DECEMBER Hatch-A-Long!😊

[LadiesAndJane]

Mini photo shoot for the craigslist ad! Amazing what size difference in just a few days. From one day old to six days old. Six of six have hatched so far. Four black and two blue. Really hard to tell until they were completely fluffed up! Funny how the ameraucana cheeks seem to follow the blue color, at least in these very unscientific results I am getting. Have more expected for Sunday.

 

[Tonyroo]

Mini photo shoot for the craigslist ad! Amazing what size difference in just a few days. From one day old to six days old. Six of six have hatched so far. Four black and two blue. Really hard to tell until they were completely fluffed up! Funny how the ameraucana cheeks seem to follow the blue color, at least in these very unscientific results I am getting. Have more expected for Sunday.

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They have such a fluffy face it's so cute.

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

This is genius!

Up until now I've been using the cheap chinese built machines - my last 3 hatches with my own eggs have been 100% - so it is possible to get good results with budget equipment!

Here's the machine I have been using to incubate:
(I also have the smaller HHD 12 egg machine as a backup which has been very reliable when needed).


And here's the machine I use to hatch:


The saying "you get what you pay for" really does ring true for these machines though and don't often last - it's not long before a sensor or a heating element goes - so you either commit yourself to replacing parts or replacing the machine. I have bitten the bullet this summer and ordered a more expensive machine for incubating (a Brinsea) - I need to know that the first 18 days are not going to be spoilt by a technical mishap part way through.

 

[seeingreen]

Photo?

Here’s the last two. The last one to hatch has really short outer toes.

one left in the incubator!

 

[aliciaplus3]

Up until now I've been using the cheap chinese built machines - my last 3 hatches with my own eggs have been 100% - so it is possible to get good results with budget equipment!

Here's the machine I have been using to incubate:
(I also have the smaller HHD 12 egg machine as a backup which has been very reliable when needed).
View attachment 2442289

And here's the machine I use to hatch:
View attachment 2442290

The saying "you get what you pay for" really does ring true for these machines though and don't often last - it's not long before a sensor or a heating element goes - so you either commit yourself to replacing parts or replacing the machine. I have bitten the bullet this summer and ordered a more expensive machine for incubating (a Brinsea) - I need to know that the first 18 days are not going to be spoilt by a technical mishap part way through.

I started in 2017 with a similar machine... after I got a GOOD thermometer I realized it was having major temp swings almost 10deg up and down! that explained the 10% or lower hatch rates.... my DH told me to quit messing around and just order a GOOD one so I bought a brinsea ovation 56ex and I still love it! I have added a cabinet (1934 model) incubator and 3 nurture rite 360's I mostly use the cabinet and the brinsea but we are heading into hatching season here so I may have ALL of them full shortly! lol

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

Mini photo shoot for the craigslist ad!

Cute babies!!

If I may make a recommendation for anyone doing baby pictures? I would get a large piece of white card-stock type paper (the flimsy poster board works great!) and set it up in a sweep, making sure your light is hitting the background and not being blocked by it. It will instantly make your pictures look more polished, especially for sale purposes! Or just for bragging!

Another cheap tip is for lighting - you can create a cheap softbox light out of the type of light fixtures we use for brooders, with a layer or two of paper towels taped over the light (I recommend led's, incandescent can catch fire doing this) depending on how soft you want things. Then set up some Rembrandt light, and you are good to go!

 

[The Kooky Kiwi]

I bought a brinsea ovation 56ex and I still love it!

That is "exactly" the machine I just ordered LOL... and for exactly the same reasons haha. I've already informed my other half that when that arrives I will be hatching EVERYTHING! haha.

But I do appreciate that not everyone can afford to buy those so wanted to illustrate that it IS possible to get reasonable hatches with budget gear. Just takes a little extra monitoring and knowing what to watch out for (i.e. temp & humidity fluctuations).

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Up until now I've been using the cheap chinese built machines - my last 3 hatches with my own eggs have been 100% - so it is possible to get good results with budget equipment!

Here's the machine I have been using to incubate:
(I also have the smaller HHD 12 egg machine as a backup which has been very reliable when needed).
View attachment 2442289

And here's the machine I use to hatch:
View attachment 2442290

The saying "you get what you pay for" really does ring true for these machines though and don't often last - it's not long before a sensor or a heating element goes - so you either commit yourself to replacing parts or replacing the machine. I have bitten the bullet this summer and ordered a more expensive machine for incubating (a Brinsea) - I need to know that the first 18 days are not going to be spoilt by a technical mishap part way through.

I love Brinsea, expensive, but has been worth it. I also just bought an NR360 which is really popular here. Happy with it so far, but I HATE the lid and the way it fits.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Here’s the last two. The last one to hatch has really short outer toes.

one left in the incubator!

Love that facial expression!
Does the one with the short toes have any trouble walking?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Cute babies!!

If I may make a recommendation for anyone doing baby pictures? I would get a large piece of white card-stock type paper (the flimsy poster board works great!) and set it up in a sweep, making sure your light is hitting the background and not being blocked by it. It will instantly make your pictures look more polished, especially for sale purposes! Or just for bragging!

Another cheap tip is for lighting - you can create a cheap softbox light out of the type of light fixtures we use for brooders, with a layer or two of paper towels taped over the light (I recommend led's, incandescent can catch fire doing this) depending on how soft you want things. Then set up some Rembrandt light, and you are good to go!

Thanks for the tips! Not sure what you mean by a sweep? My teenage daughter normally takes the photos for me.