First Time Hatcher!

[BarredCometLaced]

So I don't know if it's the quarantine getting to our heads, but we've decided to try hatching out our own eggs. That's right. Moose the Rooster (BLR Wyandotte) is going to be a father... problem is, he's got 16 girlfriends. SO i'm expecting low fertility %, unless Moose the Rooster is reallllly getting around. We've selected 8 eggs to try and hatch out, but as it is our first time, I'm feeling like a nervous mother. It also just so happens that the timing is perfect so that if we pop the eggs into the incubator now, the chicks should hatch in time to match up with our Meyer Hatchery delivery.
We are using what we have, an ancient 1602N Thermal Air Hova-Bator (from about 10 years ago when we tried to hatch gecko eggs). I've had it running about 1.5 days and I seem to have found the sweet spot keeping the humidity between 35-50% humidity. The electric thermometer seems to be reading 99+ and the mercury thermometer is reading 101-. Not sure which one I should trust, as the mercury thermometer is the one that came with the incubator... should I trust old or new or take the average of both?
ANYWAYS, I was hoping for some tips, advice, and perhaps motivational words to get me through these 21 days. I will post update pics! I don't know why, and it's not that I don't trust Moose, but I am not expecting much...
Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

hes most likely doing them all so his fertility should be fine I have a blrw roo but hes up in age so hes not fertile these days lol his son is though I have quite a few eggs in my bator aswell but im
not a noob at it i would just average the two thermometers and say its about 100

 

[BarredCometLaced]

Feeling disappointed in our rooster this morning. Eggs went in the incubator on the 4th, and i'm not seeing much of anything from any of the 10 eggs I put in. I was hoping all that crowing was going to be worth something At what point should I give up on these eggs?

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Honestly you should see some solid development by now (day 7). You can post some pics while candling. For some help determining if they're fertile/developing. I like to candle with the egg held horizontal and the light below. Others prefer holding the vertical. You'll have to experiment and see what works best for you.

Here's a pic of a day 5 Legbar egg from my current hatch.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

Honestly you should see some solid development by now (day 7). You can post some pics while candling. For some help determining if they're fertile/developing. I like to candle with the egg held horizontal and the light below. Others prefer holding the vertical. You'll have to experiment and see what works best for you.

Here's a pic of a day 5 Legbar egg from my current hatch.
View attachment 2084491

UGH. That is what I was worried about. 4 of the eggs in the incubator are from my legbars, and I am just not seeing that. Maybe my light is not strong enough (she said hopefully?)

 

[BarredCometLaced]

NOT FEELING SO GREAT

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

That's disappointing. You are correct. No development in those eggs.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

That's disappointing. You are correct. No development in those eggs.

Gonna collect and try again tomorrow!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

That's awesome! I'm happy to hear that.
With this track record I'd pack in as many eggs as you feel comfortable turning. You can also try candling and doing a first cull a few days earlier, day 4-5, if you're comfortable with that. Something else to consider is it's possible he has favorites and isn't breeding all the hens.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

That's awesome! I'm happy to hear that.
With this track record I'd pack in as many eggs as you feel comfortable turning. You can also try candling and doing a first cull a few days earlier, day 4-5, if you're comfortable with that. Something else to consider is it's possible he has favorites and isn't breeding all the hens.

I've seen him go after a salmon faverolle and some SLWs, but it is hard to be sure with him. He's a big, beautiful boy, so we'd love to see some babies from him. If I could seperate him and a few girls I would, but we don't have anywhere to put them