The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Pensmaster]

Just finished candling. 35 out of 38 still going. At day 7 I thought only 34 making it. One of the duds is definitely alive. Also one egg I chipped the top off of accidentally is still growing. I put Nu Skin on the missing shell part.

Noticing that the area I add water at the eggs are losing less weight even with all the fans I have in there. Going to chart the weight loss to be sure.

 

[Pensmaster]

wanted to share this . Had 4 eggs go in to lock down Tue evening. Figured I would save myself some clean up and put a puppy pad in the bottom of my DIY bator, that i'm now using for hatching. Put my drawer liner on top of pad and added my dishes with sponges. Got it all heated up and the 4 eggs in and the humidity started dropping after awhile. My dishes were full, even with the top of the sponges so i didn't want to add more to those to avoid drowning babies. I just started dribbling water in thru a vent in the top on to the drawer liner and in to the puppy pad. OH MY GOSH those are the bomb ! They collect the water and it spreads out and the humidity goes right up where it needs to be. No worries about drowning or opening the bator or anything. The pads that were suggested before were pretty good but they pull the water deep and you only get the moisture off the top. The puppy pads are thin so you get more humidity from the water spreading out. And how much easier can it be than to just dribble some warm water anywhere into the bator if u have a pad on the bottom ? Worked GREAT for me so i had to share.

Thank you for sharing. This may help with keeping the humidity even in the incubator. Just noticed that where I add water it pools up there and the weight loss is lower in the area where the water is. Going to have to run some figures but it sure looks like that corner where the water pools up has less weight loss.

 

[flocktastic]

Day 14 candling...pulled two more that were definitely clear. Started with 42 & have pulled 3 clears & 1 blood ring. Down to 38...A couple others I think are really questionable but since they ARE questionable, I left them in for now.

Air cells looking pretty good except for two or 3 wonky ones that are still saddle shaped.

Saw LOTS of tiny dancers in there!!

Here's a little pic of one of my exchequer eggs...all 6 of them look awesome!

 

[Chickenluver106]

I'm on day twelve what would the clear ones look like I can't tell

 

[Ravynscroft]

I'm on day twelve what would the clear ones look like I can't tell

They would just glow bright... if they're developing, you would see veins... and possibly the embryo moving around depending on how dark the shells are...

 

[ShrekDawg]

They would just glow bright... if they're developing, you would see veins... and possibly the embryo moving around depending on how dark the shells are...

I'm assuming it's like a grocery store egg if you candled one ???

 

[Penny Hen]

Someone in our neighborhood has about a dozen guineas that have been roaming around lately. Noisy group!

If you learn to listen to the pitch of their cries you will know the difference between their usual noise and when they scream hysterically about real danger. The group of five I had warned me of dogs harassing my sheep and I ran home from the neighbors house in time to run them off and no one was injured. Except me. Because my Shetland ram was p!$$3d that I had failed to keep the fence secure and they had gotten through. I was walking with my DH to the spot where I saw the dogs go under the fence when I here rapid footfalls and BAM! My ram hits me in the butt and sends me flying about 8 feet. I did manage to have enough grace to land on my feet. Then he followed me around BAAAAing at me for twenty minutes. I figured the translation went something like this: "You let DOGS through the fence! Who do you think I am SUPERRAM!? There were FIVE DOGS! FIVE! And it was just ME standing between the girls and those DOGS! FIVE DOGS!

 

[Penny Hen]

I had thought about guineas for the bug control issue, but after hearing how loud they are I realized that my family would kick me and them out. LOL

But if you have a built in alarm for theft and fire. And if you only get boys they group is not as loud. The girls are the big screechers. They start it and then the boys chime in. After I lost my last female (because she kept following the dog around screeching at her and she ate her) the three remaining boys were much quieter by half.

 

[chickendreams24]

guys what should I sell chickies for I paid 3 dollars and egg an I have twenty four in the bator so if I get big enough of a hatch what should I sell them fo they are purebred soooooo

I agree it depends on breed and the local demand. What breed(s) do you have?

see what others in your area are selling them for on Craigslist Update on the eggs that dropped to 10%: lost all but 1 NN. Sadl none of the milke Fleur d'uccle made it, I'll have to try to add that breed some other time. For added fun the poor chicks that made it past shrink-wrap got frozen-hatching bator broke when I added extra water. Must've accidentally sprayed into the thermostat. Meet lucky-

Sorry for your loss but I'm glad you got Lucky. He/she certainly sounds like one very lucky little chick.

My 4 new babies. BBS English Orpingtons. I guess they feel safer inside their feeding tub :/

Omigosh I'm in love!!! Do you breed them?

 

[Eps32]

I agree it depends on breed and the local demand. What breed(s) do you have?
Sorry for your loss but I'm glad you got Lucky. He/she certainly sounds like one very lucky little chick.
Omigosh I'm in love!!! Do you breed them?

I love my Guineas. I have 11 now. And yes there loud. But if you live on a lot of land like I do. You really don't even notice them. Or maybe you just get used to it. Either way iv only lost one of my free range birds to a preadotor. And that was just two days ago to a hawk. Usually the Guinea let everyone know there's danger. And they don't let them know quietly. Another thing you have to take in account is Guinea will travel far free ranging. Where ever they want and they can fly pretty darn good. Some days they stay around my house and runs and others I have know idea where they are. I have once seen then gang chase a neighbors dog off my property. Also I have two roosters one is dominate they have never messed with him or the hens. But iv seen them chase the less dominate rooster all over the yard. I'm not sure why they only go after him at times. But I don't mind seeing his days are numbered cause he has some aggression. Guinea can be great in the right environment. But if you just have a couple acres they may not be for you.