The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[coopsbyty]

@Gardeningmama

Happy birthday looks like we share one! I turn 38 today and get to go shop for an old piece of furniture to turn into a brooder!! I am one happy guy!!

 

[uphilljill]

My set number went down to 5.

I opened the door to the coop this morning at 6 to let everyone out and then I went back to check on my broody hen at about 9:30 to see if she had left the nest to eat anything. When I got outside I saw feathers everywhere but not blood. I couldn't figure out what happened because everyone was out there that should have been. I went to the coop after the outside head count to check on my hen and something had gotten her and in the process crushed 5 eggs. I grabbed the other five and they were cold. I decided to bring them inside and put them in the incubator even though I don't have much hope that they'll make it. After bringing the eggs inside, I went back outside to clean up the mess in the coop and put all the chickens back in the coop, but when I got there I saw more feathers. I looked around to see who it was this time and in the back of the field behind my house I saw a fox reach the wood line with my favorite rooster in his mouth.

So sorry!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Early day 19 (shipped initially loose air cell, set after 12 hours and turned upright in the cabinet cooler incubator right from set)
Silky embryo in position for hatch and with internal pip (NOTE: NO EXTERNAL YET!)


I am adding this to the Hatching 101 article, I have had several people ask me what an internal pip looks like. this time frame can be up to a day before you see an external pip! I always note the time I see a first internal, I wont candle anymore, I will keep them lockdown and watch them progress through the window!

​

 

[sasimpson77]

Ok so just to confirm I have 388 eggs set.

 

[Sugartree11]

I forgot to post my egg count! I have 11 assorted that I set on 3/28

But I also have 5 Black Copper Marans that I set on 3/23

 

[Sally Sunshine]

If your number set needs to change, please put that in a NEW POST. If your original post was already read, your edit will be missed. Thank You.

 

[WHmarans]

I have one of these incubator warehouse incubators, and generally I really like it.. but I have a couple of questions for anyone else who has used one before..



1. Do you generally trust the humidity gauge and recommended humidity range for "incubation"? Because that seems a little low in humidity compared with what I'm used to with the Genesis. The range it seems to want is around 40% for incubation based on the red "double checking" gauge I have in there.

2. How do you refill the water reservoirs without getting your eggs and the mesh base wet? Or is that not a problem?

3. How has it worked for you? I like a lot of things about it but I haven't hatched anything out in it before. I was running it with humidity up in the "hatching" range (because the first reservoir filled with water just put the humidity gauge in that range).. but gave the eggs away mid-incubation.. but they hatched fairly well for the new owner.

Any help with this incubator is much appreciated. This time I was targeting the recommended "incubation" humidity level which is low for my comfort.. by only filling the smallest inner reservoir.

Thanks for any and all experience/thoughts!

 

[sarasweatman]

I set 20 chicken and 12 ducks.

 

[jbher]

I have one of these incubator warehouse incubators, and generally I really like it.. but I have a couple of questions for anyone else who has used one before..



1. Do you generally trust the humidity gauge and recommended humidity range for "incubation"? Because that seems a little low in humidity compared with what I'm used to with the Genesis. The range it seems to want is around 40% for incubation based on the red "double checking" gauge I have in there.

2. How do you refill the water reservoirs without getting your eggs and the mesh base wet? Or is that not a problem?

3. How has it worked for you? I like a lot of things about it but I haven't hatched anything out in it before. I was running it with humidity up in the "hatching" range (because the first reservoir filled with water just put the humidity gauge in that range).. but gave the eggs away mid-incubation.. but they hatched fairly well for the new owner.

Any help with this incubator is much appreciated. This time I was targeting the recommended "incubation" humidity level which is low for my comfort.. by only filling the smallest inner reservoir.

Thanks for any and all experience/thoughts!

I have this!! Have you visited our thread on it? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/852619/incuview-incubator

In general I find the humidity level on my calibrated hygrometer is pretty accurate with where it reads on the built in one. I am reading around 48% right now on my digital one and on the incubator it looks like this:




I have not had to refill the water yet. In fact I actually removed water. I'd like to remove some more too but I'm going to leave it for now. In the IncuView thread some have used syringes to just squirt water into the corner. I have done that during testing and if you go slow the mesh mat really doesn't get wet. Another option would be to remove the whole tray (with eggs in it) and set it down on a towel but obviously that would be cooling the eggs for one minute or so. Granted, a broody hen gets up off her eggs every day too. So I don't feel like that's a huge deal. BUT this is my very first time incubating too so take what I say with a grain of salt LOL!! I know a few people who have already hatched in the IncuView and have had GREAT hatches and really liked it! So far I really like it too... but I'm only on day 2

It sure does hold temps REALLY well. I swear it stays between 99.5-99.7 all the time. I really haven't seen it change!

 

[JerseyHen]

My set number went down to 5. I opened the door to the coop this morning at 6 to let everyone out and then I went back to check on my broody hen at about 9:30 to see if she had left the nest to eat anything. When I got outside I saw feathers everywhere but not blood. I couldn't figure out what happened because everyone was out there that should have been. I went to the coop after the outside head count to check on my hen and something had gotten her and in the process crushed 5 eggs. I grabbed the other five and they were cold. I decided to bring them inside and put them in the incubator even though I don't have much hope that they'll make it. After bringing the eggs inside, I went back outside to clean up the mess in the coop and put all the chickens back in the coop, but when I got there I saw more feathers. I looked around to see who it was this time and in the back of the field behind my house I saw a fox reach the wood line with my favorite rooster in his mouth.

Oh no! It is such a terrible thing to witness. A few years ago we came home to a pair of fox attacking our flock. They got 8 before we got them to leave. I would chase one and while it had me on the other side, the other one would come in an get one. Keep a close watch. It will be back again, probably today.