Couple questions from a first time hatcher, w/ homemade bator & shipped Araucana eggs!

[n8ivetxn]

Also, is there a proper time to "rest" shipped eggs? How do you do it? Just sit them in the up position in the turner, or something else?

 

[Ravynscroft]

For resting, check the air cells first... more damaged ones may need a bit more settling than ones that are more intact, majority wise... in the turner upright is fine...

I actually like the analog zoomed hygro/therm, but many don't... you can calibrate the hygro easy, as for the therm just calibrate the others, pick the most accurate one afterwards and place it and the zoomed side by side anywhere and compare temp readings after an hour... that should give you a close calibration check...

Actually, there are a lot of Araucana breeders, check the Araucana Club of America's website directory for breeder listings and many of them are on FB... hardest part is not many sell eggs, or it is limited with a wait list... most of the more serious breeders sell live birds only... for many reasons...

I don't offer eggs *yet*, I've struggled to get mine bred up properly and just recently acquired Apollo and am hatching his first generation of chicks here...

 

[n8ivetxn]

LOL.... this is getting crazy! Now I have 3 thermometers and 2 hygrometers in there

- 2 are analog, 1 digital. I like the zoo-med because of the color coding, makes it easy to read...

Now that you mention it, I do remember looking at the ACA website...

Ok, I'm going to sit down and try to candle some of these things.... I got 42 gorgeous eggs, one was cracked badly.... the box was in really good condition, so I hope the eggs are too....

How long have you been working on your birds? - If you don't mind my asking...

 

[Ravynscroft]

Heh, I always have at least 2 sets in each bator, and those aren't homemade, lol... you can never have enough, just in case one bites the dust in mid incubation... also good for checking if you have hot or cool spots...

Sorry for the cracked one, unfortunately the PO is not always great for eggs... :/ hope the rest are ok!!

No, I don't mind you asking... it's been about 3 years... they've been my unicorn, lol... worked from all shipped eggs, had many setbacks, predators, etc... actually got one of Apollo's sons last year, and lost him tragically before he could even meet the girls... then got a different cockerel and hen this year, from another source, but he turned super aggressive... now with Apollo, I am hoping to have some decent pullets to breed back in spring... the other part is that mine were mixed colors as well, so having to breed out tails, breed in tufts and then work on color takes time... then it will be working on egg color...

They're a tough breed to work with, but so worth it... they're much smarter than any other breed I have, excepting the Cemanis...

 

[n8ivetxn]

I candled the eggs, but being a first-timer, I'm sure my candling reflects that

. Some of them I couldn't see an air bubble, some it was easy to see. Some I could see a dark mass, others, not so
much....

Of course I'm using a small flash light, not the proper candling tool.... Some had saddle shape bubbles, I think. Some seemed small, others seemed quite large.







Ok, so now I have the 2 analogs that are still reading very close, and the new digital acu-rite that is way different.
The analogs: temp about 38C and 101F & humidity is 40%
The digital: temp is 97F and humidity is 31%

Even though it is new, I don't trust that digital thing... I wish I could, but I just don't believe the other 2 are wrong when they read so close!

I added a couple more ventilation holes, I feel better about that

and I had to add a small lid of water, the humidity had dropped to 27-29%...

"On your mark, ready - SET!"

RavynFallen: regarding aggressive roosters, I raise a rare breed of sheep and I cull aggressively for aggression in rams! I won't tolerate it, it's too dangerous. I firmly believe it is a heritable trait....I think more people should look for temperament in chickens. It's awful to have to watch your back when you go to the hen house! I used to have an Americauna roo that was horrible, and then a Salmon Fav roo lost his mind too!

I quickly found them a place in the freezer

 

[Ravynscroft]

Did the ones that seemed to have larger air cells jiggle when you tilted the egg? If they did, then they might just seem larger due to membrane separation from shipping damage... I wouldn't think he'd send older eggs, but I've also never gotten eggs from him...

If majority of the air cells look solid, meaning no jiggle, you can set them when you like... lots of jiggle, I'd give them a day... but if those air cells are big due to age, that worries me...

Personally, I set as soon as the eggs are room temp... if air cells are mostly damaged, I won't turn for 1 day only... but I quit the not turning for a few days or only gently tilting them side to side... I found my hatch rates increased with the turner going sooner rather than later, but that's just me...

As for aggression, we have a zero tolerance here as well... my OH tried to argue with me over it once, it was our only male at the time, until I handed him said bird and he realized how big he really was... he agreed that it's just too dangerous and I flat out won't tolerate it... luckily, it's rare here... only had one that went aggressive that I personally hatched... the others were gotten as juveniles or young adults...

 

[n8ivetxn]

Yeah, he seems like a good guy and reputable breeder.... his birds have participated in studies with UCDavis and other universities, and he's been doing this for 40 years. I don't think they're ancient eggs.... In any case, I just popped them all in the 'bator

after a 12 hr rest - I can't wait any longer! You know how it is

Ok, now I have to go to the barn and check on my pregnant ewe, she's ready to pop any time

Y'all have a goodnight!