April Hatch-Along!!!!!!! Whos with me?????

[hfchristy]

So, I sprayed the borrowed Hova-bator with a bleach solution to sanitize it on SUNDAY. That was, what, 4 days ago? I did not rinse it out, just let it sun dry since that's what it sounded like people recommended.
Smelled okay, so I set it up, got the temp steady, opened it yesterday to add some water and was met by an overwhelming "swimming pool" smell. I gave the bottom half a serious bath and as much of a rinse as I dared give the top half with a power cord sticking out of it, and put the whole thing outside again for about 4 hours this morning. Brought it in at lunch time, closed it up again.
Checked on it again just now and YUCK. It still reeks of bleach.
Back out in the sun for the rest of the day, I guess...

Any suggestions?
I guess my questions are:
Are bleach fumes harmful?
Are they more harmful to hatching (where ducklings will be breathing the air) or developing fetal ducks (who may be more sensitive)
And what do I do if I'm stuck with just the one incubator and eggs due to hatch over a 6 day span???

I thought I had this all figured out!

Thanks,
Christy

 

[Cr8z4ducks]

So, I sprayed the borrowed Hova-bator with a bleach solution to sanitize it on SUNDAY.  That was, what, 4 days ago? I did not rinse it out, just let it sun dry since that's what it sounded like people recommended. 
Smelled okay, so I set it up, got the temp steady, opened it yesterday to add some water and was met by an overwhelming "swimming pool" smell.  I gave the bottom half a serious bath and as much of a rinse as I dared give the top half with a power cord sticking out of it, and put the whole thing outside again for about 4 hours this morning.  Brought it in at lunch time, closed it up again.
Checked on it again just now and YUCK.  It still reeks of bleach.
Back out in the sun for the rest of the day, I guess...

Any suggestions?
I guess my questions are:

  Are bleach fumes harmful?
  Are they more harmful to hatching (where ducklings will be breathing the air) or developing fetal ducks (who may be more sensitive)
  And what do I do if I'm stuck with just the one incubator and eggs due to hatch over a 6 day span???

I thought I had this all figured out!

Thanks,
Christy

I would think everything would be ok. My dad puts bleach in his pool and we've never gotten sick from it. And one of the farmers at the feed store told me that he puts a little bleach in his chickens water to keep it sanitized. I am too scared to try that since I'm unsure of the amounts, but I don't think the fumes would be harmful to the eggs. If anything it's sanitized! If you have a styrofoam incubator, they are pourus, so that maybe why you are having the fumes.


An update from me....

I set 28 eggs on May 6th, candled last night and I have 12 going strong, 16 were duds. I am beginning to wonder if my drake is getting lazy. Seemed that the eggs that she laid the week of the incubation are doing the best. My mom happened to have a broody bantam this week (she has the chickens) so I've given her 5 eggs to set as well. I'm thinking I should quit my day job be an AG scientists!

 

[zekii]

Day 24 for my 14 Welsh Harlequin eggs, removed the turner & dividers & layed eggs on their sides, and started uping the humidity & dropping the temp. Candled quickly, some eggs have more movement than others, but as of now all look good. Tommorrow PM will be the official lockdown day.

 

[hfchristy]

So, the eggs in the bleachy hovabator appear to be doing fine, minus one that I think is probably dead but haven't completely given up on yet.
In the LG, I have 5 Australian Spotted eggs. Noticed pips on 4 of them this morning, but no progress since. Is this normal, or should I be concerned? I was expecting the pips to be actual holes, or followed by beak holes. Does that happen at some point? I guess I'm not sure what the point of pipping is.
One of the 4 has been shaking and peeping, but not the others. (well, it seems like just the one peeping, hard to tell. And the one right next to it looked like it might have wiggled once, but since those two are touching, that may have just been from its neighbor.) Again, normal? Or cause for concern?

My big worry is that I have one duckling that I know is still alive right now, and I'll feel like crap if candling, cautiously peeking, cracking open one of the other eggs would have given me info that would help that currently-alive duckling to survive, but I don't do it.

Christy

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

So, the eggs in the bleachy hovabator appear to be doing fine, minus one that I think is probably dead but haven't completely given up on yet.
In the LG, I have 5 Australian Spotted eggs. Noticed pips on 4 of them this morning, but no progress since. Is this normal, or should I be concerned? I was expecting the pips to be actual holes, or followed by beak holes. Does that happen at some point? I guess I'm not sure what the point of pipping is.
One of the 4 has been shaking and peeping, but not the others. (well, it seems like just the one peeping, hard to tell. And the one right next to it looked like it might have wiggled once, but since those two are touching, that may have just been from its neighbor.) Again, normal? Or cause for concern?

