Arizona Chickens

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
I also set mine on a Friday evening (around 8 pm). I candled them and put them in lockdown between 12-2 pm on Tuesday (day 18). The first one hatched Thursday evening around 7 pm, the 2nd one didn't hatch till 12 hours later. I'm not sure when exactly lockdown should occur, but the 18th day worked well for us - we have 16 chicks from the 18 eggs that went into lockdown.

I wouldn't have been able to leave on Thursday, because I have a dimmer switch to control my heat and needed to monitor the temps. I had to slightly adjust it with a higher humidity and then again when I took chicks out (the amount of chicks/eggs in there makes a difference in the heat). I was using 2 room humidifiers in my bedroom, which is where the bator was, for those few days so that the humidity inside the bator didn't take a nose dive when I needed to open it.

If you are using a themostat, you can play it by ear. Put your eggs into lockdown on Tuesday and then you will have all Tuesday & Wednesday to make sure that your incubator is stable. If it stays stable, then you go get to go ski - if not,

If you have a dimmer switch, then you need to stay home - you may have chicks hatching on day 20.

So, how much did the temps fluctuate? Skiing would be on Wednesday. We would be home on Thursday. I have had my S-I-L check on them when I have been gone before, but the temps aren't fluctuating much now. I asked her about it, but she isn't comfortable dealing with it when they are in lock down and there may be more changes.

Ugh. I really wanted to go!!!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
Pu-leaze. You are talking to chicken enablers. We know you would choose fluffybutt cuteness over frozen butt bruising, anyday.

To give you another view....The family will be with you much longer than the chicks. If you can't get them to change the date, stabilize as best you can and go. (Ok, remember, I have no experience with incubating and the eggs aren't my grand chicks to be...)

 

[redrocketrooster]

Started the final coats of paint on the coop! FINALLY THE FUN BEGINS!
I chose a yellow color called Daisy Heart and a darker navy called Moody Blue.

The yellow is great looking! I thought it might be too blinding but it dries to a mellow orange yellow-ish thing.

My family likes the idea of a Brahma (sp?) and maybe a Silkie.
Anybody have any pictures of a Silkie Brahma cross? O_O

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Pu-leaze. You are talking to chicken enablers. We know you would choose fluffybutt cuteness over frozen butt bruising, anyday.

Shhhh!! Don't tell my kids!!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Okey Dokey!! Artichokey!! We are sooo excited! The eggs are too full to see into anymore!! Just little tiny hints of movement, now...

We have 15 chick filled eggs as of today. Will candle tonight and make sure they are all doing well before lock down tomorrow afternoon.

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Quote:
I also set mine on a Friday evening (around 8 pm). I candled them and put them in lockdown between 12-2 pm on Tuesday (day 18). The first one hatched Thursday evening around 7 pm, the 2nd one didn't hatch till 12 hours later. I'm not sure when exactly lockdown should occur, but the 18th day worked well for us - we have 16 chicks from the 18 eggs that went into lockdown.

I wouldn't have been able to leave on Thursday, because I have a dimmer switch to control my heat and needed to monitor the temps. I had to slightly adjust it with a higher humidity and then again when I took chicks out (the amount of chicks/eggs in there makes a difference in the heat). I was using 2 room humidifiers in my bedroom, which is where the bator was, for those few days so that the humidity inside the bator didn't take a nose dive when I needed to open it.

If you are using a themostat, you can play it by ear. Put your eggs into lockdown on Tuesday and then you will have all Tuesday & Wednesday to make sure that your incubator is stable. If it stays stable, then you go get to go ski - if not,

If you have a dimmer switch, then you need to stay home - you may have chicks hatching on day 20.

So, how much did the temps fluctuate? Skiing would be on Wednesday. We would be home on Thursday. I have had my S-I-L check on them when I have been gone before, but the temps aren't fluctuating much now. I asked her about it, but she isn't comfortable dealing with it when they are in lock down and there may be more changes.

Ugh. I really wanted to go!!!

