Michigan Hatchers! What'cha got cookin?

[gladahmae]

Maybe adding the water is what 's keeping my hatch rate down. When you add water at the end, do you want it at a certain % or just add?

I filled the wells in the bottom of my incubator tray at lockdown/first pip. Others put folded paper towel or a sponge on the wire and put water in via a straw, sponge in a jar of water to act as a 'wick', etc. It's a good idea to have a (calibrated) hygrometer in there because if the humidity gets *too* high during hatch they can drown. When the chicks start hatching the humidity can go up because of the moisture on the chicks as they fluff up and dry out. I try to shoot for 60-65% during hatching because that's what seems to work best in *my* house.


When I wasn't running my incubator dry I was having a LOT of dead-in-shell chicks....internal pips and no further progression.......fully developed but no pip at all, etc. I had big, slimy, mushy chicks.

 

[naglady]

I have a still air lil giant, and with my experience, dont ad water until lock down,only if gets below 15% then add a couple tbsp of water. i keep both plugs out until i need to put one or two in the bring temp up.. and when temp starts spiking i take a plug in, with a still air its best to stay around 102 for best results. and with mine i only put eggs on lt side not rt.. because temp never gets high enough on that side.. if you can regulate your temp thru the whole 21 day period by not touching the dial then thats the best way.. ad or remove a plug to level out the temp.. i ad a maxipad during lockdown under a opening, and then ad purified water warmed some thru a straw if needed.. i also tape where the top and bottom of the styrofoam bator meet.. to keep it warm.. this is my 6th time hatching and been having great hatches since i started doing it this way.. oh and not to worry or freakout to much if your temp rises to 104, just keep a eye on it for a couple of hrs and if it doesnt go down take one of the red plugs out..dont mess with the temperature dial.. that is where you can get into trouble and will kill your chicks.. if you want to go into your bator and check a egg go through to top glass. dont open the whole incubator.. these are just little tips that you dont think of the first time using a incubator..


just put my eggs in lockdown.. cant wait till sunday..

I agree with glad, i had a couple bad hatches because i didnt do dry hatching.


This article helped me..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubation-cheat-sheet

 

[shmccarthy]

Do any of you have a digital thermometer and hygrometer in your incubators? I was thinking of getting one but I'm not sure what to get.

 

[gladahmae]

I do. Got it at menards. Just be sure to calibrate the hygrometer part, and check the thermometer against at least one other one.

 

[shmccarthy]

I do.  Got it at menards.  Just be sure to calibrate the hygrometer part, and check the thermometer against at least one other one.

Thanks!!

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

I use a digital indoor with the out door part put in the bator i keep the indoor upstairs were i see it most of the day that way i dont have to run downstairs to check the temp all the time. And when my wife says its to cold i just say what are you talking about its over a hundred on the temp gage.

 

[jlynnet]

I set the incubator lady Friday and I put water in it. Should I just let it dry up until they pip in about 2 weeks?

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

You will get a biazillion opinions on this. I have found that you have to experiment and find what works for you. I add water if it is dry i dont keep it always at 50% probably run mine about 35% and then bump it to about 50 roght before lockdown. I also think different bator behave differently i have several and they all act different and I get different hatch rates from all of them. My best hatch rates come from my little homemade one go figure. I usually have a hatch rate of 75-90 percent from set. So i lose some to infertility and some for other reasons.hope it helps. Nothing teaches better than your own experience though

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

Btw had two hatch this morning kids were excited becuse they dont have school today so can watch the rest hatch

 

[jlynnet]

My kids love watching them hatch. They video at least one and take lots of pictures. Even my oldest who will have nothing to do with the chickens, likes to watch.