Incubators Anonymous

[ki4got]

Hi my name is Eva.
And I just started the incubating process.
I'm honestly lost what to do for them.
I'm hatching ducklings.

Right now there are 5 that I have candled and can tell how far they are. I'd say they are around day 10,12 & 14
Could be wrong.

When I pick the eggs up from the yard do I need to put them in the incubator or can they be stored somewhere until I manage to get these 5 hatched?

you can store eggs. the cooler the location (as low as about 50 deg) the better for viability, but I just keep mine in the back room on top of our chest freezer. it's convenient and nobody's likely to bother them there.

ideally they should be set within 10 days, but realistically, I've hatched eggs up to 30 days old in the past. but viability is significantly decreased after about 14 days.

sounds like you need to invest in a second incubator. then you can rotate hatches all you want. just put the hatching eggs in the second 'bator and keep adding to the first. LOL

yeah I know. i'm a horrible enabler for finding ways to do things. I have 4 hovabator incubators. 3 are for incubation only, and I move eggs to the hatcher as needed.

 

[Runawaylobster]

Hey you know I have a wine cooler, i am thinking it's a perfect place to store hatching eggs before incubation? what do you all think. I believe that i can get it as high as 55 degrees...

 

[ki4got]

Hey you know I have a wine cooler, i am thinking it's a perfect place to store hatching eggs before incubation? what do you all think. I believe that i can get it as high as 55 degrees...

I had one, but it died... LOL actually it ran it's butt off just to cool to about 55. so now my freezer top babysits all the eggs. it's out of the way and that room stays the coolest of any in the house. some people say turn the eggs daily, but I never have... doesn't seem to affect anything for me, but to each their own.

 

[DMRippy]

Does anyone know anyone in middle Tennessee that breeds black,paint, and buff silkies?

yes she is on the middle th thread. Hardin or Harding poultry. I am going to see her today. also citygirlin the country has buffs. not 100% but I think brown chicks brown cow has sullied in some of those colors. I will recommend you pick up the eggs or get chicks. sullied are harder to hatch from shipped eggs....hard enough when you pick them up.

 

[Tncowgirl1903]

Thank you

 

[baseballchick]

I finally got my incubator to stabilize... But think it might need to be bumped up a little. Currently sitting at 100* 30%humidity, it's a still air incubator. Should it be bumped up a tad?

 

[ki4got]

I finally got my incubator to stabilize... But think it might need to be bumped up a little. Currently sitting at 100* 30%humidity, it's a still air incubator. Should it be bumped up a tad?

what's the temp at egg level? that's what you need to pay attention to...

personally I detest the still airs. never had any luck with them at all. cheap fix, get a computer fan with the same hole spacing (measured in mm), think it's 120 mm but my memory's faulty. find a 6 or 9 volt cell phone charger. cut the end off, wire to the fan and plug 'er in. (don't tape or solder the wires until you're sure you have it right. if it's backwards the fan simply won't turn. switch wires and try again. then make sure when you put the fan in, that it's blowing UP not down. remove plugs from the bator and stabilize the temp again before adding eggs.

and personally, I DO NOT add water to the eggs until lockdown. and even then I still have wet hatches at times.

lately I've only been putting eggs in the hatcher once they've gone into draw down or internal pip. missed a couple that hatched in the incubator at less than 20% humidity too, without issues. but the later 'lockdown' seems to be improving my hatchability. go figure.

 

[baseballchick]

what's the temp at egg level?  that's what you need to pay attention to... 

personally I detest the still airs. never had any luck with them at all. cheap fix, get a computer fan with the same hole spacing (measured in mm), think it's 120 mm but my memory's faulty. find a 6 or 9 volt cell phone charger. cut the end off, wire to the fan and plug 'er in. (don't tape or solder the wires until you're sure you have it right. if it's backwards the fan simply won't turn. switch wires and try again.  then make sure when you put the fan in, that it's blowing UP not down. remove plugs from the bator and stabilize the temp again before adding eggs.

and personally, I DO NOT add water to the eggs until lockdown. and even then I still have wet hatches at times.

lately I've only been putting eggs in the hatcher once they've gone into draw down or internal pip. missed a couple that hatched in the incubator at less than 20% humidity too, without issues.  but the later 'lockdown' seems to be improving my hatchability. go figure.

Thank you for your reply!

I have the thermometer/hygrometer sitting where I can see it through the window, like where the eggs would be. Is this sufficient to read the temp where I need to?

I am going to look for a fan and see what I can do...

 

[gladahmae]

dog attack taking out 25 chickens = me shoving eggs under broodys. it was 2/3 meat birds, but i'm still going to give my grumpy girls eggs. I'd fill up the incubator, but it's too hot to ship, and it's apparently too hot my the girls to actually LAY EGGS! I'm doing a refrigerated egg experiment too. I've pulled 6 eggs of varying ages out of the fridge that I'm going to put under one of them, and I'll put 6 non-refrigerated under the other. Look at my self control!

Plus we're going to pick up some POL pullets too this weekend. Can use the meaty tractors for quarantine.

 

[ChickNmamma]

dog attack taking out 25 chickens = me shoving eggs under broodys. it was 2/3 meat birds, but i'm still going to give my grumpy girls eggs. I'd fill up the incubator, but it's too hot to ship, and it's apparently too hot my the girls to actually LAY EGGS! I'm doing a refrigerated egg experiment too. I've pulled 6 eggs of varying ages out of the fridge that I'm going to put under one of them, and I'll put 6 non-refrigerated under the other. Look at my self control!

Plus we're going to pick up some POL pullets too this weekend. Can use the meaty tractors for quarantine.

Sorry about the dog.. but if its an excuse to hatch more..

But gee.. only 12 eggs?

Let me know how the refrigerator experiment goes. I do know of a few people who have hatched eggs after refrigeration - and some that have hatched store bought fertile eggs.. so it is possible.