ATTENTION NEWBIES TO INCUBATING

[Daedalus62]

Thank you!!... I got the 1st assumption wrong, and from there on...

Ridgerunner,

Yes, understand you explanation... Makes all the sense. Thank you.

Just out of curiosity... I'm using my small DIY foamy incubator... Saw this somewhere: To better keep the humidity % I want, I'm using a couple of ice cube trays bought at the "dollar store"... Daily, filling or emptying individual ice cube rows, and I'm able to keep it within a 5% max. variation.

Cheers

 

[HickoryHollow]

Thank you!!... I got the 1st assumption wrong, and from there on...

Ridgerunner,

Yes, understand you explanation... Makes all the sense. Thank you.

Just out of curiosity... I'm using my small DIY foamy incubator... Saw this somewhere: To better keep the humidity % I want, I'm using a couple of ice cube trays bought at the "dollar store"... Daily, filling or emptying individual ice cube rows, and I'm able to keep it within a 5% max. variation.

Cheers

ice cube trays are a great idea! large area, take small space vertically!

 

[Fowl Mouth]

You can go with them and see what happens. If bacteria gets inside one, it will start to stink. Ever smelled a rotten egg? That's what we are talking about. You'll notice it so just get rid of it before it explodes.

Explodes.... *cringe*

Ten or so years ago when I was new to raising chickens, I was trying my hand at incubating and hatching some shipped eggs. Didn't know a thing about candling or proper humidity.... towards the end of the incubation I recall I did have some hatch out, amazingly, but some didn't. I figured "well, if those hatched - the others should too. I bet they need my help!" Figured Id go on and carefully open up the eggs and help the chick out.

Mistake.

First egg I tapped to carefully break the shell was a total stinker. Don't recall smelling it through the shell, but I sure do remember the POP sound it made and the feeling of hot goopey slime covering my face and hands.
It took ages for the hatching room in my basement to lose the rotten egg smell. That thing exploded EVERYWHERE. I was horrified. It was a good 8 months before I dared to try hatching anything again....

 

[HickoryHollow]

First official "weigh-in" Day #3

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[HickoryHollow]

It has been raining here for the past 3 days. Keeping the humidity up a few percentages has been easy for now. Since I was running a little low before this, I am running about 43% for right now. I started at about 40% but it had dropped off fairly quickly to about 28% and stayed there 2 days. I think 40% over the entire first 18 days would be about right for my incubator and climate. I am thinking the extra 3% for right now will make up for the rapid weight loss the first 3 days. I am glad I didn't wait any longer to check the weight or I might not have been able to make it up.

OH, and I am not sure what is going on with egg #29. It is either way porous, or I weighed it wrong. I was only leaving each egg on the scale about 2 seconds with help writing down each weight quick so I could get them back in the bator......

 

[GregClark38]

What is a good incubator? I was thinking of getting this one....Farm innovators Model 4200 Pro Series http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007571DFM/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[HickoryHollow]

What is a good incubator? I was thinking of getting this one....Farm innovators Model 4200 Pro Series http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007571DFM/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

That is the one I use, except I have a still air. I built a large incubator now that holds 120 eggs so I will be putting one tray of 40 eggs in the incubator each week, then pulling a tray day 18 and hatching in the FI incubator the last 3 days. They are good as any of the styrofoam in MHO.

Tim

 

[blucoondawg]

What is a good incubator? I was thinking of getting this one....Farm innovators Model 4200 Pro Series http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007571DFM/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

That is the incubator I use and have had good luck with it so far, just started warming it up an hour ago for another batch of eggs.

 

[blucoondawg]

First official "weigh-in" Day #3

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Have you noticed the eggs with the higher percentages have a more porous shell? I see 32 lost 8 percent already, it must either be very porous or is sitting in a spot with more air movement?

 

[HickoryHollow]

Yeah, 32 and 29 both make no sense. I was really going quick, so not sure if those are right. I didn't notice the shells being particularly porous. I will know more Thursday night when I reweigh them. And......if you through those 2 figures out totally, my average weight loss is 2.3% which is much closer to where it should be!
Tim