Incubators Anonymous

[ozexpat]

I am super new at hatching eggs. I need an incubator as my hen stopped sitting! What do you recomend? Help!

I found this one but not so sure I should start with this type.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/grd/3859357433.html

Thank you!
Karen

What an interesting bator

Problems I see is that it has no insulation so it would be very susceptible to fluctuating temps.

How often do you plan to incubate?

 

[ChickNmamma]

Please help me!

Our stupid plumber tripped our electric today while I was at work and my 18 eggs went without power for 6 hours. When I switched it back on it was 23C inside.
Today is day 18, they were due to hatch on my birthday

Are they all goners????

They are not goners but they may not hatch on your birthday because they cooled off - but they should hatch the next couple of days after that.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Well I just found another good reason to use the egg cartons to hatch in.

I have a little Silkie chick that I had to help a bit because it was hatching upside down and was stuck (the bad part about hatching in egg cartons. they can't hatch upside down). Its one leg wouldn't go underneath and it wanted to lay with it flat out behind it. I had taken it out to put in the brooder with the rest - but changed my mind because it couldn't get back under the heat and kept getting away and peeping because it was cold. I put it back in the warm incubator in the egg carton and it tried to get out - but it couldn't with one foot - that made the other foot go back under where it belonged. I think it works like the cup for chicks with splay leg problems, teaches the bird where to put its foot to move... hopefully it will have the hang of it by the time I check on it tonight.. so it can come out and be with its siblings.

 

[ki4got]

Well I just found another good reason to use the egg cartons to hatch in.

I have a little Silkie chick that I had to help a bit because it was hatching upside down and was stuck (the bad part about hatching in egg cartons. they can't hatch upside down). Its one leg wouldn't go underneath and it wanted to lay with it flat out behind it. I had taken it out to put in the brooder with the rest - but changed my mind because it couldn't get back under the heat and kept getting away and peeping because it was cold. I put it back in the warm incubator in the egg carton and it tried to get out - but it couldn't with one foot - that made the other foot go back under where it belonged. I think it works like the cup for chicks with splay leg problems, teaches the bird where to put its foot to move... hopefully it will have the hang of it by the time I check on it tonight.. so it can come out and be with its siblings.

I've done that before with good success... usually someone gets stuck and one leg ends up sticking straight out because that's all that wasn't glued in. (at least the last one was like that).

I put him in the egg carton with solid eggs all the way around (unhatched or even dudds) and these kept him from falling out sideways or backwards too.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote:
Yes, I think that's what happened - the only leg free was able to go straight back.. and now its sort of "stuck" in that position. SHE

is resting in the egg carton right now and when she can get out of it I will bring her in.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: Yes, I think that's what happened - the only leg free was able to go straight back.. and now its sort of "stuck" in that position. SHE

is resting in the egg carton right now and when she can get out of it I will bring her in.
see, if I call them all he, then i'm pleasantly surprised when they turn into pullets... If I called them all she, i'd be disappointed when they turn into cockerels.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: see, if I call them all he, then i'm pleasantly surprised when they turn into pullets... If I called them all she, i'd be disappointed when they turn into cockerels.
Ah, I see, but Silkies are so hard to sex I didn't want to give it any hints in the wrong direction.

 

[Flowerbh]

Yes, I think that's what happened - the only leg free was able to go straight back.. and now its sort of "stuck" in that position. SHE

is resting in the egg carton right now and when she can get out of it I will bring her in.

I had that happen last week...Poor chick just dragged that leg out behind him. Put it in the brooder and the next day, I massaged its leg and kind of did therapy on it. Rotating it and going back and forth with it. The next day, it was fine. Running around with all the others.

 

[gladahmae]

So how many days before I should plug my turner in for shipped eggs? I have 35 in the genesis right now, and today is day 4. They've been settling in there straight up since Saturday after their trip from California to Michigan.

 

[ozexpat]

So how many days before I should plug my turner in for shipped eggs? I have 35 in the genesis right now, and today is day 4. They've been settling in there straight up since Saturday after their trip from California to Michigan.

let them rock!
lol