My big worry is that I have one duckling that I know is still alive right now, and I'll feel like crap if candling, cautiously peeking, cracking open one of the other eggs would have given me info that would help that currently-alive duckling to survive, but I don't do it.

Christy

They can take up to 24 hours to progress once pipped. They do take a rest from time to time.

I'd leave them alone. Opening the bator at this point could cause shrinkwrapping. I've intervened and had things go well, but I've also caused a disaster or two by having my hands in the bator when they shouldn't be. Don't give yourself a headache.

Are the pips on the fat end of the egg facing mostly upwards? If so, no reason to intervene.

 

[hfchristy]

They can take up to 24 hours to progress once pipped. They do take a rest from time to time.

I'd leave them alone. Opening the bator at this point could cause shrinkwrapping. I've intervened and had things go well, but I've also caused a disaster or two by having my hands in the bator when they shouldn't be. Don't give yourself a headache.

Are the pips on the fat end of the egg facing mostly upwards? If so, no reason to intervene.

The pips are near the fat end (right around the edge of the air cell) and I'd say more on the side than the top, but I can see them when I'm looking in the window on the top of the incubator, so, top-ish?
They're all facing the side of the incubator I stand on, too, which I find interesting. Is this because they all happen to have been put in with the air cell pointing to my left, or because they are trying to figure out what that weird light is that keeps shining in at them?

Christy

 

[hfchristy]

Another question...
I just saw a post where someone was complaining about the LG and saying that it wasn't good for ducks because they were bigger than chickens and burn their heads on the heating element, so the need to be removed as they hatch.
Anyone have any experience with this? I'm hoping that even if it IS a problem, the chicken-sized bantam eggs I've got in there right now will hatch chick-sized ducklings and I'll have a chance to figure out an alternate plan for the bigger guys hatching in a few days.

Christy

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

The pips are near the fat end (right around the edge of the air cell) and I'd say more on the side than the top, but I can see them when I'm looking in the window on the top of the incubator, so, top-ish?
They're all facing the side of the incubator I stand on, too, which I find interesting. Is this because they all happen to have been put in with the air cell pointing to my left, or because they are trying to figure out what that weird light is that keeps shining in at them?

Christy

Mine seem to prefer one side as well. Odd. Probably just a result of the way the eggs were placed. They do seem to respond to light though. I leave the light on in my hatching room during lockdown. I think it's a little extra encouragement.

Another question...
I just saw a post where someone was complaining about the LG and saying that it wasn't good for ducks because they were bigger than chickens and burn their heads on the heating element, so the need to be removed as they hatch.
Anyone have any experience with this? I'm hoping that even if it IS a problem, the chicken-sized bantam eggs I've got in there right now will hatch chick-sized ducklings and I'll have a chance to figure out an alternate plan for the bigger guys hatching in a few days.

Christy

I don't know anything about the LG. I've hatched in a hovabator and also in a homemade hatcher with an incukit element/fan in it. I was worried about space with the homemade one, but I hatched goslings in it and it worked well, so looks like we did something right!

 

[mominoz]

Reading thread, Cool. I set a Hovabator full of Dutch Hookbills, Black, Gray and Penciled Runners from my SQ breeding stock from Holdereads and the birds I got Best Variety and Best of Breed , and Best Light duck at the SE show near Atlanta this year.(first show

...4/20 & 8 more 10 days later , which I moved to a second Hovabator 2 days ago,because of impending hatch. Last year I only got 10% hatch....Turning 2-3 times a day, by hand, set on side.Humidity 42-46%, raised ti to 75-79% last couple of days. Last year the humidity was 55% , with washed eggs and I misted. This year non wash and no misting. I also moved them from an interior room to the laundry room, but think the dryer is putting off heat and humidity so I open the door when it is on. (may want to reconsider this).
This is only my 2nd incubation, so this year I didn't wash the eggs, just sanded the dirt off with steel wool, I did make the mistake of marking the dates with Sharpie instead of pencil. (second batch I didn't do this) and put the O and + on the eggs with pencil. I stored eggs in my crawlspace in a carton, for up to 7 days, because we were already having 'heat spikes' in April in Georgia. I also changed feed from Dumor layer, plus oats and some calf manna and greens this year to a mill brand layer, plus oats, calf manna and catfood, and they are bug and worm hunting in their day yards, plus some bit of millet and sunflower bird mix.
I have just helped the first baby, a Hookbill out, it externally pipped 2 days ago, and had his beak and a toe out, didn't seem to make much progress, but chirped alot, so I dampened and chipped a bit yesterday at the shell. This morning I have a Penciled runner out all by itself and 3 others with working on a hole.
I heard Hookbills are hard to hatch, my breeders are from Holderreads and have straight or mildly curved bills, but I remember as babies they all looked straight. I understand a severe curve would have trouble pecking the shell. The interesting thing is that the eggs of all 4 of my ducks are more round than oval, not a large and small end.... maybe that has something to do with it...almost seemed too big for the shell....
Tuesday we had a power outage! and I had hubby hook up our generator for 2 hours to keep them and the ones in the brooders I just got from Holdrreads (5 silkie ducks & 4 SQ Saxony, and 5 SQ Black Runners. ) Then yesterday I came in the incubators were off , plug adapter ahd vibrated loose! Temp was down to 95, and water drops on top and humidity up to 85%, arrgghhh....It was 2 hours from when I 'd last checked them.
I have not been on BYC for a while as I have been taking care of grandbaby , and the farm chores (Who said this was a hObby!) and hope to get to more shows, but been family needs....
I also put some runner and hookbill eggs under my 3 mini ducks, as they seemed to want to set, like 3 each. The older duck hatched 6 babies of her own last year , so she knows what to do. The Hookbills and Saxony didn't go broody, but it is first year and it may be their living arrangements.
Need to get my camera to computer to internet system figured out better too, seems there must be a better way than to have to go into Picasa, find photo , write down the numbers, and transfer the numbers ....aaargghh I hve a Canon power shot and they set up Picasa, but I have only done it 3 times and it seems really awkward ,if anyone has a easier system for us "unteckkies" let me know

