5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[SilkieSensation]

...

They will look something like this...but lots more of them...lol

 

[tadpole98]

Yay my serama eggs finally got here!!!!!! she sent 18 when i bought 15, one was cracked. Very slightly though. ill set them tonight! Still waiting on my cochin eggs tho.. :/

 

[ronott1]

I have a problem! My bator is swinging between 96˚ and 106˚!

I am testing my thermometer at the moment to make sure it is reading right but that swing range is a problem no mater what the thermometer calibrates to.

On the good side my quail eggs came and are fine. I am letting them come up to temps.
If anyone can help me figure this out jump in. Here are some pictures of my homemade bator so you can get a better handle on it.





Halogen light bulb in front of waterheater thermostat mounted on a coffee can
Computer fan mounted above light.
Dehydrator element in front of egg cage.



Dehydrator, fanless in front of the egg cage.

The fan is constant. The dehydrator is constant. The light is wired to the thermostat. The water dish is under the eggs. I have rocks for heat sinks.

Do I vent more? do I turn the dehydrator element around to face the thermostat? I have been taking the temps from the egg cage. I guess I need to take some temps at the thermostat.

Last year the dehydrator could hold the box at 83˚. The light was to kick it up the rest of he way. I got it to stabllze by wrapping the box in blankets. I have the box draped now in curtains. I added extra insulation and the foil lining. My humidity is at 23% at the moment.

HELP!

The Thermostat sensor needs to be a certain distance from the heat source. It sounds like it is too far away so move it closer. Experiment with how close it needs to be. The bulb may give off too much heat for the size of the incubator-- you may need a smaller wattage.

 

[tadpole98]

Did not get my eggs in....
I am sick.............Feels like the flu despite having a flu shot..........
Will try to get them in today.
I am setting 5 Serama eggs...plus others.........
Perhaps the Seramas will hatch a day early.

Bantams usually hatch from day 19-20 dont worry! Im also setting some seramas today

 

[rochelle1021]

Here are some eggs candled most not not veined but saw 3-4 that were so saving them this is day5

 

[rochelle1021]

Here are some eggs candled most not not veined but saw 3-4 that were so saving them this is day5

 

[Threedog]

I have a problem! My bator is swinging between 96˚ and 106˚!

I am testing my thermometer at the moment to make sure it is reading right but that swing range is a problem no mater what the thermometer calibrates to.

On the good side my quail eggs came and are fine. I am letting them come up to temps.
If anyone can help me figure this out jump in. Here are some pictures of my homemade bator so you can get a better handle on it.





Halogen light bulb in front of waterheater thermostat mounted on a coffee can
Computer fan mounted above light.
Dehydrator element in front of egg cage.



Dehydrator, fanless in front of the egg cage.

The fan is constant. The dehydrator is constant. The light is wired to the thermostat. The water dish is under the eggs. I have rocks for heat sinks.

Do I vent more? do I turn the dehydrator element around to face the thermostat? I have been taking the temps from the egg cage. I guess I need to take some temps at the thermostat.

Last year the dehydrator could hold the box at 83˚. The light was to kick it up the rest of he way. I got it to stabllze by wrapping the box in blankets. I have the box draped now in curtains. I added extra insulation and the foil lining. My humidity is at 23% at the moment.

HELP!

The Thermostat sensor needs to be a certain distance from the heat source. It sounds like it is too far away so move it closer. Experiment with how close it needs to be. The bulb may give off too much heat for the size of the incubator-- you may need a smaller wattage.

First, I have to say I really like that incubator of yours. Totally going to steal your coffee can heat shield idea. To get your thermostat thermostating properly, you might try breaking the plastic covering off of the bimetal strip. I broke mine off sort of by accident. Grabbed it with a pair of pliers and it popped right off. I use a 160 watt bulb in a pretty small incubator, and the modified thermostat keeps the temp no warmer than about 100, no cooler than 97 or so. I'd say the the thermostat is something like five inches away from the filament of the light bulb. *This is my first hatch in my first incubator, so take my advice at your own risk!

 

[Gardeningmama]

My pretty little Call Duck Dolly got hit by a car today.

The ice was so heavy on the netting over her run, it caved in, she must have flown and I found her out front of my house. I am so ticked off...I was soo looking forward to her being a momma this spring!

This was her first snow last week (she's the white one). R.I.P. Dolly

 

[chicken pickin]

My pretty little Call Duck Dolly got hit by a car today.

The ice was so heavy on the netting over her run, it caved in, she must have flown and I found her out front of my house. I am so ticked off...I was soo looking forward to her being a momma this spring!

This was her first snow last week (she's the white one). R.I.P. Dolly

So sorry to hear that. Its very sad.

I have ducks also. Im sadly down to 2(lost 2 to predators). They kept wanting to cross the road also ALL the time. They had a thing for the neighbors yard so I had to give them a fully enclosed run. Thank You for the reminder to knock the snow down. I have a tarp as a cover and Im sure its holding a lot of weight from snow and ice.

I hope you feel better soon. She was very pretty.

 

[Myfourladies]

My pretty little Call Duck Dolly got hit by a car today.

The ice was so heavy on the netting over her run, it caved in, she must have flown and I found her out front of my house. I am so ticked off...I was soo looking forward to her being a momma this spring!

This was her first snow last week (she's the white one). R.I.P. Dolly

Awe! I am so sorry.... People could atleast stop and tell you that they hit you duck! I mean geez.