BEST HATCHES : Give us all your best results

[MissPrissy]

Fresh eggs. From the barn to the bator.

 

[snowydiamonds]

I was an utter failure w/my BLRW eggs from Turbo and also my own BO roo x RIR - only got one of each to hatch date fully formed and then they didn't pip, zip nor breathe! Maybe its time to use a real incubator instead of the 18 quart Nesco Oven/Roaster. But I've got it full this time due to hatch the 14th. The eggs are LF SLW's, Bantam Black Orps and Bantam Ameraucana's. The temp is set halfway from zero to 200 degrees. The house humidity is high, I hand turn and will hand turn less than the twice a day I tried w/the failed BLRW's. I don't have thermometers or hygrometers, nor a fan. My best hatch was just previous to the BLRW's of my own eggs, mostly bantams and a few LF EE's and LF BOxRIR. I got 16 chicks (have new pics but need to download tomorrow) out of 25 eggs set. It seemed so easy! Then, failure!

NOW...??? We'll see three days after the 14th, I always give it three more days from the due date.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Now you are just teasing us!!!

 

[azelgin]

Here are the results from our first attempt:

# of Eggs Set: 37
# of Eggs Hatched: 28
Percentage % : 82% of fertile eggs
Type of Incubator: (brand, forced or still air or broody hen) Hova-Bator 1588 W/turner
Ave Temp Setting thru hatch: 99.5
Humidity setting Day 1-17 : 55% (see below)
Humidity setting Day 18-21: 65% ( " " )
LOCATION: (where you are from) S.E AZ, elevation 5300'
EGGS: (shipped vs. own pen or pickup nearby) Ours, from 9 & 11 month old pullets.
Variety (breed) of chicken: BO, EE, GLW, SLW, mostly mutt eggs
Month of year: 02/09

OK, here are the ways I tried to kill these eggs:

Humidity went to 70% after they were first set. I refilled the water tray when I first set them and didn't notice it had overflowed into the other trays, so after eight hours I pulled everybody out and dried up the spill.

On day ten, I unplugged the turner to plug in my candler (the cord was too short to reach the bator from my other electrical outlet) and forgot to plug it back in until a day and a half later.

Somewhere around day 15 (?) I let it run out of water and the humidity hit 20%. Couldn't have been longer than a day.

On day 18, I removed the turner, filled the second water tray and set the eggs on this super cool, nifty neat-O, anti-roll, home made Styrofoam egg holder. Closed the lid and watched the humidity DROP to 40%. The egg holder was sealing off the water trays. I shuffled the eggs around to get my Styrofoam pieces out, took the Styrofoam out to the shop and ran them through the table saw to cut dado grooves in the bottom to allow air flow. I reset the eggs and watched the humidity rise to 50%. And stay there. I opened the bator back up, shuffled the eggs again and set them on the wire rack. I did manage to install some permanent plumbing into the humidity tray, that worked great for filling and draining the water.

And . . . . . . . . . TA DA, we got chicks. First pip on the evening of day 19 and the last hatch the night of the 21st.

 

[BawGock]

This was my first hatch ever, finished on Monday:

# of Eggs Set:12
# of Eggs Hatched:11
Percentage % :91.6%
Hovabator 1588 w/turner
Ave Temp Setting thru hatch: 99-100
Humidity setting Day 1-17 :days 1-3 approximately 70-80%

, got a hygrometer then, days 3-17 40-50%
Humidity setting Day 18-21: 60-70%
LOCATION: Hayden, Idaho
EGGS: own eggs
Variety (breed) of chicken: BO mixed with RIR, BR, EEcrosses, australorps and golden sexlinks
Month of year:2/09

We started with our humidity too high but didn't realize it until we bought a hygrometer a few days into it.
One egg had a blood ring so it was removed but the rest were fine.
Pips started on day 20, 10chicks hatched on day 21 and 1 hatched early on day22.
Listen to the good people on this site:
Do not open the incubator from day 18 to until your hatch is complete!
Best advice I received for sure!

Carolyn

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Me, I've watched over my bator vigorously and there is no way, I'll get that kind of percentage... perhaps it's the altitude!

 

[Buster]

Eggs set- 35
Eggs hatched- 31
Percentage- 88.5%
Sportsman 1502 for first 18 days, HB 1588 last 3 days
Temps set at 99.5 in Sportsman and whatever HB is preset to.
Humidity averaged 76% all the way through
Shelley, Idaho- elevation 4700 ft.
Eggs- my own- Orp and Orp crossed on EE, SS, CM.
February of 09

 

[Mahonri]

Great hatch Jared. Like Miss Prissy says, coop to bator and you'll get better percentages.

It's interesting to see how the percentages go down with the shipped eggs.