Calling out to DipsyDoodleDoo,ZuniBee,Speckledhen and too many others

[leecey411]

Calling out to Dipsy Doodle Doo, ZuniBee, Speckled Hen and too many others to name! I learn something new everytime I log on. So, I that it would be great if there was a post where experienced hatchers could post an item or two. The kind of info that is not readily available. I think it would make a great sticky!

 

[cherndon712]

I'll second that motion!!!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Don't ask me

My best advice would be "don't count your chicks before they hatch".
Aleese, are you planning to do a Day 14 candling?

Lisa

 

[leecey411]

Funny you should ask... my budget does not allow for a new mag lite so I may try and build a candler today or just wait today 18, which is Friday night at 11pm.

As for info, YOU ARE A FOUNTAIN!!!
Whenever I spend I few moments reading other people post I learn something new. This time I am keeping my vents open for better circulation. I had never opened them till hatching. And when removed from the turner I will lay the eggs across pipecleaners to keep big ends up. I ever did that either. I also could not understand why so many good eggs at day 18 never hatched???
I can't wait to see what pops out of your NN eggs Lisa! I have Sizzles and Silkies with the chance of a Showgirl in there too!
Less than a week to go!

 

[speckledhen]

Not much I could say that I haven't said before.
I like an old slide projector for a candler.
Never throw out a questionable egg till after about Day 12-14, when it will be obvious if its not growing properly, unless, of course, it smells bad.
My favorite humidity values, ones that work well for me all the time, are 40-50% the first 18 days and 65-70% the last three days.
Unless you are a very experienced candler or there's a particular reason for it, try not to candle before Day 7-9 and then again at 13-14 then when they go into the hatcher to be sure a peep hasn't expired.
No big secrets here. Even when you do everything right, sometimes, they just don't make it and you can't beat yourself up about it.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I guess the best thing I learned along the way was more ventilation, especially at the end. If you have near or fully formed chicks that did not hatch out likely your ventilation was not enough at the end. They really need the oxygen at that time, and in our efforts to raise the humidity we sometimes think it's right to reduce ventilation. Also the more water air is packing the less it's able to exchange gasses so more air has to pass by to get the same ventilation to the chick. So raise your humidity another way, just greater surface area of water mostly. Also watch out for your heat getting too high, the chicks are now generating their own heat so sometimes the temp in the bator spikes without it even trying to heat it up. Depends on how many eggs you have still in there. The last days are not a good time for the bator to be crowded! Too much heat, not enough ventilation.

If your using your own eggs make sure your hens are on a breeder ration, at least 18%, and have a vitamin mineral suplament so you have high hatchability. If your roo is playing favs with a few hens lock him up for a week then rotate him out with each hen, or a couple hens each day so they all get to be with him once every 4 days to a week, and he is alone at night. They don't need him every day, in fact a breeding stressed hen has lower fertility than one that is more left alone. They store his sperm for a long time, and he needs to be motivated to want all his girls if he is a picky type.

 

[speckledhen]

April, thanks, I left the ventilation aspect out. One BIG mistake is pretty much suffocating the chicks trying to get humidity to rise. Good point!

 

[silkiechicken]

1) Get temps set and bator going BEFORE the eggs arrive.
2) Do not touch the bator for the first 24 hours of setting eggs
3) Leave the eggs alone
4) Leave the eggs alone some more
5) Temp is more important than humidity, just try to make sure i stays in about the 50% range and up it to 70 or so near the end
6) #5 is not a hard and fast rule. I don't do it... Add water first 2 weeks, dry for last week.
7) All incubators are different, and so are all rooms that the incubator lives, it takes time to get the right setup for success
8) Leave the eggs alone, turn if necessary
9) Don't open the bator on the last three days
10) Temp spikes and dips will not always kill, it depends on duration
11) Measure temp at egg level.
12) If heated via light bulb, black thermometer will read hotter than white one
13) Leave the eggs alone
14) Sleep

I find the best candling device is my LED upgraded surfire 6p. No need to take eggs out of bator to candle.

 

[marcuscarr]

Can I see a photo of your "LED upgraded surfire 6p."

Marcus

 

[leecey411]

Dear Moderator, may I be so bold to ask if this post can be a sticky so newbies can get all this info at the start of incubation, rather than as replies to stressful situations.