December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[PD-Riverman]

No sorry!

I've got 3 Little Giants & one from FarmInnovators, I don't know what it's called. Two of the Little Giants don't have fans and were gifts from the folks I'm hatching them for. I'm ordering a fan for 1 tomorrow so I'll have that installed in 2-3 days but I may not get the last one for another week and a couple days. I set eggs from 11.25, 11.26, 11.29, 11.30 each date in a separate unit. I put 11.25 & 11.26 in the 2 w/o fans and each date is a mix of breeds. Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it!

I have hatched Many of eggs in a still air incubator----usually 70 to 80%, has been lower and higher. I did this NEVER using a hydrometer/humidity meter---did not own one for years. I just filled the smaller water reservior for the first 18 days, then both of the reserviors the last 3 days adding a small wet sponge if I felt it was needed. With the still air I keep the temp around 101. I think the biggest thing that helps me have a good hatch is when I close the incubator on day 18---after I candle the eggs, remove the turner and fill both reservoirs is--I DO NOT open the incubator again for NOTHING till all the eggs hatch or day 22---which ever comes first! If I need to add water I do it with a flex straw through a vent hole. If a Chick looks like it needs Help----If it will hang in there till all hatch or day 22---I will help it---Nothing can make me open it before. I do the same in my Big Hatcher and I usually hatch close 100%.

You can put the eggs into another incubator while you add the fan kit---should work fine. I have added fans to my styrofoam incubators too but I always used a small fan I had laying around and a lower voltage power pack(looks like a cell phone charger)--But I have alot of "stuff" laying around! If you have questions, just ask--BUT ask before you do it is best---plenty of people here to help you. Good Luck!!

 

[Purpletie3]

I guess I'll join in!

I just set 42 barnyard mix eggs in my Farm Innovators Incubator. Hatch date is Christmas. This is my first hatch and probably my last for a year or two, so fingers crossed!

Welcome and good luck! And Merry Christmas you are going to have your hands full!

 

[Purpletie3]

Hi all, got my first hatching eggs in the mail today. I will be setting barnyard mixes tomorrow. I have never hatched shipped eggs before, so is there anything special I need to be doing besides letting them sit for 24 hours pointy end down. I will have a staggered hatch with more eggs expected tomorrow and Friday. Any pointers will be helpful, I have 2 bators, both with turners, but only 1 has a fan. 1 shipment coming yet has some silkies included, is there anything special I need to do with them? Thank in advance for any helpful advise you can give me.

Hi there and welcome!!!

I am on Hatch 2 & 3 with shipped eggs so, I don't know if I should give any advice....However, I do research a ton... from what I found...make sure your bator is running and keeping temp a day or even two before. Sit the eggs fat end up for 24 hours...you will need to check for the air cells and see if they are intact & cracked eggs by candling. My first hatch had all the air cells not intact and they were also looking like older dehydrated eggs...much different incubation than my two right now....I tried to get the air cells to re-attach by incubating them fat end up in egg cartons and not turning them for the first few days...However, they never re-attached. My current ones 2 of 4 re-attached. Sweet!

You may want to set them all together on Saturday or two of the shipments in one bator and one in the other. They say eggs are viable for a week...you'd have to know how old those eggs are though. Or maybe you have an alternate plan come lockdown on day 18...?

There is a really good section in here on Incubation101 and shipped eggs. Give her a read through. Best of luck!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi all, got my first hatching eggs in the mail today. I will be setting barnyard mixes tomorrow. I have never hatched shipped eggs before, so is there anything special I need to be doing besides letting them sit for 24 hours pointy end down. I will have a staggered hatch with more eggs expected tomorrow and Friday. Any pointers will be helpful, I have 2 bators, both with turners, but only 1 has a fan. 1 shipment coming yet has some silkies included, is there anything special I need to do with them? Thank in advance for any helpful advise you can give me.

1st Pointer I would Suggest is No Staggered hatch unless you have Other Incubators to use as a hatcher to move the 18 day old eggs into and have enough other incubators so when the next 18 day old eggs are ready they can be moved into a fresh incubator/hatcher--not one that is being used. Just hold your eggs for a couple days then set them all together.

As far as silkies, I do nothing different--they do hatch most of the time a day earlier than normal size eggs, But they just sit tight in the incubator till all the others hatch or day 22---no problem.

 

[Renee572]

Okay...yesterday I set 33 Barnyard Mix eggs as a "test batch" for my new bator!!! Anyway today is day 1 and I cant wait already for them to hatch ....that is if they hatch....

Isn't it so hard to wait? I'm on day 12 and I wish time would speed up just a bit. I started this whole thing with the thought that if I even got just one to hatch I'd be happy but after candling on day 7 and having 10 of my 12 growing so nicely I have different thoughts now. I want all 10 to hatch so I am having positive thoughts about all of them hatching. I know chances are I may not get all of them to hatch especially being my first time ever hatching eggs but I am still going to hope for the 10 to hatch!!

Good luck with your hatch.

Wouldn't you know it has been rainy here since Tuesday and I think that's helping me to keep my humidity up in the incubator. I don't think it will be raining when I finally put my eggs into lockdown but I do hope I am able to keep my humidity up as high as it needs to be. Luckily I will be home for the most part those last few days so I can add water as needed.

 

[Debs55]

So my humidity has been staying about 45. Better than it was I guess lol it will just have to work. Tomorrow is hatch day and Monday is lockdown for incubator #2

 

[TheChickenQueen]

Welcome and good luck! And Merry Christmas you are going to have your hands full!

Thanks!

I hope! Although I am wishing for mostly pullets if I do get anything.

 

[ftpagain]

so right now i have 102 eggs in and only one of then is this dark green color. as i was candling them last night i couldn't see any veins inside or anything and nearly cried. after sometime i convinced myself that i saw "something" and put it back.
can someone tell me what breed lays dark green eggs or does the darkness depend on their food?

 

[LindaB220]

Hi all, got my first hatching eggs in the mail today. I will be setting barnyard mixes tomorrow. I have never hatched shipped eggs before, so is there anything special I need to be doing besides letting them sit for 24 hours pointy end down. I will have a staggered hatch with more eggs expected tomorrow and Friday. Any pointers will be helpful, I have 2 bators, both with turners, but only 1 has a fan. 1 shipment coming yet has some silkies included, is there anything special I need to do with them? Thank in advance for any helpful advise you can give me.

Wow, you have a lot more courage than I do. Good luck. My hatch will be MUCH smaller.

 

[LindaB220]

so right now i have 102 eggs in and only one of then is this dark green color. as i was candling them last night i couldn't see any veins inside or anything and nearly cried. after sometime i convinced myself that i saw "something" and put it back.
can someone tell me what breed lays dark green eggs or does the darkness depend on their food?

Hi ftpagain,

Eggs are wonderful things. You get different colors with different breeds. Some lay blue eggs and some lay white or brown. If you breed a blue egg layer rooster with a blue egg hen you get blues. It you breed a blue egg layer rooster with a brown layer hen you get olive egg color eggs. The rainbow mix is a bunch of different kinds of chickens laying a different color egg. This is the joy of raising chickens for eggs. You get to choose what color of egg you want.