Calling All New Brinsea Owners!!! February Hatch-a-long... PRIZES!!!

[1MrsMagoo]

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Guess we are both members of the sleepless hatching club. I also was up at 3 and again at 6:30 to check the bator....I don't drink coffee so have a big cup of Mountain Dew to get my caffiene...lol.

Sending good hatching vibes your way.

Come on little chickies.....

And big

for the new chicken parents!!!! We named the first one Victor or Victoria upon request of my daughter. I guess chick number two can be Brinsea!

The first two are in the brooder. Number three is just about out of its egg. Four and five are starting to zip and number six pipped a little while ago. It is really amazing to watch.....I already have the next batch of eggs lined up and am getting them Sunday. As soon as these guys are finished and the bator cleaned the new eggs will go in. It's official....
Hi, my name is Rhonda and I'm a hatch-a-holic and generally addicted to all things chicken

 

[vmdanielsen]

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I loved the carton method I tried it too. The chicks hatched out pretty easy and it made clean up much easier.

the carton method?

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Guess we are both members of the sleepless hatching club. I also was up at 3 and again at 6:30 to check the bator....I don't drink coffee so have a big cup of Mountain Dew to get my caffiene...lol.

Sending good hatching vibes your way.

Come on little chickies.....

And big

for the new chicken parents!!!! We named the first one Victor or Victoria upon request of my daughter. I guess chick number two can be Brinsea!

The first two are in the brooder. Number three is just about out of its egg. Four and five are starting to zip and number six pipped a little while ago. It is really amazing to watch.....I already have the next batch of eggs lined up and am getting them Sunday. As soon as these guys are finished and the bator cleaned the new eggs will go in. It's official....
Hi, my name is Rhonda and I'm a hatch-a-holic and generally addicted to all things chicken

Hi, Rhonda sounds like you have a plan & I'm sending good hatching vibes your way as well. Maybe you can answer a concern ? When should I take the biddies out of the bator their having a hard time walking over the other 39 eggs. Also, I think one has passed on. Thanks 7L.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

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Well, I waited for the chicks to look pretty dry and watched for them to get near the edge of the bator and lay down. Then I closed the vent on mine and let the humidity climb to the lower to mid-70's. I then quickly tipped the lid...did not remove it...opened it just enough to slip my hand in and grab the chick (had plenty of clearance for hand and chick). Both times my humidity only fell to 64-66% then quickly went back to 67% where I have been keeping it. I reopened the vent to 1/3 and everything worked out okay. I made sure to wait at least 30 minutes between the two.

I know people say not to open the bator

, but I didn't fully remove the lid...just opened a gap about 4-5 inches and the whole process took less than 15 seconds. Something to think about though.....It may have helped that the relative humidity of the air outside today is 69% according to my handy-dandy weather station. I guess it may work better if you live somewhere that the air outside the bator is nearly as humid as the air inside it.

Just a thought: You know if the air in your house is really dry (likes it gets when you run a gas furnace up north) it may draw the humidity down further when cracking the lid open....I don't know. At any rate, what I did worked here.

PS...two more pips to report.....up to three hatched....five additional pipped.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Well, I waited for the chicks to look pretty dry and watched for them to get near the edge of the bator and lay down. Then I closed the vent on mine and let the humidity climb to the lower to mid-70's. I then quickly tipped the lid...did not remove it...opened it just enough to slip my hand in and grab the chick (had plenty of clearance for hand and chick). Both times my humidity only fell to 64-66% then quickly went back to 67% where I have been keeping it. I reopened the vent to 1/3 and everything worked out okay. I made sure to wait at least 30 minutes between the two.

I know people say not to open the bator

, but I didn't fully remove the lid...just opened a gap about 4-5 inches and the whole process took less than 15 seconds. Something to think about though.....It may have helped that the relative humidity of the air outside today is 69% according to my handy-dandy weather station. I guess it may work better if you live somewhere that the air outside the bator is nearly as humid as the air inside it.

Just a thought: You know if the air in your house is really dry (likes it gets when you run a gas furnace up north) it may draw the humidity down further when cracking the lid open....I don't know. At any rate, what I did worked here.

PS...two more pips to report.....up to three hatched....five additional pipped.

Ok thanks again. I just got back & theres more my goodness. Another concern is I have the bator inside the house & the biddies will be going to my shed outside will they be ok to transport . The shed " Metal Building" is about 50 yards from the house & its cold out. What should I do?

 

[wsdareme]

Regarding the drop in humidity when you remove a chick to the brooder -- I just keep a small spray bottle of water and give a spritz before I close the lid. I've had 100% hatch rate, so it's either HELPING or it's just not hurting. LOL!

 

[chicmom]

I just bought a Brinsea, and it hasn't arrived yet! My chicks probably won't hatch this month, though. Can I still participate?

 

[chicmom]

I bought the Brinsea Octagan 20 Eco. I'll just tilt the incy myself for egg turning like the instructions said. Does anybody else have one and have you had good luck with it? Any advice at all would be appreciated!

Sharon

 

[leahthor]

My quail still haven't hatched! Come on!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

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I'm sure you have everything handled ....just a little check list.....Is the brooder area in the shed up to temperature? Since it's metal...do you have them confined to a specific area so they can't wander off into a corner or too near the walls? You have something on the floor for them to lay on that isn't cold...plenty of bedding, etc? You may want to put them in a tote or box with a heat lamp in the house until you are sure they are completely dry. I've never brooded outside in the cold, but have had experience with goat kids being born in cold weather: Nothing kills them faster than being wet in the cold and the smaller they are the faster it kills them.
Once the chicks are dry and you have a few ready....you could put them in a cardboard box to carry them out. That way, their bodies can help keep each other warm on both the short trip out and in the brooder as well. Just a suggestion. Maybe somebody who broods a similar way will kick in? Good luck fishing all those cute little fuzz-balls out of the bator!