August Hatch-A-Long

[Sylviaanne]

I'll explain this as best as I can. My husband actually did most of the work, but it only took about 5-10 minutes.

Inside of lid: we chose an empty space in the middle to put the fan. We poked 4 holes (1 at each corner of the fan) to attach it using zip ties. There is a vent hole directly above the fan. We ran the wires for the fan through that.


Here, you can see the short pieces of a straw that we used for spacing so that the fan wasn't directly against the lid. That gap allows for better air flow.


Here's a view from the outside. We used some plastic pieces to keep the zip ties from pulling through.

I don't know much about the wiring aspect. Basically, the wires from the fan got connected to the corresponding wires on the wall charger. Then it was all wrapped in electrical tape... Though we'll replace that with the heat shrink stuff before next time.

The fan blows air up and out the vent hole. I'm not sure if that was the best way to do it, but its working fine. I end up covering about half of that hole during hatching to keep the humidity up. With the fan and the other vent holes, there doesn't seem to be any issues from lack of air or anything like that.

Feel free to ask questions. If I don't know the answer, I'll ask my husband later.

The air gets sucked away from the eggs? I thought the fan was to blow air onto the eggs?

 

[StarMeKritten]

The air gets sucked away from the eggs? I thought the fan was to blow air onto the eggs?

Any air that is blowing out is being replaced by more air coming in from the other vent holes in the top and bottom of the incubator. The temperature doesn't fluctuate much and it is consistent no matter where in the incubator it's measured. That's the most important part, preventing hot and cold spots.

 

[Dispatch273]

I just saw the post about twins! That should be interesting! There is a you tube video of a woman helping a twin egg hatch.

I watched that a few days ago. I have my eggs in cartons but I'm thinking maybe I should take the twin egg out that way if one pips on the bottom I can see it..I'm just afraid to open the incubator LOL!

 

[hamzaahvalli]

I just candled my eggs today on day 11 because I won't be able to candle Later on day 14 . Out of my 11 eggs, all of them are thankfully developing well. Unfortunately, I noticed one had an air cell which was dislocated and the other had an air cell half the size of the egg. so I am not counting on those to hatch despite seeing development. I had also set my cousins hens first egg and it didn't begin development from day one. IA,9 of the 12 eggs will hatch if all goes well. Half the wait is over, and I can hardly stand the wait till I see a brown chick with a black crest poke it's head out of mums feathers.
Good luck to everyone else. I Hope for the best hatch rate for you.

 

[darkbluespace]

Congrats on your beautiful babies Darkblue

Thanks

Any pips yet?? It would be good to put the twins on their side! I am getting less and less afraid to open the bator. In my experience so far the chicks that don't just hatch are malpositioned, not shrink wrapped. But I can see why people would think that.

 

[Dispatch273]

Ahhh!!!!!! One egg has pipped and I can hear the chick peeping! SO CUTE!

 

[darkbluespace]

I have another Serama egg pipped!

 

[Dispatch273]

I have another Serama egg pipped!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LuvMyChiks]

New babies group photo... Copper Maran chick Speckled Sussex chicks Serama Mama

Oh! What a beautiful Serama Mama!! What exactly is she? And what is her coloring? I'm just following along here until I get up the guts to hatch eggs too (Newbie on board!)

 

[darkbluespace]

Oh! What a beautiful Serama Mama!!
What exactly is she? And what is her coloring?

I'm just following along here until I get up the guts to hatch eggs too

(Newbie on board!)

She is a frizzled Serama hen... I don't know if you can tell from the photo but she is less than a pound...about 14 oz... very tiny! And the chick is super tiny!! Seramas come in countless colors and the chicks they hatch are all different colors. This is the first all yellow chick I have had. Frizzle is kind of tan and peach colored. They are really fun to have and they are very broody so it is easy to have them hatch chicks for you. I am trying my first batch in the incubator because, well, you can only fit so many eggs under a tiny hen : )