I can't remember how much the temps fluctuate - I just remember adjusting the dimmer. To increase humidity, I filled up my 6" x 10" dish and added a large sponge to the bottom of the aquarium. I then took my tube out of the dish and stuck it into the sponge. When I added water to the sponge, it would overflow into the aquarium (as planned) for lots of wet surface area. I also started a humidifier in my room.

If you do your lockdown early enough on Tuesday, you will probably have your humidity and temps stable in time to go skiing on Wednesday and hopefully be back before any of your chicks hatch.

 

[redrocketrooster]

This probably means nothing to you guys but I am titillated right now. Oh yes, titillated is indeed a word in the ever factual dictionary.
Recently an ever impending conundrum has become a hefty priority to deal with. You see I own several serpents of all sorts, whom all need to eat rodents weekly.
I began to breed rats of my own accord as the stores were far too expensive, too much of a drive to make by-weekly and most of my lovely snakes do not take frozen verse live.
It came to light with changing circumstances that I haven't the time to keep up with the volume of rats needed for the snakes to be fat and happy. The cost was also a gorgeous fool who took and took.
With that in mind thinned the snakes that are not favorites to homes in hopes to save the last few and try a one stand to switch to frozen.
After months of trying with no avail I found homes for my last six serpents but holding onto my most cherished Apollo.
For the past three months I have desperately been trying to get him to take frozens. After applying to jobs and soon starting schooling again I will not have the time to drive weekly for food.
The best solution would be for his spoiled sire to take the frozen or give him to a different home. Apollo is my prize and has always stolen my attention.


The boy grit his teeth and wharfed down two thawed for Mum just tonight!
Opened his cage expecting two stale thawed under the hide but instead pulled it up to find Apollo sleeping with a full belly.
HUZZAH HUZZAH HUZZAH! HUZZAH HUZZAH HUZZAH! HUZZAH HUZZAH HUZZAH! HUZZAH HUZZAH HUZZAH!
I am ever so proud of his triumph.

I CAN KEEP MY SILLY SLINKY.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Ugh!! Disaster struck this morning!! I am so hoping they will be alright. I am definitely going to try to get that thermostat to work before I hatch any more chicks.

I woke up this morning after having a dream about the eggs - crazy dream! I reached over and looked at the temperature on the remote which, for the past 17 days has been on the low end of 99* first thing each morning and then the heater kicks on and warms it to perfect temp. It has been really stable. But this morning, for some completely unknown reason, the temp had spiked to 102.7*!!!!!

I flew out of bed and ran in to the room where the bator is. Bleary eyed, I lifted the top and began fanning the eggs. I candled a couple and found movement (I think it was movement, but I couldn't see real well), but then I lifted a carton to turn the eggs --- an egg tumbled out and landed *splat* on another egg. It didn't just crack, it shattered!

The shell is still in tact, but it is a big spider web crack, like you would do on the counter before cracking it into a pan for your omelet. Ugh!!!

the chick is still alive in there and lock down is today... I dripped candle wax all over the smash and I think I will put them in lock down or at least begin raising the humidity this morning so that egg doesn't dry out. Any chance it will make it????? I feel so bad. What a clutz!

We candled last night and still had all 15 of the developing eggs. All were moving, although some eggs were more full than others. We are in the home stretch!!! And now this!!! Eeek!

Help me! I know this is addicting, but it is also stressful!!!

 

[LarryPQ]

Quote:
Dude, you just out-dorked me. For now....

I am SO glad your baby decided to cooperate.

How exciting!



Well, no movement from Sommer's eggs. I will keep them in there until Friday, just in case my 4 thermometers

are wrong, and the temps are a bit low. On the bonus side, one of my Patchlings looks like she may be a good Aloha canidate. It is SO hard waiting for them to feather out...

ETA: Also, it looks like Ginger, my avatar, will end up being a standard-sized chicken after all! Not huge, but definately worth a Huzzah!

 

[tofuranch]

bummer about summers eggsLaree--I don't think all of those thermometers are off....looking at yours made me realize that I need to get a few more thermometers...you would be surprised what I have in one incubator...

If any of you are on Facebook look for the group What Came First Hatchery....it is my hatchery group, I just thought you all might like to see what I am doing