Countdown, T-minus 14 Days And Counting!

Seven more days to the hatch! Tonight I candled all 61 eggs. I took out 11 clear eggs that showed no development at all. 7 Silkies, 2 d'Uccles, 1 Salmon Favorelle and 1 Cochin. I opened the eggs to check them, only found three that were infertile (all Silkies), the rest were fertile eggs. Several had been badly scrambled, probably by the postal service, so they never had a chance. The clear eggs were pretty much divided evenly between the two incubators, so I don't see anything wrong there. I also noted live babies in each incubator, so they are doing their job!

So we have 50 eggs left, I saw maybe 12 'for sure' live chicks squirming around--they HATE the bright flashlight I used to candle them. I won't candle again since there is only a week to go. Now we have to find a big cardboard box for a brooder box and get it ready!

One of our hens, a little tiny Silkie named Blue, is currently broody and may be recruited as Broody Mama for this batch. Last year it was Moet, she is an excellent momma but isn't broody right now. We'll see!

Gotta get the webcam stuff and get IT running, too! Chickam is looming on the horizon...