The Hatching Adventure Begins!
I set up my brand new Little Giant forced air incubator on the 7th in order to give it plenty of time to stabilize and for me to get to know how it operated. I haven't had any troubles with it yet -- I am very satisfied with it!I received 16 eggs from BuckeyeDave on March 10 (post office called me at 7:15 am to let me know they had arrived). I waited anxiously to place them in my incubator, and finally succumbed at 11:30 pm. I was going to wait until Wednesday morning, but couldn't stand it any longer! I also set an egg from my gold laced Wyandotte pullet, Chicken #1. She has a silky rooster, Truffle, in cahoots with her.
March 11 - Day One. I did not turn at all today. The temperature remained stable at 99.7 and the humidity was 43%.
March 12 Day Two. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.7/43% before turning; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 99.9/44% before turning (adjusted temp a small amount after it came back up from turning); 3rd turn 4:30 pm - 99.7/44%; 4th turn 7:30 pm - 99.5/46%; 5th turn 12:00 am - 99.5/48%
On another note - we got 3 eggs today (!), which included a first egg for one of the girls. We haven't figured out who, yet. I think one of the easter eggers (Lucy) laid it, but it's a pale creamy brown egg, not green or blue.
March 13 - Day Three. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.9/forgot to look at hum.; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 99.5/26% - filled water wells; 3rd turn 8:00 pm - 100.0/44%
March 14 - Day Four. 1st turn 8:00 am - 98.8/42%; 2nd turn 12:00pm - 99.1/44%; 3rd turn 8:00 pm - 99.1/43%
March 15 - Day Five. 1st turn 8:00 am 98.2/46%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 99.1/48%; 3rd turn 9:00 pm - 99.1/47%
We moved the coop and enclosure to the second half of our garden today and tilled up the half the chickens were on over the winter. It's the best that half of the garden has looked since we started it! And you can bet we'll put the chickens to work when we are ready for the garden expansion!
March 16 - Day Six. 1st turn 8:00 am 99/42%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 98.6/52%; 3rd turn 9:00 pm - 99.9/54%
March 17 - Day Seven. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.3/51%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 99.3/50%; 3rd turn 9:00 pm - 99.1/52%
March 18 - Day Eight. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.1/42%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 98.6/52%; 3rd turn 8:00 pm - 100.2/52% (temp up because one of the vent holes had been blocked for a short time, but it stablized.)
March 17 - Day Seven. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.3/51%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 99.3/50%; 3rd turn 9:00 pm - 99.1/52%
March 18 - Day Eight. 1st turn 8:00 am - 99.1/42%; 2nd turn 12:00 pm - 98.6/52%; 3rd turn 8:00 pm - 100.2/52% (temp up because one of the vent holes had been blocked for a short time, but it stablized.)
Hardly able to wait, I candled an egg tonight to see if I could see anything, even though they are brown eggs. I think I saw a little tiny critter in there near the air space. I'll have to take a look for real on Friday. I don't think I will candle all the eggs, but I am curious to see if there's activity!
March 19 - Day Nine. 1st turn 99.1/51%; 2nd turn - 99.5/49%; 3rd turn - 100.2/47%
March 20 - Day Ten. 1st turn - 99.9/31%; 2nd turn - 99.3/43%; 3rd turn - 98.9/50%. Added water today.
March 21 - Day Eleven. 1st turn - 101.3/41%; 2nd turn - 101.5/47%; 3rd turn - 101.1/45%
March 22 - Day Twelve. 1st turn - 99.1/44%; 2nd turn - 99.3/43%; 3rd turn - 99.9/46%
March 23 - Day Thirteen. 1st turn - 99.3/41%; 2nd turn - 99.5/40%; 3rd turn - 100/20%. Added water after last turn.
March 20 - Day Ten. 1st turn - 99.9/31%; 2nd turn - 99.3/43%; 3rd turn - 98.9/50%. Added water today.
March 21 - Day Eleven. 1st turn - 101.3/41%; 2nd turn - 101.5/47%; 3rd turn - 101.1/45%
March 22 - Day Twelve. 1st turn - 99.1/44%; 2nd turn - 99.3/43%; 3rd turn - 99.9/46%
March 23 - Day Thirteen. 1st turn - 99.3/41%; 2nd turn - 99.5/40%; 3rd turn - 100/20%. Added water after last turn.
We picked up the three chicks we ordered from Meyer Hatchery today. We have a Delaware (Electra), a New Hampshire Red (Abigail), and an Exchequer Leghorn (Gala).
March 24 - Day Fourteen. 1st turn - 99.3/42%; 2nd turn - 99.5/46%; 3rd turn - 99.7/48%
March 25 - Day Fifteen. 1st turn - 99.3/43%; 2nd turn - 99.5/46%; 3rd turn - 99.3/44%
March 25 - Day Fifteen. 1st turn - 99.3/43%; 2nd turn - 99.5/46%; 3rd turn - 99.3/44%
I candled the questionable eggs today and took out two yolkers. There are still2 questionable eggs, but 13 that are still going strong. Not too bad for a first hatch and 17 eggs! I can hardly believe that there are only 6 days left (and only two left to turn)!
March 26 - Day 16. 1st turn - 99.5/44%; 2nd turn - 99.5/47%; 3rd turn - 99.5/49%
March 27 - Day 17. 1st turn - 99.1/44%; 2nd turn - 99.0/49%; 3rd turn - 99.5/49%
March 28 - Day 18. 1st turn - 99.0/48%; 2nd turn - 99.1/52%; 3rd turn - 99.7/56% - added water
March 27 - Day 17. 1st turn - 99.1/44%; 2nd turn - 99.0/49%; 3rd turn - 99.5/49%
March 28 - Day 18. 1st turn - 99.0/48%; 2nd turn - 99.1/52%; 3rd turn - 99.7/56% - added water
I played a bit at adjusting humidity with each turn. I had a little trouble with the temp. dropping as the humidity rose, so I had to adjust the thermostat.
March 29 - Day 19. The temp. was down to 98.8 this morning, so I adjusted the thermostat. Humidity was at 52%, so I added a damp washcloth to get it up closer to 60%. It's holding right around 58% right now. After we got home from church, we went to check on things and saw some rocking in a couple of eggs!