7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

[daxigait]

I read the 101, I am just trying to figure out what has to be, and what people do. It seems to me that there is a basic level and those who do a ton and spend lots of time with the eggs and Bator.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

The more I read about doing this, the more I wonder if I can or want to do it all. How often do you check temperature and humidity? If I am using the old Bator is there any point in trying to get so detailed? How basic can I be without overly risking the eggs? I work 12+ hours a day, and my house is usually around 60 not 70 degrees. Is it wrong for me to even try unless I get a no touch one?

I probably missed it...but would you be incubating your own eggs? If you are...you don't really have anything to lose. Or, at least that's what I think.

I check my temp and humidity when I turn the eggs...and I shoot for 5 times a day. I don't have a turner and when I was combining and I couldn't be in all day, I turned the eggs first thing when I got in and before bed. Same thing in the morning. They're turned four times right there. Do you go to the bathroom in the night? There's five turnings...lol. I basically reversed the idea of night and day...they just sat in the day instead of night. But I also have my own eggs. If I had to buy eggs...I'd probably be a bit more particular.

When I candled tonight, I noticed one of the eggs I have incubating right now for the Dec. HAL is from Nov. 11. It was 3 weeks and 3 days when I put them on (4 weeks old today) and it's got a chick in it.

 

[daxigait]

@ronott1what post number was the one on washing eggs that you posted today?

 

[BullChick]

I will not candle tonight. I will not candle tonight. I will not candle tonight. I will candle tonight.

I haven't caught up yet since I've been home from work.. Say, did you candle tonight??

I may have just candled. If I did, which in not saying I did, I may have no idea what I saw other than a cracked egg. It will stay. We are all cracked eggs in our own way. ) Besides, other cracked eggs have hatched. Sally tried wax (I think it was her).

NM I found it!

Ah! But I never said that I had candled.

 

[daxigait]

@Wickedchicken6. I have a really old brower so I will have to turn them, but how much does all that opening to turn the eggs(do you turn part or all the way over?) change the temperature too much?

 

[daxigait]

@MotorcycleChick I will be clueless on doing this too. It looks like your light does it as they sit.

 

[BullChick]

@Wickedchicken6. I have a really old brower so I will have to turn them, but how much does all that opening to turn the eggs(do you turn part or all the way over?) change the temperature too much?

First, it only changes it a few degrees. Nothing to worry about. Especially when you consider that a hen can leave the nest for half an hour or so.
As for how much to turn, just kinda roll them half way. The point is to keep them from sticking to the shell.
Think of it like a pot of tomato soup. If you don't stir it, it burns/sticks to the bottom.
Turn an odd number of times daily. The best advice is to cut the bottom out of an egg carton. Elevate one end. Then later that day, lift the other end up. Just keep switching ends.

 

[chicknlove]

Ah! But I never said that I had candled.

That's right you didn't!

 

[BullChick]

@MotorcycleChick I will be clueless on doing this too. It looks like your light does it as they sit.

That is chicknlove's picture. I have to pick each egg up individually.
Don't let all of our talking and pictures scare you. It really is not as hard as you are thinking it is. My first hatch was great (I think 95%hatched). I had no turner and was using a styrofoam (still using it) incubator.
Explain how to zip a jacket or put on a motorcycle helmet. It just had to be done once to understand. Explaining... Yeah, forget it. It can't be explained.

 

[daxigait]

First, it only changes it a few degrees. Nothing to worry about. Especially when you consider that a hen can leave the nest for half an hour or so.
As for how much to turn, just kinda roll them half way. The point is to keep them from sticking to the shell.
Think of it like a pot of tomato soup. If you don't stir it, it burns/sticks to the bottom.
Turn an odd number of times daily. The best advice is to cut the bottom out of an egg carton. Elevate one end. Then later that day, lift the other end up. Just keep switching ends.

what type of carton? Isn't that a fire hazard? Do you have a picture?