Setting eggs 4-3-14

[Alaskan]

I am going to wash my hands really well, and weigh my egg trays right now.

I am doing the weight method to check humidity, geat page here:

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How_to_weigh_eggs_and_calculate_weight_loss/

I will be back in about 10, and tell you if I can tell anything.

 

[Dcat]

Alaskan, I got lucky my hubby and son are both mechanics and my son brought home his super bright light for me to candle easier. I have two maran eggs that my flashlight just can't see anything more than the air pocket. I still go stare at these eggs. It's pretty pathetic actually, but I stare anyway. I've been reading other threads and some of the details people get into to make sure they are doing good with their incubating astounds me. They are quoting percentages and everything and it almost makes me feel like I'm not doing enough to track these little guys. Then I sit back and think "your first hatch did ok till you intervened, you have learned a ton already from the first hatch and you are doing fine!" If I didn't tell myself that I think I would go nuts with worry instead of impatience for them to show their cute little faces.

 

[Alaskan]

OK, I am back!

The eggs are still loosing too much weight, so I added more water.

AND, I candled, and there are veins in a good number of them! Some had better veins than others, and in some the air cell is wigglier than in others.... (shipped eggs remember), so I am not sure if that means anything....

like maybe the weaker/smaller veins mean they will end up being quitters mid way through incubation.... or maybe it means nothing.

but it was VERY nice to see that something is happening.

 

[Hunters99]

Hey Everyone! Newbie to this forum and incubating eggs. The kids and I put 42 cuckoo maran eggs in the incubator on 4-2-14. Care if we join in on this fun?

 

[Dcat]

Yay, more people joining the thread!

Alaskan-It's always good to see something.

I'm wondering if I might have caused a couple to quit. Yesterday 9 eggs had babies moving all over the place. I noticed the temps getting a little too high and the humidity was getting a little too low(even though I keep it low till lock down), so I added water. More than I thought I did but humidity was at about 65% so wasn't too worried. Today I marked where the air pocket is on all the eggs and when I checked, a couple of the chicks weren't moving and others had slowed down. Has anyone else noticed that some days/times they move less/more than other times. Have they ever been still but were perfectly fine? I did go in and take some of the water out with a syringe and am keeping an eye on the temps.

 

[Fireflybabe56]

Hey Everyone! Newbie to this forum and incubating eggs. The kids and I put 42 cuckoo maran eggs in the incubator on 4-2-14. Care if we join in on this fun?

We would love to have more people join. Have you been able to see any development yet?

 

[Hunters99]

I have tried to candle these eggs a few times and the only thing I have been able to tell is that they were fertile. The eggs are dark chocolate. I did the water test today on a few of the eggs and they were wiggly little fellers we are getting excited! I'm a little scared though because I have never done this before. I'm afraid I will do something wrong in the last few days.

 

[Alaskan]

Yay, more people joining the thread!

Alaskan-It's always good to see something.

I'm wondering if I might have caused a couple to quit. Yesterday 9 eggs had babies moving all over the place. I noticed the temps getting a little too high and the humidity was getting a little too low(even though I keep it low till lock down), so I added water. More than I thought I did but humidity was at about 65% so wasn't too worried. Today I marked where the air pocket is on all the eggs and when I checked, a couple of the chicks weren't moving and others had slowed down. Has anyone else noticed that some days/times they move less/more than other times. Have they ever been still but were perfectly fine? I did go in and take some of the water out with a syringe and am keeping an eye on the temps.

They are babies.... So they are going to sleep lots. In other words, not moving doesn't worry me.

My last hatch I did a dry hatch... But this time, the dry hatch method is WAY too dry. I am very happy I am weighing the eggs, or I probably wouldn't have known they were too dry until later. I put in a bunch of water yesterday, and put in more water today.

Typing this in, I realize what the difference must be.... last year the incubator was set up in my bedroom, only a tiny hallway away from the bathroom that gets super steamy every morning. This year I set up the incubator in the downstairs toy room that is worlds away from any used bathroom, but not that far away from the wood stove! Duh! I should probably plan on adding a cup of water once a day... I will of course keep checking weights, but now it all makes sense!

 

[Dcat]

They are babies.... So they are going to sleep lots. In other words, not moving doesn't worry me.

My last hatch I did a dry hatch... But this time, the dry hatch method is WAY too dry. I am very happy I am weighing the eggs, or I probably wouldn't have known they were too dry until later. I put in a bunch of water yesterday, and put in more water today.

Typing this in, I realize what the difference must be.... last year the incubator was set up in my bedroom, only a tiny hallway away from the bathroom that gets super steamy every morning. This year I set up the incubator in the downstairs toy room that is worlds away from any used bathroom, but not that far away from the wood stove! Duh! I should probably plan on adding a cup of water once a day... I will of course keep checking weights, but now it all makes sense!

Whew! Thank you! I was wondering about that and worried that I had messed up again. Glad I could inadvertently help you too, LOL.

I have tried to candle these eggs a few times and the only thing I have been able to tell is that they were fertile. The eggs are dark chocolate. I did the water test today on a few of the eggs and they were wiggly little fellers

we are getting excited! I'm a little scared though because I have never done this before. I'm afraid I will do something wrong in the last few days.

I have a couple of maran eggs and can barely see a thing even with a really bright flashlight. As far as I can see for the last few days, as long as you keep the temps and humidity right and smack your hands when you think you need to intervene when its been less than 24-48 hours, you should do just fine. : )

 

[Dcat]

I'm wondering if one of my eggs either has twins or just a really big chick for 10 days. I don't have a youtube account and the short video I have wont upload. I see two spots moving, sometimes in unison and sometimes not. Sometimes it looks like they are playing patty-cake. I did post the video to BYC FB page. The quality isn't great but you can see it.