Setting 41 on 6-15, 7-8, 7-31, and 8-23 feel free to join in at any time

[NTBugtraq]

Hi all, I am starting my 3 setting of 41 on June 15, with a goal of getting 34/41 fertile eggs, and hatching 100% of the fertile. This will give me 100 1st generation layers of my project breed this year...part of my project goal. My first setting resulted in 50% hatch rate, I did things according to the instructions that came with the Styrofoam incubator (Hovabator 1588 with automatic turner). Then I read Sally Sunshine's Hatching Eggs 101...that is a must read if you have never hatched...and even if you have, its worth a rescan.

My 2nd setting has so far resulted in 22/34 fertile hatches as of mid Day 21, so my hopes are up for a 100% hatch. For this 2nd hatch I paid a lot of attention to Pete55's thread A Guide to Humidity, Weighing and Lockdown. Again, full of lots of great information and well worth the read. Between the 1st and 2nd sets, I bought two things I think are worth the expense, a Brinsea High Intensity Ova Scope, and a $10.00 jeweler's scale that measure weight between 0.01g and 200.00g. Your goal should be 13% weight loss between setting date and Day 21. The formula is:

Ideal Weight on Day X = Start Weight - (Start Weight * 0.13 / 21 * Current Day Number)

So, if Start Weight was 58.44g:

Ideal Weight on Day 10 = 58.44g - (58.44g x 0.13 / 21 * 10)
Ideal Weight on Day 10 = 58.44g - (7.5972g / 21 * 10)
Ideal Weight on Day 10 = 58.44g - (0.361771g * 10)
Ideal Weight on Day 10 = 58.44g - 3.61771g
Ideal Weight on Day 10 = 54.82g

If you find your actual weights are above the ideal weight, then your humidity is too high (typical)...take the cover off for a while and stop adding water.

Another good tip is before you actually set any eggs, run your bator for a couple of days with no water and see what the humidity is in it. Your ambient air is going to have some humidity. I ran my last set as dry and couldn't get below 25% humidity...but 25% kept me almost entire on target. The other thing to remember is to take the average of all your eggs weight loss and work with that till at least day 18. In an ideal world, you'd have 2 bators on Day 18, one you put the eggs that are on target, and the other you put the ones off target.

Well, that's a lot of info in the first post, but I was hoping this stuff could be all brought together so everyone who participates get's the benefits I have had here.

Tell us what you are putting in your bator, what kind of bator (or broody) you are using, your expected lockdown date, and your reason for hatching (pets, food, show, project, etc...) and of course give us lots of pictures and videos. Videos of eggs chirping are the most awesome for me...

 

[NTBugtraq]

Well, my 2nd hatch ended up in ruins. I've got 6/41 thriving... Anyway, enough about past hatches.

I set 41 yesterday, the oldest being 7 days from lay date. I've also ordered a Brinsea Octo 40 ADV EX, so I will be setting another 40 later this week. I'm running a dry hatch, ala AmyLynn2345's approach.

So, I'm talking to myself so far so I keep my updates short...

 

[bantam brood 17]

Well, my 2nd hatch ended up in ruins. I've got 6/41 thriving... Anyway, enough about past hatches.

I set 41 yesterday, the oldest being 7 days from lay date. I've also ordered a Brinsea Octo 40 ADV EX, so I will be setting another 40 later this week. I'm running a dry hatch, ala AmyLynn2345's approach.

So, I'm talking to myself so far so I keep my updates short...

Hi I,m not lucky enough to have any eggs to set ,but I have read your other posts on other threads I,m so sorry about your previous hatch and hope the remaining chicks survive I would just like to wish you all the best for this set and will be following your hatch

 

[NTBugtraq]

Hi I,m not lucky enough to have any eggs to set ,but I have read your other posts on other threads I,m so sorry about your previous hatch and hope the remaining chicks survive I would just like to wish you all the best for this set and will be following your hatch

Thank you so much for that thought, its really appreciated.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I started the incubation this time with no added water, and with the vent plug out. After 24 hours, it was 35% humidity (not verified yet). I put the vent plug back in for 3 hours and the humidity got up to 38%, at which point I removed it again. Next step is to verify the thermo and hygrometer. I have a spot check digital thermometer coming this week, but I'm off now to figure out how to verify the humidity.

