11th Annual Easter Hatch a Long 2020

[ronott1]

Oh okay, this one doesn’t have glue and it has grip, it’s not just the flat paper feeling ones. But I guess I won’t use it just to be on the safe side, thanks.

Edited to add: Here’s a pic of the bottom side.
View attachment 2077748

That one would work. The type with holes that are open be better for later...when we ca actually go out and buy things that are not "essential" What a world!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

My lonely only EHAL egg is still going along good! Kind of worried about how small its air cell is for this far along, though. I emptied the water trays Saturday to see if that helps and am checking in on it every night, so here's hoping.

I'm sorry you lost the weak one even when we're prepared it's difficult. You did everything you could to give it a great chance. The other 4 are so precious and I can't wait to see if I get a light one in my hatch too! I want one so bad!

Thanks. They are totally precious. My little light colored baby is getting some pretty blue wing pins in already--they grow way too fast!!

Oh, yes, just for fun, here's my little treasure trove yesterday.

They are allowed in POW thread, but I think pictures without a watermark would look better on the homepage.

Hm, I agree. I'll have to look through my pics and see if there are any I'm willing to un-watermark.

No problem! I have 3 NR360s now, lol, so 2 I purchased as Tractor Supply when I had the "Neighbor's Club" 10% off coupons and the 3rd I bought used but it was also originally from Tractor Supply. They're Versions 2, 3, and 4, all work great!

The Brinsea Mini II Advance I purchased on eBay used she said she originally purchased it from Amazon but it was only used once. I had some issues with the heating wires smelling bad to me but after taking it apart and sterilizing it twice and after running it for weeks and them just allowing it to sit open the smell did go away. My nose is apparently easily offended by the smell of warm red rubber coating.

I've never noticed a smell with my Brinseas (an Octagon and an Ovation), but they're my only incubators and like the only ones I've really used, so it may just be that I don't know any better?

I've been eyeballing the NRs just to use as a hatcher because of how you can take such good pictures through it, though I don't think I can justify it right now. My good camera will not focus through the windows on either of the Brinseas, though, so all my hatching pics are using my cell phone camera, which isn't the greatest. I LOVE my Octagon otherwise, even though it's a manual turn. Brinsea stopped selling them, which was when I got the Ovation, but they're apparently selling them again now. Kind of a bummer because I think I'd rather have a second Octagon than the Ovation, honestly, but again I can't really justify getting a third incubator at the moment. The Ovation has its good points, too, I just don't like it as much as the Octagon.

That extra week is what's killing me! First time with ducks after a couple years hatching chicks. I keep feeling like they should be lockeddown and hatching already Patience is not my strong suit.

Maybe that's why I never was big into hatching ducks. It hits day 18 with the chicken eggs and I'm ready to start cracking them open myself!

(Not really, y'all. I know to wait it out.)

 

[casportpony]

Hm, I agree. I'll have to look through my pics and see if there are any I'm willing to un-watermark.

A watermark in the lower section of the picture would work too.

 

[kelseyk]

Hey, a flupocalypse has to be SOME use. At least you get more chikins.

I wish my hubby was as much on board for hatching chicks as I am with this virus around. He wants me to just start putting a bunch of our own chicken eggs in the incubator to hatch instead of getting shipped eggs. I am not sure many of ours will be fertilized as we got rid of our 2 dominant roosters, one rooster thinks he is a drake and only goes after my ducks (my drake thinks he is a rooster and has claimed 4 of my chickens), and the other roosters are only about 6 months old and like to pick on my 2 silkie pullets ALOT. We have 1 good Buff Orpington rooster that is working, but he is a gentleman and is pretty easy on the girls (the ones he can catch anyway). I am okay with setting some of our own eggs....but I also want some certain breeds that I will only be able to get either as day old chicks (if you can even get your hands on any of those right now) or as eggs. So.....this next round I am looking at buying some call ducks, and more Bielefelders (since this round of Bielefelder eggs was pretty much a bust), and then just filling the rest with our eggs (unless I find 1 more chicken breed I want).

 

[SteveWin]

I have seen people put black tap around it so there isn't any bleed through of light. I don't actually use the built in candler because I like my high lumen flashlights so I can see better I guess, lol.
You have the newest version. Its NU1 correct? The dome is the newest.

That's awesome - I love the clear dome! I went last week to buy a second one, and all they had on the shelves were the "white top, clear belt, hidden rear vent" versions, and I was concerned that I had gotten one of the last of the clear dome type. Glad to hear it's the other way around.
The fan guard on mine has smaller gaps than either example I saw on another thread, but I dont think they've increased headroom any.

I think you're right, I think the manual said 'Ver. 1.0-NU" in the corner.

As for illumination - I'm with you.. I found a 1200 lumen LED at Menards for about $30, and it does (barely) reveal what's going on inside my Ameraucana eggs...

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Looking ahead to lockdown, I have some questions about the Incuview incubator...

The incubator manual says to leave the turning tray in for hatching. Is it better to leave it in or take it out?

Do I leave the vent open, or close it during lockdown?

I read on a BYC thread to put shelf liner in the bottom of the incubator for hatching. Has anyone tried this? Is it a good idea?

Thanks for the help!

Definitely leave vent open, ventilation is very important. I actually prefer taking the tray out, I've done both in my IncuView and yes I use the no skid shelf liner.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I’m getting myself some of the of those next
I’ve never had them, but I’m going to try working on the celadon gene because my family said I’m not allowed to get any more chickens, so sadly no fancy laying Ameraucana or EE’s for me. My selling points were quails mature faster, and take up less space... I’m compromising

I love Celadon quail eggs! I'm planning to hatch some eventually this year.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Take a meat tenderizer to the paper mine has blades if you do not have open weave,
of just not cover all it

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

A watermark in the lower section of the picture would work too.

Oh, good idea! I'll play around with that and see what I come up with.

 

[CindyinSD]

I've never heard that about waterfowl. After many shipped chicken eggs my first hand experiences say that smaller eggs ship better. Bantams, silkies and such.

Ducks and geese have super hard shells. I'm guessing that provides some protection, but I don't really know.