't viable. She will retain humidity by sitting tight in the nest. She will sit tight when hatching is occurring to retain humidity and maintain temperature.
There is absolutely no reason to candle broody eggs.
There is absolutely no reason to pull a hen off of a nest to eat and drink. She won't kill herself by starvation or dehydration.
What is the difference between opening an incubator during hatching and reaching under a hen when hatching is imminent? There is no difference. The result is a drastic drop in humidity and likely shrink wrapped chicks.
Must I remind everyone that gallus gallus and every other bird on the planet have been hatching and caring for their offspring for millions of years with no human intervention?
If one wants problems, I recommend messing with the hen and the nest.
If you want the best success out of your broody hens, give them all their eggs on the same day and allow no volunteer eggs. Preferably, give them their own quarters with food and water, then ignore them until it is time to count chicks.

 

[Jbently28]

A friend's broody turkey hen hatched a bunch of my chicken eggs for me.
But PLEASE, if you really want success, refrain from any contact with your setting hens, especially when hatching is imminent.
The beauty of having a broody hen is that you have to do nothing. She takes care of everything, you need no electricity, thermometer, hygrometer, turner, no candling, adding water, etc..
A setting hen knows more innately about hatching chicks than we ever will with a lifetime of incubating.
She will keep the temperature precise. She will turn them religiously and at the correct frequency for the stage of the eggs. She may reject eggs that aren't viable. She will retain humidity by sitting tight in the nest. She will sit tight when hatching is occurring to retain humidity and maintain temperature.
There is absolutely no reason to candle broody eggs.
There is absolutely no reason to pull a hen off of a nest to eat and drink. She won't kill herself by starvation or dehydration.
What is the difference between opening an incubator during hatching and reaching under a hen when hatching is imminent? There is no difference. The result is a drastic drop in humidity and likely shrink wrapped chicks.
Must I remind everyone that gallus gallus and every other bird on the planet have been hatching and caring for their offspring for millions of years with no human intervention?
If one wants problems, I recommend messing with the hen and the nest.
If you want the best success out of your broody hens, give them all their eggs on the same day and allow no volunteer eggs. Preferably, give them their own quarters with food and water, then ignore them until it is time to count chicks.

The only reason I candle my eggs is because I live in Louisiana where it is ridiculously hot. I've had times when bad eggs were not culled by the broody hen and have exploded and jeopardized the entire clutch. My hens are placed in separate brooding quarters away from all others. I NEVER force a hen off of her nest. They typically only come off the nest during feeding time and that is when I candle them if need be. I do however, check on them during hatching time as I've had a broody in the past that would kill her hatching chicks. I obviously do not use her anymore, but take precautions with first time broodies.

 

[ChickenCanoe]