12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[BullChick]

:S I jinxed it. She’s a new layer. Great, of course, but I wanted her to be broody.

 

[Chicka_deee]

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thank you all for the amazing information! I think this time I'm going to have them be horizontal during lockdown and hatching like I've normally done in the past

 

[Cynthia12]

This is everyone that said they are setting eggs

Spoiler: yes list

@AbyssalChooks
@AgnesGray
@AmesHillFarm
@Anne02
@Arkhams Joker
@AusHen
@Awakening Forest
@BantyChooks
@BCPFarm
@BesideStillWaters
@beth1004
@BirdsBeesTrees
@BlueBaby
@bonz4bon
@BullChick
@carsenann
@casportpony
@cfremder
@CharlemagneRoost
@cherrynberry
@Chicka_deee
@chicken1234
@ChickenCanoe
@ChickenLeg
@ChickenShenanigans
@Chickeria
@Chookwagn
@CluckNDoodle
@Corbdee
@CountryBelle1
@cppeace
@Croco Rico
@CSolis
@Cynthia12
@dandiducks
@Derangedplanet
@Di's Ladys
@Draconias
@DucksAreBest
@EggSighted4Life
@elizabethu42
@Enn
@Faraday40
@FarmerKayy
@ForTheLoveOfSilkies
@gimmie birdies
@goldbean
@HappyDuckie
@homeschoolin momma
@Honora
@JaeG
@JCaseyHammond
@JewelBirds
@Josip
@KalahariFerrari
@Katiewshrum
@kelseyk
@Kk Augy
@Knighstar679
@LadyCluck77
@Lilysbackgardenchickens
@Lydia Huizenga
@MamaSug
@MandaRae
@mandi427
@Meg-in-MT
@Misfit_Chick
@Northernflame
@Oldhallchicks
@OneMountainAcres
@owlbaby
@Parront
@Peep_Show
@PETLOVER07
@pozees2
@Pyxis
@Razadia
@RebeccaBoyd
@RedneckAccountant
@rkadish
@Rysktal
@sayga
@sekeyslaks
@shaila
@shawluvsbirds
@smfarman
@spartacus_63
@StackedSfarms
@stormgirl82
@Strange Hatter Farms
@StuckeyFarm
@The Cave
@The Cottages
@The Moonshiner
@Trisseh
@UThobbyfarmer
@ValerieLovesChickens
@vall
@Vantic
@Verna Y
@WVduckchick

Spoiler: Maybe

@awesomeayams
@Ceciliasflock
@DallasChickyMomma
@drumstick diva
@duck3241
@electrycmonk
@Janj76
@JustAChickenLoverOverHere
@Kiki
@LadiesAndJane
@MissMonty
@Nero70002
@orrpeople
@pipdzipdnreadytogo
@Reiki Rooster
@Riv-6
@ronott1
@Saint Albans
@tribalacres
@Ugadawgs4
@Wickedchicken6

Spoiler: no

@Beer can
@ButtonHoarder
@Cazook
@featherhead007
@Hrseluvr
@humblehillsfarm
@hysop
@jeapa
@jolenesdad
@K0k0shka
@MGG
@muddy75
@Mvan42
@oldhenlikesdogs
@Pensmaster
@Poco Pollo
@Poultry mum
@Pullet Press
@ShannonsChimkens
@SheaLoner
@SulkyBantam
@TheDawg
@wf1992
@whatsthequestion
@Willow2253

Yep for me. Thank you for doing this!

 

[casportpony]

Yep for me. Thank you for doing this!

You're welcome!

 

[589205]

I been kinda wondering how does temp/humidity level affect egg development prior to incubation and during the incubation process/period? The eggs I collected for incubation were stored in room temp of 72° with relatively low humidity level ranging around 40%...will this cause issues and/or decrease hatch rate chances? Also, I've read a few threads that say storing eggs in cooler/dry temps supposingly increase female hatch rates...is this true?

 

[ronott1]

I been kinda wondering how does temp/humidity level affect egg development prior to incubation and during the incubation process/period? The eggs I collected for incubation were stored in room temp of 72° with relatively low humidity level ranging around 40%...will this cause issues and/or decrease hatch rate chances? Also, I've read a few threads that say storing eggs in cooler/dry temps supposingly increase female hatch rates...is this true?

The temps and humidity are good!

For storing the eggs, get an egg carton bottom-- or flat for a lot of eggs. Use a book or similar to tilt one end. Several times a day turn the eggs about 1\3 of a turn or so.

You can store this way for up to 7 days or so before setting them to hatch.

 

[589205]

Thank you @ronott1! ❤

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I been kinda wondering how does temp/humidity level affect egg development prior to incubation and during the incubation process/period? The eggs I collected for incubation were stored in room temp of 72° with relatively low humidity level ranging around 40%...will this cause issues and/or decrease hatch rate chances? Also, I've read a few threads that say storing eggs in cooler/dry temps supposingly increase female hatch rates...is this true?

For the most part humidity prior to setting your eggs in the incubator does the same as once they're in the incubator. If the humidity is lower, the air cells will be larger once you set them. If the humidity is higher, the air cells will not have changed size as much. I found that the refrigerator eggs that I set all had very small air cells still even though some were almost a month old. I think this is because it's so humid in the fridge.

 

[589205]

Thank you @CluckNDoodle! ❤

 

[Araucana Nest]

View attachment 2575822

He has a “And so what???” sort of expression