The 9th Annual BYC Easter Hatchalong!

[Madonna m]

21 days seem to never come when you are watching for movement. Come on Easter.

 

[maddysmamaw]

 

[ronott1]

just about got my hand pecked off this morning by a hen who is half silkie. I was just trying to give her eggs to test out...I swear I wasn't trying to steal her eggs.

She is a velacoraptobroody

 

[Pensmaster]

Speckled Sussex are still cooking fine. The Dark Cornish that are not part of Easter hal are also developing.

 

[wvchics]

One of my hens suddenly turned into an egg eater, and got 4 of my 8 marked eggs. None of them exhibited signs before I'm so upset right now. I was able to candle a couple eggs and at least one of them seems to have a dark spot inside so I'm still hopeful for the rest of them. I currently have her separate from everyone else. So far the remaining eggs are all still there. This literally made me feel sick to my stomach. I haven't noticed any smells so I don't see that as being the reason for her to eat them. She does seem to be the most aggressive hen, and I have no reason to believe it was just the marked eggs. I plan on culling her as soon as I increase my flock. What horrible luck I've had with my first try.

 

[emvickrey]

I candled again for the last time and pulled 3 out. They are from my new layers. I didn't expect any would make it but I still have 4 left. Somebody mentioned I should get a new bator or a broody hen. My bator is a brinsea 20. This is just my 2nd year using it. My hatch date is the 29th. I have golden laced english orps, mottled english orps and ayan cimani. I'm hoping to get alot of pure black ayam. Theyre grand parents are mixed with leghorn.

 

[dannyelle123]

Looks like I have my first casualty... It's being incubated upright and all the others of this color have good veining throughout and in the bottom of the egg too, but this looks like lumpy blood ringing on one side and has no veining in the bottom.

 

[dannyelle123]

Pretty safe to say it's dead right? I see no movement and the embryo looks like it floated to the top and isn't moving...

Looks like I have my first casualty... It's being incubated upright and all the others of this color have good veining throughout and in the bottom of the egg too, but this looks like lumpy blood ringing on one side and has no veining in the bottom.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Did a candle this morning, Removed 6 pods.
Really didn't have time for pix. The rest seem to be developing nicely. It's a new and different oven. Analog Farm Innovations. Still trying to get comfortable with it (them). I have 4 ovens running and keeping me busy in the hatch room.
Fingers crossed for April 1st success.

 

[Pensmaster]

One of my hens suddenly turned into an egg eater, and got 4 of my 8 marked eggs. None of them exhibited signs before I'm so upset right now. I was able to candle a couple eggs and at least one of them seems to have a dark spot inside so I'm still hopeful for the rest of them. I currently have her separate from everyone else. So far the remaining eggs are all still there. This literally made me feel sick to my stomach. I haven't noticed any smells so I don't see that as being the reason for her to eat them. She does seem to be the most aggressive hen, and I have no reason to believe it was just the marked eggs. I plan on culling her as soon as I increase my flock. What horrible luck I've had with my first try.

Was it her or a predator? Ground squirrels have been seen eating eggs here. Rats really like them too.
What’s the breed?