12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[cherrynberry]

Can you setup a filler using surgical hose?

The eggs should be fine though.

I don’t think we could cause we have dogs and I don’t want them to pull/ tug anything down

 

[cppeace]

I basically keep my humidity at 20-55% during the first 18 ( or 15 for cort quail) then raise it to 50-75% for the last 3 days. Generally has worked well for me. My incubator is home made, Styrofoam, forced air and I keep the humidity up with a small bowl, sponges and during lockdown sometimes a thick wet cloth ( like an old clean sock). I really would rather do dry hatch but I will go down to 12-17% humidity with no water added. So, I never tried staying that low long term.

 

[Chicka_deee]

I have a question!
So my incubator is a Little Giant 9300 still air, and I am using the automatic egg turner for the first time. The turner has the eggs sitting upright (of course I placed the fat end- air sack, facing up) but because this isn't very natural for eggs to be incubated this way I was wondering if it affects anything in the process and what your thoughts on this method of having the eggs are. I'm also wondering for lockdown, should I keep the eggs facing uprights having them hatch the same way, by maybe putting them in egg cartons when I stop turning? Just to have it be the same position as they were during incubation... I've seen people do this method with egg cartons but just wanted to know your thoughts!

 

[ronott1]

I have a question!
So my incubator is a Little Giant 9300 still air, and I am using the automatic egg turner for the first time. The turner has the eggs sitting upright (of course I placed the fat end- air sack, facing up) but because this isn't very natural for eggs to be incubated this way I was wondering if it affects anything in the process and what your thoughts on this method of having the eggs are. I'm also wondering for lockdown, should I keep the eggs facing uprights having them hatch the same way, by maybe putting them in egg cartons when I stop turning? Just to have it be the same position as they were during incubation... I've seen people do this method with egg cartons but just wanted to know your thoughts!

Auto turners work well! Setting egg in them big end up works as well as on the sides.

Some incubators put the eggs on the side-- rcom for example and some brinsea incubators.

Generally, shipped eggs do better set big end up, especially for lockdown.

 

[cppeace]

I have a question!
So my incubator is a Little Giant 9300 still air, and I am using the automatic egg turner for the first time. The turner has the eggs sitting upright (of course I placed the fat end- air sack, facing up) but because this isn't very natural for eggs to be incubated this way I was wondering if it affects anything in the process and what your thoughts on this method of having the eggs are. I'm also wondering for lockdown, should I keep the eggs facing uprights having them hatch the same way, by maybe putting them in egg cartons when I stop turning? Just to have it be the same position as they were during incubation... I've seen people do this method with egg cartons but just wanted to know your thoughts.

I hatch in egg cartons, it's very rare to have an issue. I used to hand turn and have them flat but noticed no hatch rate change moving to egg cartons and just propping up one end of the incubator and swapping ends 3 times a day.
Depending on the height of your auto turning trays and how much space on front/ sides, you may have to move to cartons to preventing any from falling far but if snug fitting or very little fall ability they should be fine to hatch in the still turner trays.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have a question!
So my incubator is a Little Giant 9300 still air, and I am using the automatic egg turner for the first time. The turner has the eggs sitting upright (of course I placed the fat end- air sack, facing up) but because this isn't very natural for eggs to be incubated this way I was wondering if it affects anything in the process and what your thoughts on this method of having the eggs are. I'm also wondering for lockdown, should I keep the eggs facing uprights having them hatch the same way, by maybe putting them in egg cartons when I stop turning? Just to have it be the same position as they were during incubation... I've seen people do this method with egg cartons but just wanted to know your thoughts!

This is one of those things that everyone has a different way of doing so you may need to try out a few different ways to see what works well for you in your Incubator.
The biggest difference I noticed when incubating upright is that in early stages of embryo development the chick often develops closer to the top instead of the side, this seems logical but the first time I saw this I thought there was something wrong, lol.

My personal preference is to Incubate horizontally but I have had success with both horizontal and vertical turners. I incubate local and shipped eggs horizontally, the only time I incubate upright anymore is when I have a completely detached air cell.

As far as for lockdown and hatch, the same applies, some people like to use cartons to keep them upright for hatch and others like to lay them down. Again I keep mine horizontal. For the most part the cartons (and sometimes even upright turners) are fine to hatch in but I have seen occasional issues with chicks getting stuck in turners or pipping at the pointy end of the egg and suffocating in egg cartons so I avoid doing this myself but many like hatching this way.

So again, experiment and find what you like for yourself! If it works for you then there isn't a wrong way.

 

[ronott1]

This is one of those things that everyone has a different way of doing so you may need to try out a few different ways to see what works well for you in your Incubator.
The biggest difference I noticed when incubating upright is that in early stages of embryo development the chick often develops closer to the top instead of the side, this seems logical but the first time I saw this I thought there was something wrong, lol.

My personal preference is to Incubate horizontally but I have had success with both horizontal and vertical turners. I incubate local and shipped eggs horizontally, the only time I incubate upright anymore is when I have a completely detached air cell.

As far as for lockdown and hatch, the same applies, some people like to use cartons to keep them upright for hatch and others like to lay them down. Again I keep mine horizontal. For the most part the cartons (and sometimes even upright turners) are fine to hatch in but I have seen occasional issues with chicks getting stuck in turners or pipping at the pointy end of the egg and suffocating in egg cartons so I avoid doing this myself but many like hatching this way.

So again, experiment and find what you like for yourself! If it works for you then there isn't a wrong way.

Yes!

The only difference is in setting shipped eggs for lockdown. upright in cartons will help with hatch rate.

Other than that, it is a preference...except having an auto turner is very convenient if you have 40 plus eggs to hand turn each day! This applies to turners that set them up right.

 

[awesomeayams]

we are set and ready to go for easter

 

[BullChick]

I have a question!
So my incubator is a Little Giant 9300 still air, and I am using the automatic egg turner for the first time. The turner has the eggs sitting upright (of course I placed the fat end- air sack, facing up) but because this isn't very natural for eggs to be incubated this way I was wondering if it affects anything in the process and what your thoughts on this method of having the eggs are. I'm also wondering for lockdown, should I keep the eggs facing uprights having them hatch the same way, by maybe putting them in egg cartons when I stop turning? Just to have it be the same position as they were during incubation... I've seen people do this method with egg cartons but just wanted to know your thoughts!

My two cents: I prefer upright turners. It’s less stress on shipped eggs, but also gentler on the shell. Consider being in a smaller shell, and the horizontal turner smacking you around. I use both kinds, but really like vertical. As far as lockdown, I always lay them down. In that case, I actually feel bad for eggs hatched upright. They lose the ability to wiggle the shell, and once they are out, they have to fall. Sometimes their heads or feet get stuck between the turning trays.

 

[BullChick]

we are set and ready to go for easter