Anyone HATCHING?!?!? Newbie's and addicts WELCOME!!!! Hatch Calendar page 1!!!!

[chickendot]

Well I've offered to hatch a dozen eggs for my neighbor. He has New Hampshire Red hens and my rooster from my last hatch, a big Americauna.
I've got the hovabator up and running to get the temperature settled. This will be my second hatch and my last ones hatched Dec 6th so it will be
like starting new

again ! This time I will not open the lid so much when they are hatching, we have such low humidity here, we are high desert.

Does anyone have a good way to candle eggs? I didn't try it with my last ones, but I need to know how to do it. I know it needs to be very dark so do
any of you have a fav way? Thanks for any help....

 

[CALI CHICK]

Does anyone have a good way to candle eggs? I didn't try it with my last ones, but I need to know how to do it. I know it needs to be very dark so do
any of you have a fav way? Thanks for any help....

Good luck with your hatch!

I made 2 candlers because one alone didn't seem to do the job. The first one is made by putting a hole in a small box...then I put a very bright flourescent light bulb into the other end of the box. Flourescent lights are great because they are bright but remain cooler. The 2nd candler is made from a small cardboard tube with a mag flashlight inside. I put the tube down into another small box to add stability.
I put these candlers facing each other and then put the egg in between.
Here is a picture of the candler shining through a brown Rhode Island Red egg (it's infertile).

 

[Farmin Momma]

Well, sadly I "cooked" 31 eggs 3 days ago with a homemade incubator

. Would have been fine if I had not put a towel on the lid after I opened it to turn the eggs. But I was very upset, not only for killing these eggs (only in for one day) but I felt I also wasted 31 eggs. Well my husband told me to buy an incubator, so like the good wife I sometimes can be I did not argue or question him, I just ran right out and got one!

Yesterday I put 25 eggs in my new battor. Which apparently puts my hatch day on April 1st. That would just be to cool! So here is hoping all goes well.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Well, sadly I "cooked" 31 eggs 3 days ago with a homemade incubator

. Would have been fine if I had not put a towel on the lid after I opened it to turn the eggs. But I was very upset, not only for killing these eggs (only in for one day) but I felt I also wasted 31 eggs. Well my husband told me to buy an incubator, so like the good wife I sometimes can be I did not argue or question him, I just ran right out and got one!

Yesterday I put 25 eggs in my new battor. Which apparently puts my hatch day on April 1st. That would just be to cool! So here is hoping all goes well.

WELCOME to the thread.

That is frustrating and every one of us have had accidents like that.

I remember setting the lid down on one egg and cracking it's shell on Day 4. When I opened it to examine it, there was a beautiful little embryo inside with the heart beating and veins spreading out.

I literally did cry, but it didn't go to waste. 1 Was the experience of remembering to be more careful. 2 It was a great educational opportunity with my son to see the little life, and 3 I scrambled it up and fed it to my hens!

Oh, and I can relate to a great husband being willing to buy an incubator! (I've been incubating in "borrowed" incubators). Well, my DH bought me a Cricut and MyStory Laminator for Christmas--because I really, really wanted one! But I haven't used the thing and so I asked him if he could return it (gotta love Costco.com) and I could buy myself an incubator of my own! He said "Sure, you can do whatever you want with the money.) I just ordered my new incubator yesterday and he returned the Cricut today. I can't wait to pick up silkie eggs this Friday!

I also have 5 EE eggs in one of my "borrowed" bators that will hatch March 30th-I hope!

 

[silkymom1986]

Yes we have all made mistakes, as long as you learn from it though, no harm done, I know that doesn't make you feel any better though, so sorry!

Cali Chick, so happy you got your own bator, what kind did you go with?

 

[meshellrose]

how do ya'll take pics of the pips inside the bator w/o opening it. I either get glare or it's too dark

 

[GableBabble]

lol I was thinking the same thing, but my camera is crappy so....prolly the fault is on my end.

I'd love to join. But one set of eggs I bought, well.... they as far as I know have not shipped out even though I bought them the tuesday before last. I will, however, be getting some from someone else (who is just rather awesome I might add) and should be able to join soon(they ship out today).

 

[thebanthams]

it takes a good camera to get good pics. my cell phone doesnt do well. I have minolta and will take close up. some cameras will take pics in the dark.

 

[meshellrose]

mine will take pics in the dark, it zooms in pretty good, but I'm thinking it's that stupid plastic top and the angle of where the pip is

 

[meshellrose]

egg with crack is rocking and rolling, no peeping, but def alive