Beginner's Hatch-A-Long

[Stevens21]

First timer here. I hope I don't kill them

This is my third try.. I am saying the same thing!!
6 hatched from my last one out of 17 eggs that made it to lock down...

Anyone that uses the Styrofoam incubators is there something that you put at the bottom for hatch day to help make it last longer? I know my last batch was pretty messy.

 

[My peeps]

Mine is a homemade styrofoam incubator. I bought the rubber shelf liner roll at the dollar store and put that on the bottom. It works pretty good. This is the second time using it and it made for an easy clean up. 6 out of 17 is better than my first hatch. I think I need to make some adjustments before I try again.m


.

This is my third try.. I am saying the same thing!! 
6 hatched from my last one out of 17 eggs that made it to lock down...

Anyone that uses the Styrofoam incubators is there something that you put at the bottom for hatch day to help make it last longer? I know my last batch was pretty messy. 

 

[Gen9]

This is my third try.. I am saying the same thing!!
6 hatched from my last one out of 17 eggs that made it to lock down...

Anyone that uses the Styrofoam incubators is there something that you put at the bottom for hatch day to help make it last longer? I know my last batch was pretty messy.

I'm using one made out of a coleman cooler. I elevated the eggs with hardware cloth so I could put a water tray underneath and some river rocks covering the entire bottom. I have 2 jars and 2 bottles of water. and like Peeps mentioned, a rubber roll shelf liner. I can just soak those in warm soapy water when I'm done. I had a really hard time stabilizing temps, but all of this seems to be helping.. We've been having scattered t-storms the last 2 weeks and thankfully our power hasn't gone out. Hopefully it won't either. I had my humidity up to 50% but now it seems like it wants to stay around 45% so I'm just keeping it at 45%. I've been reading a lot of different information on the right humidity (I'm using forced air). 2 of my eggs look infertile, but I'm going to wait until day 10 to check again. 20 eggs look fertile. I'll be happy if 50% or less hatch. I'm not sure what I'd do with 20 chicks. I'm not sure if many people are interested in getting mutts.

 

[AParmer]

Good evening all! I've spent the better part of today reading this entire thread. (My husband would have a cow if he knew hehehe) I'm on day three of my very first incubation. I'm using a ReptiPro 6000 and have 13 Easter Eggers and 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes. It may just be my imagination but it seems like the eggs are getting slightly heavier. I'm hand turning three times a day. I'm so stinking excited and can't wait until hatch day!

 

[Angelak]

Aparmer good luck with your hatch....wait til u candle on day 7 or 10 n you find out if any/all are fertile n growing n then u will be thrilled...

 

[AParmer]

Thank you AngelaK. It's like waiting for Christmas to see how the eggs are doing at the first candling.

 

[shmccarthy]

I just put my first eggs in to be incubated! I am so excited! I put in fresh eggs from my Easter Eggers and today is the first day.

 

[Angelak]

Aparmer u r sooo right...I couldnt wait to candle my 1st 3 shipped pea eggs,the wait was killing me bc this is my 3rd try at incubating eggs.So I can learn I candled eggs on day 4 n then just candled on day 6 n almost cried yesterday when I saw veins in all of them.I am going to candle again on tues .which will b day 10 to make sure we still have growing chicks,since we had power outage of 4 hrs.today.....im sooo excited day 28 cant get here fast enough.lol

 

[My peeps]

I got 3 out of 24 eggs. Only 7 made it to lockdown. They were mail ordered eggs and didn't get here in the best shape. One chick pipped at the wrong end and after 24 hrs we intervened. Didn't think she was going to make it but she looks good now. 2 were fully formed but dead in the shell. Never pipped. The last two were very small so died early. It's exciting when they hatch but I'm a nervous wreck from day 18 on!

 

[AParmer]

I got a little curious and candled a couple of eggs last night. They're very porous. Makes me a little worried. But I'm going to give them a chance. Can see the yolk in there and the air sac, Should the yolk stay towards the top as I turn the egg?