The Incubator Thread

[rlehl2144]

Thanks!

 

[peecock]

i have 65 eggs hatching this week i have never hatched be for what temp do i need to keep them after they hatch?
i candled on day 5 8 12 17 is ok to candle after day 18 or will it damage there eyes? thanks

 

[jake and pippa]

Well I am a novice, but if candling mature eggs caused blindness, all my goslings would be blind, none appear to be. I kept checking to make sure air cell was positioned properly, especially after removing a few goslings.

 

[PD-Riverman]

i have 65 eggs hatching this week i have never hatched be for what temp do i need to keep them after they hatch?
i candled on day 5 8 12 17 is ok to candle after day 18 or will it damage there eyes? thanks

To each his own!!! When """"""""I""""""" candle on day 18 and remove bad eggs---I increase the moisture-----I close the incubator and threaten to break anyones arm that tries to open it till they ALL hatch or mid day---day 22(for chicken eggs). If water is needed during that time it is added with a flex straw through a vent hole. If a chick looks like it needs help---it will just have to hold tight till I open it on day 22. I will NOT open it to help a chick and risk hurting the rest. I usually have a 95 to 100% hatch doing this now for the last 6000 eggs/chicks. Opening during the hatch will cause it to loose moisture and can cause some of the chicks to shrink wrap, death in the eggs etc.

SURE some open at will(during the last 3 days) and say they have a good hatch, others open at will and have a bad hatch---I opened at will some years back and always had a bad hatch-----Now """"I"""" do not open ---period---and Have Great hatches----That's Your Call.

Chicks should be moved into a brooder that is around 95 to 100(+/- a little) on ONE end ONLY---food and water on the other end. This temp can be dropped about 5 degree's per week. Having the heat on one end only allows the chicks to regulate their own temp. Good Luck

Just a note---if a chick hatches say day 19----I Promise you it will Be perfectly fine till I open on day 22 to take all out. It does not need any food or water for several days after it hatches because it lives off the egg yolk it absorbed at hatch.

 

[jake and pippa]

I have removed goslings to a brooder once they dry out and are moving well, and then candle briefly to make sure intact eggs are air cell up. I don't pick up the eggs, just candle in place and rotate if needed. The large goslings toss the other eggs about. So about once every 12 hours the incubator was opened. I do not get 100% hatch rates but I think I am doing pretty well, well over 50%, which i inderstand is not bad for geese. In this batch I moved goslings from the incubator with eggs to a second empty incubator to let them dry out before moving to a brooder.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Why does my incubator smell so horrible? I've removed any eggs that were obviously infertile or bad but it still smells. It's a new incubator and this is my first time using it. I'm going to do another smell test on all the eggs but if I get nothing what else could be causing it?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Why does my incubator smell so horrible? I've removed any eggs that were obviously infertile or bad but it still smells. It's a new incubator and this is my first time using it. I'm going to do another smell test on all the eggs but if I get nothing what else could be causing it?

Are you incubating/hatching---just one batch----all due to hatch at the same time---or hatching a few, then a few more in a few more days??? If just one batch---you got a bad egg in it(maybe more than one)-----gently pick each egg up one at a time and smell it----if you get to a rotten one----you will know it!! Just be gentle discarding it----it can Blow----all Over everything-----hard to clean up that mess!!

 

[justrain]

I've noticed that my incubator gets stinky (like rotten egg) near hatch date even with all good eggs. In my experience, the smell has never been intolerable, but it has been noticeable, and is usually just noticeable when I get close to the incubator. Even a couple feet away from it I cannot smell it, but when I am near it or remove the lid I notice it.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

Are you incubating/hatching---just one batch----all due to hatch at the same time---or hatching a few, then a few more in a few more days??? If just one batch---you got a bad egg in it(maybe more than one)-----gently pick each egg up one at a time and smell it----if you get to a rotten one----you will know it!! Just be gentle discarding it----it can Blow----all Over everything-----hard to clean up that mess!!

Yeah it's just one batch they are due on the 6th of June. So less than a week lock down is on the 3rd. I have to turn them anyways so I'll turn and smell them.
(Update) I found the culprit, there was a smelly eggs so I removed it and sure enough it looks weird. The shell has bubbles.

 

[Lamaremybabies]

I've noticed that my incubator gets stinky (like rotten egg) near hatch date even with all good eggs. In my experience, the smell has never been intolerable, but it has been noticeable, and is usually just noticeable when I get close to the incubator. Even a couple feet away from it I cannot smell it, but when I am near it or remove the lid I notice it.

Ok. Well this is stinking up the whole room, and I mean I can tolerate it but it's unpleasant.
(Update) I found the culprit I believe. I smelled one of the eggs and it was quite unpleasant. I'm glad I did though because I think if it were in there much longer it would have blown.