Setting shipped eggs in my incubator step by step

Congratulations, Laurie!!!

I think the hatch is done, no activity since yesterday morning. In total only 8 chicks. Not what I was hoping for. I set 14 lemon blue cochin eggs that were shipped. At LD 4 right off the bat were clear so I tossed those to make more room. Added 8 brabanter from my own flock so they were fresh and then added two volunteer sexlink eggs to round it out. Happy that the largest total in the hatch were the shipped eggs. 5 Cochin, 2 black volunteers and 1 brabanter. I still have the incubator going, it's day 23 but I think it's finished. Will clean it up and get it ready for shipped BLRW later in the week.... and collect more Brabanter smile I know they are good layers, last June the same group hatched 8 of 10.

Setting round #2. Eggs arrived yesterday from N. Idaho. Very excited about these, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte eggs. Lucky to get more than the expected dozen eggs. To get ready I needed to clean the incubator up after the hatch last week. The design of the Brinsea 20 ECO made cleaning the bottom really easy. Simply put it in a sink full of soapy water and let it sit for a bit and then took a soft rag to it to wipe out the peep gunk. Very easy.. a real plus in my book.

Eggs were wrapped in lots of bubble wrap and all arrived intact. I placed them on the table to rest until this evening. Set them in the incubator but left the turner turned off. Another person gave the tip to not turn on the turner for at least 24 hrs on shipped eggs. Willing to give that a try since I am trying to get a better at hatching shipped eggs. I have seen so many others post what looks like fantastic numbers on hatches from shipped eggs.

So the eggs are set and tomorrow I am loading up the IncuCube. Haven't used it since last summer and Brabanter eggs are designated for this one. This time around there will be two incubators working away. This smaller unit holds one dozen.

I have both incubators setup and turners are rocking gently I saw on another posting info about a temp/RH reader from Walmat. Stopped by and turns out these are on their clearance shelf. Bought the last two for $3.50






I noted the time and readouts when I placed it in the Brinsea and have been checking it about every 15 - 30 mins and its slowly changing.

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Where did you find the IncuCube? I have never seen one before, and I can't find one on the internet when do a search? I was curious? Thanks

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Where did you find the IncuCube? I have never seen one before, and I can't find one on the internet when do a search? I was curious? Thanks

There is a thread about them on the forum from last summer. A beta test unit that I don't believe is still for sale. They were first on Ebay and then a group of people here used them as a beta group with mixed results. I really like mine and it worked well for me. Some folks re-posted on the old topic that they turned them on this season and are having good results. I believe now you can buy the main parts to apply to your own box and make a DIY incubator. Check out the Incubator warehouse online for parts.

I put the new batches of shipped eggs into lock down on Tuesday evening and I was surprised when I walked in the door tonight from work to find along with a chorus of Peep, peep, peep! A day earlier than I thought. Went out to feed the horses and sheep and upon coming back in the kitchen there was another one! OKAY!! the hatch is on! I have two incubators going this round. They were a day apart so maybe tomorrow the others will start.

I have noticed that as the days counted on from initial set the Brinsea digital temp was climbing. It's been at 102 for a couple of days.. I left it along thinking that maybe that's to be expected as the developing chicks are generating their own heat but are clumped together... They are hatching so I am not going to second guess anything at the moment. Before setting eggs its at the 99.5 for a day or two before I set eggs so what more can you do really?

Here's the newbies... more appear to be on the way.