6th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2015 Hatch-A-Long

[MrsBrooke]

Yes! That was both misting and cooling down.

Some sources say to let the eggs dry off before closing the incubator--Supposed to help with bacteria forming. The broody often gets up for two hours hence the two hour cool down cycle.

Well, that is good to know! I don't think I could stand to let them sit for TWO HOURS all uncovered like that!!! That broody must have nerves of steel!

MrsB

 

[ronott1]

Well, that is good to know! I don't think I could stand to let them sit for TWO HOURS all uncovered like that!!! That broody must have nerves of steel!

MrsB

The best way, other than using the cool down cycle on the new Brinsea incubators, it to open the top and mist them before doing chicken chores. After the chores, put the top back on the incubator.

Hopefully chicken chores do not take two hours!

 

[Kaylish]

The best way, other than using the cool down cycle on the new Brinsea incubators, it to open the top and mist them before doing chicken chores. After the chores, put the top back on the incubator.

Hopefully chicken chores do not take two hours!

and just to refresh my (poor) memory; the cool down is reccomended on days 8 thru 18? Correct?

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Chores don't take me two hours but in good weather watching the chickens might.

 

[misfitmorgan]

I have read mixed things on this... If you think about it, a broody hen DOES have to get off the nest to relieve herself and eat and drink. This hatch, I tried to recreate as "natural" an environment as possible. Every evening, I would lift the lid on my bator (waits for the collective *gasp*) and gently blow all the hot air and humidity straight out. I'd refill the water tray and pop the lid back on making sure to realign the auto-turner.

(A side note: We live in coastal-ish Texas AND it rained all weekend, so maybe our external/environmental humidity had an effect?)

When the peeps started hatching, I'd wait until they were dry, pop the lid, scoop them out, mist the other eggs with a little water, and place the lid back down again.

I had eight out of nine hatch with the eighth needing assistance... his leg was wrapped up and OVER his head, so he couldn't wriggle around in the shell to zip. We popped him out, and once he got his little crooked leg under him and regained his strength, it straightened out on its own. The ninth, silent egg quit around lockdown.



Just my $5.86.

I am very sorry about your hatch. At least you have one baby that needs your loving attention. <3

MrsB

Hopefully he will have some frizzle friends soon. Today after work he is moving into the brooder, so far he has been living in the hatching bator but last night i gave him food and water "dishes" the lid to a tupperware and a metal lid off a sauce jar, so if he drowns in that lid i am sorry but he was not going to survive life lol. For the brooder it is drop by 5F a week? So do you start at 99.5 or at 94.5? He hatched the night of the 5th so he should be roughly 3 days old today.

 

[ronott1]

and just to refresh my (poor) memory; the cool down is reccomended on days 8 thru 18? Correct?

Yes, day 8 through 18 for the cool down cycle. I turn it on in the settings on the Octagon 40. I have used it with my Genesis 1588 too.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Hopefully he will have some frizzle friends soon. Today after work he is moving into the brooder, so far he has been living in the hatching bator but last night i gave him food and water "dishes" the lid to a tupperware and a metal lid off a sauce jar, so if he drowns in that lid i am sorry but he was not going to survive life lol. For the brooder it is drop by 5F a week? So do you start at 99.5 or at 94.5? He hatched the night of the 5th so he should be roughly 3 days old today.

I hear you about the jar lid/water dish! It's not funny.... but it's kinda funny...

I put my little fluffs in the brooder at ~95 for the first week... It's down five degree for every week after that. So ~90 for the second week. By the third week, they should have some great feather growth and you can drop it to ~85. Fourth week, 80 degrees. Fifth week, they should be fully feathered-ish and can hang out in an ambient house setting.

Here it is all laid out:

Incubation = 99.5
Brooder, Week 1 = 95
Week 2 = 90
Week 3 = 85
Week 4 = 80
Week 5 & 6 = Fully feathered, only need a heat source if it's REALLY cold outside.

If you watch them as they grow, you can adjust your brood light based on how far/close they are to the heat.

Hope that helps!

MrsB

PS - Be sure to dip his beak in the water, so he knows what to do! ^_^

 

[Canadianislupus]

Absolutely adorable photos!!!

Those are very nice photos!

Thanks!! Its amazing how just hanging up a towel can make photos look so professional! Stole the idea from some of the fancy photography I've seen around BYC. Now I just gotta figure out a way to get them to sit still so I can get more than one focused pic per hundred taken LOL

 

[Canadianislupus]

Here are some pics from today

Nikola decided he wanted his picture taken too haha

 

[MrsBrooke]

Here are some pics from today

Nikola decided he wanted his picture taken too haha

I am obsessed with this. That tree makes them look like huge dinosaurs!

And Nikola is HILARIOUS. That expression!!!

MrsB