Hatching Eggs in IncuCube Bator | ||
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| Set the eggs when temp was stable at 100.0 F for more than 2 days. The egg turnes cups were on the small side for my Brabanter eggs so I tried to just use the larger white. Also added to random brown eggs from Gus's flock as "something different" and compare notes on. The turner has been very quiet with gentle movement. Instead of the usual temp reader that would be inside the bator I went with the Egg-O-Meter reader. It looks like an egg and can be inside the bator with the reader outside. This worked very well. Since it did not read humidity I added a second reader from the drug store that also used a probe end. These two read the same temp with a difference of .3 degrees. Given the placement of the probe location to the egg o meter I figure that was reasonable. | ||
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he just does not fit the mix that I have. The Brabanter roosters are starting to fill out and get those fancy feathers. All 4 roosters that were either hatched from the cube or my broody hens are crowing every morning so I will be happy to rehome a few September 2010 - Where does the time go? The group of 8 reduced to 6 (4 brabanter and two JG x) The runt and one other brabanter passed for unknown reasons. They have been enjoying daily free ranging since leaving the brooder. The Cochin / Jersey Giant cross is huge and I still can't tell if a roo or hen. I think most of the brabanters are roosters so will be offering them up to new homes. I won't be hatching more until after the first of the year.
June 2010 - Kept a journal next to the bator and logged the day, temp, time & humidity - no changes. At "lockdown" Tuesday (#18) filled both bowls with water, they were dry. Then I placed a porus shelf liner I cut to fit the bator on the wire mesh grate over the water bowls. This turned out to be a good idea for catching gunk as they hatched and gave their little feet something to get traction on. Placed the eggs on the the flat surface and closed it up. Temp returned to 100 fairly quickly and by the next evening(#19)one brown egg had a small hole and was peeping. I really thought this one would be the first but surprisingly the other brown egg hatched first by mid day of the following day (#20). By that same evening there were two more chicks to hatch. By Friday most had hatched. The last egg to hatch was one that while it had a very large zipped opening the poor little mite could not get out. I took a look and egg gunk/fluids seemed to dry and seal the chick to the egg at that point. After it had been in this condition for almost 24 hours I intervened and dripped warm water into the opening away from it's face/beak and let it sit in the palm of my hand. In about 5 min the chick gave a good wiggle and the egg started to give again. Placed it back in the bator, closed it up and in about 15 min it managed to get out of the egg. Biggest concern was that with time as it dried it did not fluff up like the earlier hatchers did. Last night I gave it a Qtip bath with warm water and membrane, egg shell and gunk came off. Placed it back in the brooder and today (Sun)it is better but not fluffy. It it was a puppy it would be the runt. I still consider it's chances at guarded. It's in the brooder with the rest as it really wanted company and they seem to be leaving it alone. ... will keep checking.. it did drink some water from the Qtip and poop so all systems are "go" for the moment. Time will tell...
They are so handsome! Here are two of the chicks from the brooder hatch that are now mature roosters.
Updated February 2, 2011