 

[RubyNala97]

I'll join with my peafowl eggs. I set them the night of 6/11. Due to hatch on or around 7/9. I am also following Amy's dry incubation methods. I decided not to weigh this time. My last hatch I did weigh but did not find that weight loss matched up to my air cells. I feel much more comfortable determining humidity by size of the air cells. So I'm going by that this time. So far all 6 eggs that I set are developing. I'll be setting some more next week too. NTB, I hope you nail it this time!!

 

[NTBugtraq]

I'll join with my peafowl eggs. I set them the night of 6/11. Due to hatch on or around 7/9. I am also following Amy's dry incubation methods. I decided not to weigh this time. My last hatch I did weigh but did not find that weight loss matched up to my air cells. I feel much more comfortable determining humidity by size of the air cells. So I'm going by that this time. So far all 6 eggs that I set are developing. I'll be setting some more next week too. NTB, I hope you nail it this time!!

Welcome Ruby, this makes 3 in a row for you and I...;-] Best of luck with yours, my hatch day is expected to be the 5th or 6th.

 

[RubyNala97]

Welcome Ruby, this makes 3 in a row for you and I...;-] Best of luck with yours, my hatch day is expected to be the 5th or 6th.

I know. At least you have a 100-layer goal. I'm already getting close to max with chickens but I've fallen in love with incubating and watching them hatch! I'm hatching peas now for my neighbor. Just happy I don't have to turn my incubator off. How are your babies from the first hatch? Mine slept with their light off for the first time last night! They are in that weird teenager phase!

 

[fire370]

Well, I rolled another 41 Cochin Banties into the cabinet tonite. Only reason for 41 is that is all the Cochin ladies laid yesterday and today. Good luck, you'll get to that hatch rate you want. I've been running 90-95 percent on my eggs. I've had 3 big bunches shipped in this year and the best hatch rate off of the 3 was 66%. Worst was 12% and that box looked like it had been dropped kicked numerous times. I've never in my life had a hatch rate even remotely close to that 12%. This is why I'm driving over 1,000 miles round trip for Ayam Cemani eggs. Can't chance their fate on the postal service.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I know. At least you have a 100-layer goal. I'm already getting close to max with chickens but I've fallen in love with incubating and watching them hatch! I'm hatching peas now for my neighbor. Just happy I don't have to turn my incubator off. How are your babies from the first hatch? Mine slept with their light off for the first time last night! They are in that weird teenager phase!

I put my first hatchlings (19) outside in their own run 2 weeks ago, when they were 4 weeks old. I would've put them out at 3 weeks but the run wasn't ready. They're doing great. In fact, I found one in the main run yesterday, turned out there was a hole in the mesh between the two runs. None of the mature chickens seemed to care it was there. As I tried to pick him up he ran back through the hole...too cute. Anyway, they're doing great. Also, to them I have added 2 x 3 week old purebred BCM roos given to me by my friend to help bolster the fertility rate of my flock. They are true roos, as every time I go into their run those two rush straight to me; as if to say; "who do you think you are coming in here!"

Well, I rolled another 41 Cochin Banties into the cabinet tonite. Only reason for 41 is that is all the Cochin ladies laid yesterday and today. Good luck, you'll get to that hatch rate you want. I've been running 90-95 percent on my eggs. I've had 3 big bunches shipped in this year and the best hatch rate off of the 3 was 66%. Worst was 12% and that box looked like it had been dropped kicked numerous times. I've never in my life had a hatch rate even remotely close to that 12%. This is why I'm driving over 1,000 miles round trip for Ayam Cemani eggs. Can't chance their fate on the postal service.

I can only imagine how hard it must be each time eggs are delivered by mail to you. I have never done that myself, but it must suck some times.

My 2nd hatch, which finished on Monday, is now down to 3/41...3 more have died in the brooder since being taken out of the bator. I have since discovered that the temperature in my bator was not what was stated on the built-in thermo. Seems I was running at more like 103.5F instead of 100F as it said. That resulted in a lot of heat stress on all of the chicks. Couple that with me not taking dried chicks out of the bator within 24 hours of hatching, and the disaster that happened was expected. Isn't hindsight wonderful. I have since used a heat reading gun to find out the actual temp and adjusted/adjusting to achieve 100.5F. Today's humidity is 29%, which is good.

Good luck to both of you!