April 15th- New Brinsea Owner Hatch Along

[ginormous chicken]

Brand new brinsea owner here! I just set 25 eggs an the 16th. I am super egggcited

!! This is my first time hatching chicken eggs. Done some other stuff before. Sooo... I set 6 Blue Ameraucanas, 6 Lavender Orps., 2 Bl Splash Marans, 2 Barnies 9 Light Sussexes. I am worried and happy. I am really happy with how well the eco20 keeps temperature and humdity. I was a little worried yesterday b/c the eggs got jostled a bit when I set them.

On a different note, looking at the previous pics. I noticed you added paper towels. My eggs are standing extremely upright, yours seem to be leaning. Is there a different?

Lock down will be in the first week of May!!!

 

[artathart]

Quote:
It doesnt matter if they are standing up pr leaning or lay completely flat on their sides. Its preference really. Mine are leaning because it was how I was able to get mine to fill up a row since all eggs are different sizes. Plus on brinseas website all the eggs in the photo's seem to have a slight lean to them as well. The smaller Silkie eggs were sliding all over the place when the incubator compeltes a full tilt so I put paper towels in to keep them all in place. Its loaded full of little pieces of paper towels now. lol. I love it. Its like a 21 day crock pot. Just set and forget.

 

[artathart]

Here it now since I added the Silkies

 

[artathart]

 

[Jocasta]

I've decided this incubating eggs thing is bloody torture!!! I can't believe I only set them on Friday - I've got an extra week to wait too as I've set Turkeys. Argh! Won't go to lock down until 5/11. I'm weighing my eggs to check for humidity as per Brinsea's instruction manual recommendations. Anyone else doing this? I've not got the advance model (which I'm assuming has a hygrometer built it?). Am planning on adding some chicken eggs on Friday to hopefully hatch alongside the turkes - anyone done this before?

It's so exciting but also bloody scary! Why is it that weeks were literally flying by until I set my eggs? Argh!

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Welcome ginormous and Jocasta!!! It is torture! I just try not to go down there too much and look at them. Another 18 days and I don't know if I am going to make it!! I set my eggs all upright because that was the only way I could fit them all. I guess I got big eggs because I could only fit 19 in the rails!! Jocasta the Advanced has digital temp and humidity readouts. The Advanced EX has the humidity pump which controls the humidity. I too read in the manual about weighing the eggs but am not doing it. Maybe next time. Was just planning on checking the size of the air sac when I candle to make sure it is progressing right.

 

[Jocasta]

Quote:
Thanks. I was thinking of checking the air sac too but not too sure how well I'll get on with candling so wanted a back up

 

[ginormous chicken]

Thanks! And yes, I did weigh them before I started. I am going to weigh them again on day 7. After reading the manual, they say the eggs are supposed to lose, not gain. Am I right on this folk? It seems opposite. Like the eggs would be getting heavier, but yeah. Day 3 folks. 99 degrees and red blinky light, and 51% humdity! Eggcited

. How is everyone else doing today?

 

[cackydoodledoo]

I found somewhere on here where a lady had made a candler out of a coffee can and a regular light socket. Going to have DH make me one and hopefully it will work good. I might try the weighing thing next go around but that would also require me to buy a scale!!!

 

[ginormous chicken]

I know this sounds pretty cheese ball. I use a high powered flash light in a really dark room. It works really well and it is cheap. It is not as clear as the coffee can or plastic paint bucket, but it works pretty well to get a visual. Does anyone have any dark shell eggs? Can people see through that?