Hatching is underway for our first eggs of the season! The GLO project is well underway now and I am looking forward to hatching hundreds of chicks this spring from these families.  Because I am hatching from 3 different families this season, I’ve had to create some alternate hatching tubs in order to keep everyone separated at hatch. I already have 2 incubators so I couldn’t really justify buying anymore.  I’m trying some basic things like plastic tubs, heat lamps & a room humidifier. I can only hope at this point that it works and will update of course after the first hatch. I may after all need to try something else if it doesn’t work.

Clutch #1 - 2010
GLO Family 1 & 2 - 26 eggs
Blue on Blue Orpington - 14 eggs

Set February 21st - Hatched March 14 & 15th
Day 7 - First candling.. it’s still a little soon but all GLO eggs look fine.  Blue eggs are a little harder to see into
Day 18 - Lost half of the Blue eggs, some quitters some never started. Either one of the hens isn’t fertile or there is some kind of problem I may need to address
Day 20 - Hatching has begun!
Day 21 - Almost all the GLO eggs have hatched, but the Blue eggs are late starters.  There are pips in most 5 of 7 eggs.
Day 22 - 6 of 7 Blue eggs hatched in the night & morning hours.  We have 4 Splash, 1 Blue & 1 Black. There are only 2 GLO eggs that did not hatch yet, perhaps coincidentally, these were in the “tub hatcher” where it was a bit dry for them.  If they were slow to zip they did get stuck, but a quick squirt of warm water into their shell (after they poked their heads out) was enough to loosen things up for them to finish popping out.   Later this evening I will get everyone out, toe punch the chicks and get them setup in a brooder box.

Clutch #2 - 2010
GLO Family 1 & 2
27 Eggs (13 & 14)

Set Date March 10 - Hatch Date March 30th
Day 18 - All but 1 egg made it to day 18.  Will be hatching 1 group in the tub again
Day 20 - I can hear chicks chirping and I expect the hatching to begin any moment now. Keeping the humidity up in the tub is very taxing and will again require constant supervision.

Clutch #3 - 2010
GLO Family 1, 2 & Blue GLO
28 Eggs total (10, 9 & 9)

Set Date March 26 - Hatch Date April 16
Day 21 - Pipping & zipping was rather uneventful.  Blue GLO chick has hatched a wonderful brown color! I’m curious to see how the rest of the project progresses.  After 3 hatches I still only have a few chicks to work with. 

Clutch #4 - 2010 April 1st? - April 21st
Without our knowledge a Red Cochin Bantam created her own nest & set 14 eggs.  3 weeks later she hatched 4 healthy chicks and we brought them into the brooder as the weather was quite unpredictable.

Clutch #5 - 2010
Blue Australorps

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