August 2016 Hatch-A-Long

[two j farm]

Snywalker and herb happy you joined us good luck with your eggs!!!

 

[Fluffyserama]

Hi everyone!
I just started 24 eggs in the incubator yesterday. 18 silkied serama, 3 bantam Easter eggers, and 3 serama X banty EE.
The eggs got pretty beat up in shipping and most have disrupted air cells so we'll see how they develop, but thought I would still join in.

I'm keeping the eggs upright in an egg turner, but am going to hand turn the whole time. I'm also keeping humidity low.
Any other suggestions?

I want to keep the air cells up during the hatch. Has anyone had a good hatch that was left in the Turner? I've already heard a couple horror stories.

 

[two j farm]

Sounds like you know what your doing. I have 3 in my incubator right now the same way I just keep the air cell up. I have had them hatch before sometimes have to help but I don't mind. Good luck!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Hi everyone!
I just started 24 eggs in the incubator yesterday. 18 silkied serama, 3 bantam Easter eggers, and 3 serama X banty EE.
The eggs got pretty beat up in shipping and most have disrupted air cells so we'll see how they develop, but thought I would still join in.

I'm keeping the eggs upright in an egg turner, but am going to hand turn the whole time. I'm also keeping humidity low.
Any other suggestions?

I want to keep the air cells up during the hatch. Has anyone had a good hatch that was left in the Turner? I've already heard a couple horror stories.

Horror stories are usually from the turner being on, I think. I was going to hatch my shipped d'Uccles like that last week but laid them down at the last minute with no ill effects.

 

[DivaB]

Question: My egg turner and temp is all on one cord. Today is lock down day and when I remove the egg turner, do I just lay the eggs on their sides on the hardware cloth, or do I put them in an egg carton to keeping them sitting up?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Question:  My egg turner and temp is all on one cord.  Today is lock down day and when I remove the egg turner, do I just lay the eggs on their sides on the hardware cloth, or do I put them in an egg carton to keeping them sitting up?

Lay them down. Place shelf liner or paper towels on the hardware cloth to make it easier on their feet and for easier clean up.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Today is day 24 for the guineas so I candled them for lockdown. Low and behold two external pips already! My norm is day 26 for hatching guineas but these are from a different flock. I moved the Marans from the hatcher to the incubator (they were incubating in there for a few days without turning). Even with my super bright flash light I can't tell anything yet on them but it's only day three. I cleared out my dud Isbars

and the incubator is looking very empty now. I had to leave three guineas in the incubator because they look like they need to lose more moisture. As of now it looks like I have 26/28 of these eggs that survived shipment and developed to lockdown.

 

[DivaB]

Lay them down. Place shelf liner or paper towels on the hardware cloth to make it easier on their feet and for easier clean up.

Thank you for your help! On getting my small brooder box ready, I have a puppy heater in the box that stays 101, with the option for them to get off of it if needed; will that work ok? Last question, would I keep the box shut (it has open handles on sides for air) or just cover the heated portion with a towel, and leave the unheated portion open so they don't get too warm?

Good luck on your guineas!! That is so exciting that you have 2 pips already

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Thank you for your help!  On getting my small brooder box ready, I have a puppy heater in the box that stays 101, with the option for them to get off of it if needed; will that work ok?  Last question, would I keep the box shut (it has open handles on sides for air) or just cover the heated portion with a towel, and leave the unheated portion open so they don't get too warm?

Good luck on your guineas!!  That is so exciting that you have 2 pips already

Is it a cardboard type box with a lid and then holes along the side?

The pad should be fine. I use a heating pad, personally. Since your can't adjust temp (doesn't sound like it, at least) do be sure to have space for them to get away from it.

 

[Fluffyserama]

Thank you for your help! On getting my small brooder box ready, I have a puppy heater in the box that stays 101, with the option for them to get off of it if needed; will that work ok? Last question, would I keep the box shut (it has open handles on sides for air) or just cover the heated portion with a towel, and leave the unheated portion open so they don't get too warm?

Good luck on your guineas!! That is so exciting that you have 2 pips already

The type of covering I use over the top depends on what other animals and kids are in the house. You don't want to total coverage over the top because that can trap heat and the chicks cant escape to a safe spot. I have a 50 gal aquarium I use as a brooder with a heat lamp on one side and a hardware cloth shield. I use to just do an open top with a towel over one side and it worked fine. But once when I had chicks my cat unexpectedly got into the room where I kept the brooder and I came home to utter carnage. I now have top that I made from wood and hardware cloth with a removable door. I've also had my nephew burn himself on the heat lamp so I made a cage of hard ware cloth to keep little fingers safe.