Anyone set with me this weekend? Set 28 October - Hatching 18 November

[OperationHatch]

yeah, my biggest issue is the Brown Pullets. I can't see into them especially with my novice eye. I can't imagine how difficult it is for people with Marans!

 

[ShelterFarm]

Just candled this evening and all 7 look good with no blood rings. One of them is very porous, but as the comment states below no reason to get rid of it just for that. Last clutch I set had another one that was very porous and it hatched just fine. So today's day 8 and no losses yet!

R-

It's really not that common for a rotten egg to explode unless it's not being 'supervised'. When incubated eggs are rotten they will usually 'weep' first (it looks a lot like tree sap). Then they'll start smelling rotten (it's a very clear sulphury "rotten egg" smell). Unless they start weeping or smelling funny I would just leave them in there. I almost killed a chick just last month because I thought it was a quitter and it wasn't. You really never know, the little buggers aren't all the same and sometimes they "hide out" in the middle where it's hard to see them. Additionally, I've had at least three situations that looked like blood rings but were not. Soo, now I just leave the eggs in the bator unless they start showing obvious signs of being rotten.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Just candled this evening and all 7 look good with no blood rings. One of them is very porous, but as the comment states below no reason to get rid of it just for that. Last clutch I set had another one that was very porous and it hatched just fine. So today's day 8 and no losses yet!

R-

I agree. I had a very porous (could see through it in certain 'specks') Silkie egg last month - it ended up hatching out just fine. You never know.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

My eggs are due on November 13th, although I'm guessing they may go a bit later as they are under a broody. Oh, they are all Olive Eggers, BC Marans Roo covering EEs.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

wow, well good luck guys! If I don't get anything again I am just going to wait a few more weeks as my flock is still pretty young and I'm going to ask my hubby for an incubator for Christmas.

 

Hello 6lilchicks, from a fellow PAer. I'm wondering....if you're asking for an incubator for Christmas, what are you hatching in now?

 

[6littlechicks]

lol, they are in my homemade incubator. I'll get a pic of it.

 

[6littlechicks]

I am sooo not handy, but I am a firm believer of "where there's a will, there's a way". It's an old bread box. I'll take any suggestions.

 

[OperationHatch]

wow, that's a great set up. I think in the future you could close in a lot of that open space you have between the bulb and the wiring. That way when the chicks hatch they have space to move around. Some people cut pieces of paper towel rolls to hold the eggs vertically and save on some space too.

very inventive though! great idea. Saves on money too!

 

[OperationHatch]

I know a lady that used a cardboard box and a lightbul (never turned them, never monitored temps) and she got 100% hatch rate!!! anything is possible

 

[6littlechicks]

So you don't think it's a matter of my incubator setup or temp or anything? Maybe they just weren't fertile

I did notice a big difference in the bulls eye on a newer egg so that's probably just it. I'm going to try to box in the light bulb with that mesh that's in there. I guess I'm expecting it to not work ,lol. Also, it's still air. I did have a CPU fan and wired it and it worked, I was so proud of myself! Anyway, when I put it in there, with lack of space, it caught on the wire mesh and broke 2 blades so all that work for nothing, but I think I have another old tower but isn't it more likely that the temps are more stable in a smaller area? Less space for hot and cold spots?

Thanks for your input!