Somewhat disappointed

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:45 am

WLLady wrote:QR_BBPOST Yes a sterile hen can lay eggs. So the ovum is the spot on the yolk...the yolk can be ovulated without an ovum on it. Then the egg is formed around the yolk. The only difference is there will be no white spec on the sterile females yolk. If there is a spot then it may be the boy is not fertile...

The egg with the big bubble at the one end either has bacteria in the air sac making gas and enlarging the air sac or there is a crack in the shell causing the yolk etc to shrink a bit stretching the air sac out. Or it froze...if the yolk seems grainy in texture it froze.

How do you know all this stuff and keep it in your brain!?? Lol
If I read something I have to keep going back to it till I get it all right. Must be age
You don't want to know how many times I have gone back to my post about humidity to read what I am suppose to be doing

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 12:34 pm

I cracked open the 2 eggs from my white hens and both have the circle in them. See pics
So I'm hoping I might get some fertile ones when I pluck vent feathers from rooster and hens

Post by **WLLady** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 12:38 pm

the top one is definitely fertilized....not so sure about the bottom on....i don't see a clearer spot in the middle of the white part.
but it looks normal

fertility on my breeders is just picking up....remember, just a couple of hours below 0 might not be enough to freeze an egg, but is enough to kill the tiny little embryo on the surface of the yolk....so. hopefully there won't be too many more cold nights.
last night was -5 IN the barn at my place....and sunday/monday it's supposed to be -9 overnight. brrrrr

there are days i hate my brain. i remember a lot of this stuff from teaching embryology and prevets at the veterinary college at the university of guelph back in my grad school days....a lot of the more recent stuff i have to write down and refer back to it. brain is older LOL

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 2:19 pm

Top Fertile, bottom not fertile.
Yours are a "picture perfect" example :)
Fertilized egg

Not fertilized

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:33 pm

Well today is day 20 for my remaining 22 eggs
Nothing. No pips
As you all know I'm having one heck of a time with this humidity thing
3 hydrometers and they all read different
I put the eggs in at 10:45 pm on March 15 I'm pretty sure at least a few should have pipped today sometime
I'm sooooo bummed over this
Went and bought another hydrometer and doing a "salt" test for accuracy
Has anyone done this test before
I realize there is no magical answer to this but any of your thoughts might help
Thanks

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:42 pm

just give it time... I think they will pip tonight and be out within 24 hours. I wouldnt open the incubator anymore though!

Fingers Crossed!

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 6:49 pm

Patience I know
how long do you wait before you carefully start opening them up? Or don't you do that
Just wondering what others do?

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:24 pm

I dont open any eggs at all anymore. they either hatch or they dont. I may make an exception if the last chick to hatch is stuck. I only candle them.

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:30 pm

Ok thanks Al. I'm keeping my fingers crossed

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:43 pm

ME TOO!!!