Eggs every day now---Need Advise

[coleridgedane]

I'm getting an egg/day, which means I have some 1+ yr-old girls laying. The 1st several I put under a crazy-broody OEG last week. Yesterday & today I've gotten two more & don't have anymore broodies.

My mentor has told me it's almost impossible to 'bator hatch the eggs & he has 30 years experience. Told me that's why he has silkies, as they are wonderful broodies for eggs.

What has been your experience? (BTW...my hens lay on the henhouse tin roof or on the chicken wire top. No where is anyone making a nest. It seems they drop'em wherever.)

I thank you all for any suggestions! -Priscilla

 

[Glenmar]

I hatched one just fine. Many others on here have too.

 

[coleridgedane]

Will u share your info?

Turns?
Position?
Auto-turner?
Incubator?
How many have u hatched?
Humidity thru out?
Temp thru out?
Hatch rates?
What r the differences between hatching chicken/duck/guinea eggs?

THANKS! I really need some straight talk so I don't waste these.

 

[Arbor]

Many of us use incubators. I use a homemade one with guts from various brands. I get 75%+ hatch rate in a poor year I hope to be hatching 60 or so this year. It has an autoturner (eggs sit upright, but you can place them sideways in the trays too) that turns hourly. Temp is 99 1/2, not sure on humidity - I use a small (5" diameter) margarine container for water, then hatch them in a Roll X incubator with the turner removed and lots of water in the bottom. When I hatch the regular varieties of chicken in it, I get upwards of 90% hatch rates, with the rarer bantams, I got 80% hatch rate (dozen birds). When I have done duck eggs, I would mist or dip the eggs in same temp water for the last week or so to soften the shell (same for goose).

 

[deerman]

yes many thousand have been hatched in incubators....would help to know what type you have.

myself and some other larger breeders....even use both broody hens and incubators.
we found by using broody chicken for the 1 st week ,then move eggs to a incubator we increased hatch rate by about 10%.

with my gqf sportsman i place eggs in auto turner on their side ,also hand turn them 2 times a day.

something about that first week, maybe the hen turning alot....does improve the hatch rate.

another thing i did the last clutch of the seaon (aug. here) i let the peahen hatch out the peachicks

i hatch 100 to 200 per year.

 

[zazouse]

Deerman are you using a styrofoam GOF?
I have a cabnit GOF abd the turner turns like once and hour i think, and my hatch rate for ducks,geese,guineas and chickens is 85 to 90 percent

 

[deerman]

Deerman are you using a styrofoam GOF?
I have a cabnit GOF abd the turner turns like once and hour i think, and my hatch rate for ducks,geese,guineas and chickens is 85 to 90 percent

mine are sportsman and yes very igh hatch rate on most eggs, with peafowl egg its better to lay the eggs on the side and use he autoturner plus hand turn also, i found this stop alot dying in the egg the last few days

 

[coleridgedane]

I have a Genesis 1588 (Hov-a-bator) as I'm pretty new to this. I've done fairly well with guineas & chicks but am hesistent to try the peas as I sure don't want to lose them.

 

[Glenmar]

I have a Brinsea ECO 20. I love it. I have had good success. When I incubated my pea egg, I also hand turned it 3x a day in addition to the autoturner. I can't say enough good things about this incubator.

 

[coleridgedane]

I feel almost embarrassed to admit to the Genesis. You guys have dream 'bators 4x my cost. But guess I won't know till I try...so setting the latest three w 36 guinea eggs.