Incubation update:
Last night, the end of day 14, I jerry-rigged an aluminum funnel onto an LED flashlight and candled all 30 eggs that the setting hens have been incubating. 27 of the eggs are almost completely dark inside, 3 were not developing and were discarded. I am as excited about these chicks hatching as I was in second grade when Mrs. Johnson's class hatched eggs in a little incubator. So exciting to see that something is actually going on inside the eggs! I read that the hatch rate runs about 55-75% has that been your experience?
Initially one hen wouldn't leave the nest and two kept switching which nest they sat on. The Cornish mix kept stealing eggs from the Cochin so they were all mixed up anyway. They got serious though the day before I gave them fertilized eggs. The first week they pretty much stayed put. But in the past few days the hens have started coming out in the late morning to drink, poop and eat. They do a quick dust bath then scurry back to their nest. I set a timer so if they run over 30 minutes, I keep an eye on them. Only once have they stayed longer and it was hot, so I'm assuming they know what they are doing.
At Ole' George's suggestion I slid roofing shingle sheets under the hay to protect the eggs from a chill coming up through the bottom screen.
Fingers crossed that there will be Astralorp, Black Sex Link and Golden Sex Link chicks early next week. :)
LQ in L.A.
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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