Chic Chick 'Bator *UPDATED*

[speckledhen]

Here's our homemade egg turner, made from the bottom of a milk crate and PVC pipe. You hand turn it from the outside of the bator:

 

[mom'sfolly]

I"ve never done hatching eggs, but I'm thinking about it, and I have several questions. I like the home made incubators, they look like a project I could do with my sons. My questions are...How do you place the eggs in the 'bater, on the sides or like in an egg carton? If you don't have an egg turner, how do you maintain the temperature to turn the eggs? How far do the eggs need to be turned? Do they need to be tilted from side to side or completely turned over? I've been trying to follow some of these threads but I get so confused?

I sort of want to understand before I start.

Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

The eggs just are tilted from side to side, aircell always up. If you handturn, you do it quickly and the temp will drop a little temporarily.

 

[BirdBrain]

Cynthia,
I just love your homemade egg turner. How big is your bator and what is it made of? Can you post more pictures?

Miss Prissy,
How did your hatch turn out? By my count you should have hatched them out my now.

 

[MissPrissy]

We had a 0% hatch. Which is exactly what I feared when I got the box with many broken eggs. I think the heat (high 90's - 100) and the poor handling by the PO did them in.

The incubator worked perfectly. I was able to maintain a constant temp in the water wiggler of 99 - 100.8, the humidity stayed at around 45% and I rarely had to add any water to it at all because it was so very humid here. On day 18 I stopped turning them and boosted the humidity to 75%.

None of the eggs showed signs of developing beyond a few days at the most.

I am so disappointed and don't feel like I am ready to attempt another hatch until the weather cools a bit.

I am looking forward to trying some of the blue orp eggs from Cynthia in a few weeks. Hopefully with better success.

 

[speckledhen]

Hopefully, it will be better this time. How about shipping those out to you on Oct. 8? At least if they are laying well. Everything hinges on that, doesn't it? I think the weather is going to be much better then than your last batch. And I promise to pack them VERY well so the P.O. gorillas can't do them in..we hope!

 

[BirdBrain]

I'm so sorry. That is very disappointing.

On the bright side, though, I made the best batch of yogurt I have made to date. It was smooth, creamy and not the least bit tangy..... and I thought of you with gratefulness.

 

[MissPrissy]

The week of the 8th should work out fine, Cynthia. Just let me know when you and the eggs are ready.

I have been drowning in milk Birdbrain. 1 gallon a day begins to stack up and I am struggling for ways to use it up. My chickens get some great dairy treats and cheese recipes gone awry. LOL

I keep thinking if only I could give this stuff away to someone like Birdbrain or ozarkhen. LOL

 

[BirdBrain]

Believe me, if we lived closer, we would gladly take the excess. My son adores goats milk.

My other two would learn to.

 

[speckledhen]

I had to get some printable online calendar sheets for 2008, LOL. Now, I think I have it organized and have orders set for about 8 weeks, then they start up again in February and go into April. I can just hear the collective groan from BYC if I decided to sell Suede and Scout!