Happy hatching , I am going to be following this I hope now, babysitting is supposed to be over on a weekly basis now....

just duck sitting.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Reading thread, Cool. I set a Hovabator full of Dutch Hookbills, Black, Gray and Penciled Runners from my SQ breeding stock from Holdereads and the birds I got Best Variety and Best of Breed , and Best Light duck at the SE show near Atlanta this year.(first show

...4/20 & 8 more 10 days later , which I moved to a second Hovabator 2 days ago,because of impending hatch. Last year I only got 10% hatch....Turning 2-3 times a day, by hand, set on side.Humidity 42-46%, raised ti to 75-79% last couple of days. Last year the humidity was 55% , with washed eggs and I misted. This year non wash and no misting. I also moved them from an interior room to the laundry room, but think the dryer is putting off heat and humidity so I open the door when it is on. (may want to reconsider this).
This is only my 2nd incubation, so this year I didn't wash the eggs, just sanded the dirt off with steel wool, I did make the mistake of marking the dates with Sharpie instead of pencil. (second batch I didn't do this) and put the O and + on the eggs with pencil. I stored eggs in my crawlspace in a carton, for up to 7 days, because we were already having 'heat spikes' in April in Georgia. I also changed feed from Dumor layer, plus oats and some calf manna and greens this year to a mill brand layer, plus oats, calf manna and catfood, and they are bug and worm hunting in their day yards, plus some bit of millet and sunflower bird mix.
I have just helped the first baby, a Hookbill out, it externally pipped 2 days ago, and had his beak and a toe out, didn't seem to make much progress, but chirped alot, so I dampened and chipped a bit yesterday at the shell. This morning I have a Penciled runner out all by itself and 3 others with working on a hole.
I heard Hookbills are hard to hatch, my breeders are from Holderreads and have straight or mildly curved bills, but I remember as babies they all looked straight. I understand a severe curve would have trouble pecking the shell. The interesting thing is that the eggs of all 4 of my ducks are more round than oval, not a large and small end.... maybe that has something to do with it...almost seemed too big for the shell....
Tuesday we had a power outage! and I had hubby hook up our generator for 2 hours to keep them and the ones in the brooders I just got from Holdrreads (5 silkie ducks & 4 SQ Saxony, and 5 SQ Black Runners. ) Then yesterday I came in the incubators were off , plug adapter ahd vibrated loose! Temp was down to 95, and water drops on top and humidity up to 85%, arrgghhh....It was 2 hours from when I 'd last checked them.
I have not been on BYC for a while as I have been taking care of grandbaby , and the farm chores (Who said this was a hObby!) and hope to get to more shows, but been family needs....
I also put some runner and hookbill eggs under my 3 mini ducks, as they seemed to want to set, like 3 each. The older duck hatched 6 babies of her own last year , so she knows what to do. The Hookbills and Saxony didn't go broody, but it is first year and it may be their living arrangements.
Need to get my camera to computer to internet system figured out better too, seems there must be a better way than to have to go into Picasa, find photo , write down the numbers, and transfer the numbers ....aaargghh I hve a Canon power shot and they set up Picasa, but I have only done it 3 times and it seems really awkward ,if anyone has a easier system for us "unteckkies" let me know

Happy hatching , I am going to be following this I hope now, babysitting is supposed to be over on a weekly basis now....

just duck sitting.

I had two runners last hatch with beak and part of foot sticking out the pip hole. Silly birds!

Good luck with your hatch!