ChooksChick's Incubation Cheat-Sheet ROCKS!!!

[BawGock]

Quote:
my incubator (a genesis 1588) has a fan and it worked great!

Me, too!
I have the same bator and it works great

 

[ChooksChick]

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have a picture in my head now of a dimly lit corner... silhouette of person in long overcoat... "hey man, you lookin to buy?"

Approaching the stranger, one side of rain coat is pulled open to reveal...... little fuzzy butts....

I can hook you up...teach you to cook your own, know-whud-I-mean?

A person can do a lot more if they gots the skillz....

 

[amast13]

1. When you remove the turner on day 18 do you just set the eggs outside the incubator add the paper towels, egg crate, and then put them back in? Isn't this a significant drop in heat level?
2. Are the hatchlings ok to be left in the incubator with the cardboard egg crate?
3. When do you remove hatchlings?
4. Does anyone have a photo of the eggs in the egg crates?
5. Does the small end go down in the egg crate? Or do you lay them on their sides?

Thanks

 

[Mike32]

I'm gonna give it a shot then. I've had 2 awful hatches so far so I'm in. I'm just a little concerned about the not adding water for the days 1-18. I live in New Mexico where it is really dry so I hope I don't cook them or something.

 

[redhd077]

I am trying this method this hatch! This is my second hatch.....i didn't get any hatch my first hatch! I Hope it works good!!

 

[ChooksChick]

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1. Often, I transfer them to a different incubator that I use as a hatcher, but when I don't transfer, I mostly do one of two things: a) I leave them in the turner and just unplug it, or b) I take the whole thing out and do exactly as you described. If there's a reason to be sensitive to aircells, such as detached aircells, I may lay them down instead. In this case, I prop up the wire an inch so it doesn't decrease their central temp due to the distance from the heating element. The loss in temp is huge. It's not, however, huge to the embryo. They are manufacturing their own body heat at this point and the loss is negligible to them. The hen still gets off the nest for up to an hour at this stage in nature, so it's really not as detrimental as you might think.

2. Yes. They will be wobbly, but since even damp it's still the right temp, it's not an issue. I often find babies nestled in the cups, cozy and happy.

3. I use an LG to hatch, generally, so I can go in through a window to remove chicks once they are fluffy. I do that, though many swear you will cause problems by opening it at all. I can only say I haven't found it to be a problem for me. I do not remove them when I use the Hovabator, as there is a significant heat and humidity loss with that unit, having to open it up pretty wide. It's also a taller dome and the risk of them burning themselves on the element isn't as great.

4. I know there are tons of photos on the Mahonri's New Year's and Easter Hatchalongs, but you'll have to go through a lot. Find the set date in the first post and then seek the posts around that time for the pics participants posted of their set-ups.

5. I addressed this in the answer #1, but I'll repeat: in general, I put them point-side down if using a carton, but I usually lay them on their sides in a machine pre-warmed and set-up for the correct temp while they are laying on the floor on a paper towel. If I am using a turner, I will often just leave them in it, but UNPLUGGED (don't forget this, as the turner can injure chicks). If using the cartons, I put them in point-down.

Hope this helps!

 

[OHhappychicks]

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amast13 - I will try to answer your questions but remember, this is my first hatch, but I followed chookschick, and this sight that I think she pm'd me. http://paraguinparadise.netfirms.com/Dry Incubation.htm, on dry incubation.
1. We set the eggs out of the bator into the paper cartons and my DH held the top of the bator over the eggs. I didn't put paper towels in mine. I just filled the center well about 1/2-3/4 full put the carton back in, set the thermos and hygro, and closed her up. A mother hen gets off her eggs sometimes, and unless you left them out for a long period, they don't have time to cool down much. It took about 1 whole day for my temps to come back up to 100. I actually had to tweak my thermostat and watched it closely until I had it where it should be. Honestly, I thought that might have hurt them, but they are hatching as we speak!
2. The hatchlings can be left in with the egg carton. I have had 5 hatch out today

and they are jumping

and crawling all over the other eggs and the carton. In my opinion the carton helps protect the other unhatched eggs.
3. The chicks can stay in the bator up to 3 days. The yolk sac provides them with nourishment. When chicks are shipped, they are usually doing fine, in my experience anyway, and they are in transit about 3 days. when you do transfer them to your brooder, dip their beaks in water, and they will find their way to the food. Make sure the brooder is all set up with heat lamp, food & water, and I put newspaper with a little wood chips on top in the bottom.
4. I do have a photo, but can't find the cord to hook to my computer to download!

Will try to post as soon as I find it!
5. Small end down, big end up. Many on here lay their eggs on their sides. As I am not experienced enough to know if you take them out of the turner and lay them down is an ok thing to do or not, I reserve the right to be wrong!!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I have revived this because I have used this method for over a year. I live in Florida and this method works depending on the season. Spring and fall are the worst. With the rogue cold fronts that we have had pass through, the humidity can drop like a rock over night. Since I live in the center of the state we do not have the humidity levels that are on the coast. It works better for me when the air or the heat is on because the humidity is more stable. Bottom line is sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

 

[CrazyChickens09]

Dang it..I cant get it to show up...sighs

 

[jess5254]

I cant get it to show up either!!! Thats a bummer.