Janoel Incubation Experience

[WVduckchick]

Check to see if your lid is sitting flush, you might have to put a cloth between your lid and the base. Other than that, all I can think of is that your heating element might be on it's way out.

I agree with this! Or have you checked your wiring?

My lid doesn't sit flush, so I put 2 nickels under one foot lol but it still seemed to heat up ok.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I agree with a lid check.

This si only my second hatch in this incubator and according to the thermometers my bator started running cooler at lockdown? I am seriously annoyed with my thermometer. I have trouble believing that I was incubating at 37.3 with my thermometers reading 100-100.2 at times and now I have it turned up to 37.6 and it reads 99 and the one up front is reading 99!

I am hesitant to turn it up as I hatched LAST time at 37.6 and most of mine were early, WHICH is why I bought this new thermometer and lowered my temp on this hatch! Just trying to make it through this one.

My eggs arrived in the mail and my other set arrives Wednesday. I am worried about letting the eggs I have sit so long before incubating. My thought is that I may start the egs I have on Tuesday and if I have to buy another incubator to use for lockdown, well that wouldn't be so bad. Right?

Current count: 3 chocolates hatched (although looks like my maran may have got one in there when he broke in one day) 1 chocolate pipping.
1 Gold Laced hatched (YAY! new breed for my collection)
No spangleds yet, but I am sure at least a few of those will start today.

This is a rowdy bunch! I am having to keep the bator covered to keep them from jumping and pecking.

WV- I love the way you are really dialing in your bator. I just received a catalog from Farmteck in some great insulating material. I have 2 pieces that should go around the outside nicely. I will be disconnecting my probe to hang lower as well BUT I am a little worried as that may change the way it runs and I think I have finally decided on a temp to run this thing at. I believe I am going to get a good old fashioned mercury thermometer for next time. Just going nuts not being sure of the temp. I do believe the drier hatch made a difference. Chicks are hatching clean and drier. Last time they were so wet. Humidity at lockdown looks great. No sticky chicks and they are fluffing in the right amount of time.

Today I am hosting an Easter egg dying/BBQ/cocktail party. I will have 8 little kids here and I am please to be able to offer trips to the hatching room to watch chicks. I will post pics when I can. 22 of us today: leg of lamb, spiral ham, quiche, pickled goodies from last years canning, deviled eggs in spinach-potato nests, salads and fruits! Let the party begin with daiquiris made from last summer's frozen berries!!!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

Wow! You sure have a busy day ahead. Menu sounds awesome, and fresh daiquiris? Yum! Wish I could be there lol. The kids will get a kick out of watching. I hope they get to see one pop out.

And it sounds like your chicks are doing well too.. But I'll give you my theory on the thermometer on the main unit. I think it takes so long to actually sense the temp, it just keeps adjusting. My hubby is an hvac guy and has an expensive little probe thermometer. It reads instantly! The unit lagged so far behind it, it was actually funny to watch. But overall, I think the average temp still holds well. I just stopped looking at the unit. I upped mine to 38.1-38.2 because although that's a little high, it never maintained that temp for more than a few seconds, so it never really has a chance to overheat the eggs. The new insulation may make me drop that to 38.0.
I need to check the new Brinsea Spot Check that I ordered, but it appears to read faster too, so I think I will feel better with the overall process next time.

Looking forward to pics of the new babies!

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I need everyone's wisdom:
My fist bird hatched on day 19, like in the first few hours of day 19. Now I am on day 21. At the end of this day this little guy will have been up and going for 3 days. I still have unknown eggs in there I want to give a chance, BUT I think I should get him out for food and water. What do you think? Will a quick grab dash my chances with the other eggs?

I had one hatch that had it's leg behind it. When I woke up today it had gotten it underneath and was walking. Yay!

Really I had only 1 of my spangleds hatch so far and 4 more in there. I believe they are going to hatch in the next few days and I am reticent to open the bator! I have one that pipped most of the way around but the chicks in there have really pecked the chick inside and I think killed it! Maybe I could slide a little chopped fruit down in there? The three on that side are like a gang of thugs pecking EVERYTHING. they have ripped up the paper towel on that side and smashed all the shells to tiny pieces. Maybe they would eat the fruit and get what they need?

Thoughts?

 

[WildfireSmitty]

I need everyone's wisdom:
My fist bird hatched on day 19, like in the first few hours of day 19. Now I am on day 21. At the end of this day this little guy will have been up and going for 3 days. I still have unknown eggs in there I want to give a chance, BUT I think I should get him out for food and water. What do you think? Will a quick grab dash my chances with the other eggs?

I had one hatch that had it's leg behind it. When I woke up today it had gotten it underneath and was walking. Yay!

Really I had only 1 of my spangleds hatch so far and 4 more in there. I believe they are going to hatch in the next few days and I am reticent to open the bator! I have one that pipped most of the way around but the chicks in there have really pecked the chick inside and I think killed it! Maybe I could slide a little chopped fruit down in there? The three on that side are like a gang of thugs pecking EVERYTHING. they have ripped up the paper towel on that side and smashed all the shells to tiny pieces. Maybe they would eat the fruit and get what they need?

Thoughts?

Hows the little one doing? does he/she seemed stressed? If other ones are hatching around they should find some stuff to eat off the shells for the time being. Hopefully they didn't kill that chick! if so I would get em out!

If it were me, I would make a quick grab to get em out. Too much stress that young could affect performance after they are finally out of the bator. I say 2 days max then time to move out.

You could try the fruit. Give em something to peck at other than the hatchlings.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hmmm.... well, they say 3 days is no problem, and apparently your little one has made it, but I couldn't stand leaving mine in there that long. Especially after they started pecking the other guys. I had 3 hatched, and 2 with pips. One with just the little pump-knot style pip, but one had an open hole below the air cell. His little beak was sticking out the hole and the other ones pecked it so much, when it finally got out, it had a scab on his beak with a hole in it! So I quickly grabbed the other 3 out, but before I grabbed any, I misted the other 2 eggs with a squirt of water. Up to you!

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Update:
I decided to take the chicks out with the help of my daughter it took about 10 seconds. The one 3 day old chick had really gotten rowdy and started pecking everyone and everything. It drank immediately without me dipping its beak! I have 7 eggs left in the bator and one chick. I will give it until the end of tomorrow to see if I get some pips(day 22). I got the humidity up within a minute, so I am hoping the chicks will be OK. I REALLY hope that FEW MORE eggs will hatch. My hatch is at 55%, like my last hatch and I was hoping this would be better.

I will be reloading this week after making the modifications and buying a mercury thermometer. I'm not sure the temp was right, BUT I feel like I really nailed teh humidity and weight loss this time by doing the dryer first 18 days.

 

[WVduckchick]

Woo hoo!!!

I'm picking up lavender orpington eggs Thursday evening, will probably set them as soon as I get home with them, or maybe wait till Friday. Might pick up a mercury thermometer today too...

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

Lavenders!

I am getting some eggs quite late in August as my neighbor is sold out till then. I can't wait to see your chicks!!!!!! Maybe I will get some jubilees next month with my next hatch.

I am candeling today. I hope there are a few live ones left to let go another day. Crossing fingers!

 

[bramblefir]

Today is day 19 and I have at least 5 pips so far. Temp has been pretty steady and averaged 99.5F (based on 2 separate thermometers). I guess they're just ready to come out...