DECEMBER Hatch-A-Long!😊

[rottngrrl]

I recently purchased a Styrofoam type still-air incubator (Little Giant) that I converted into a forced air by adding a little muffin fan. I simply removed a couple rails from the automatic egg turner (I don't need that many anyway) and placed the fan in on its side. I have several calibrated thermometers in there and the temps read evenly in all parts of the incubator, so the fan seems to be doing well on circulating the air. I feel like the fans that come standard in a lot of forced air incubators are so weak that there are inevitably hot and cold pockets, which is why I chose to cobble together a kind of DIY solution. It's working exactly as I hoped.

If you need all the egg rails, I saw that some people opted to mount the fan to the lid of the incubator. I'd be way too nervous to do this in fear of me doing it improperly and it falling and crushing the eggs, but other people seem to have had success with it.

Hopefully someone has a better solution that allows you to use all of the egg slots! Good luck!

Thank you Vixie-Daisy!! I actually have 2 of those laying around right now! I am going to go get them now! Thank you!!

 

[halefamily_flock]

Thought you might enjoy this image from a local breeder here in Hawaii of all places!
View attachment 2450010

Oh, my goodness! They are so cute!!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hybrid chick #9 needed a partial assist. She has a significant vaulted skull and could not get that big noggin out on her own. She seems to be fine otherwise. Photos are in the incubator, so could be better. Will get a better photo when she moves to the brooder.
Vaulted skulls are common in silkies and other crested breeds. Curious though as the chicks father’s skull in not that vaulted and the mother is not a crested breed. Only chick so far that has this, wonder what the genetics are in this case.

 

[cajuncluckerswla]

Welcome! I assume you’ll hear peeping from under your broody?
Good luck and keep us posted!

LOLOLOLOL.... Very true XD

I have to report that she has given up.... we had about 3 inches of rain last Friday and we came home to find her drenched to the bone, cold, and sitting by the door to the coop.

I took the loppers to the "fortress tree" and found the nest, but they were all popped open and in a puddle of water.... clever girl had found some blown down tin in there to lay under but the rising water flushed her out.

She'll try again one day I have no doubt.... BUT MAYBE SHE'LL WAIT UNTIL THE SPRING AND ACTUALLY USE THE HANDY DANDY ALWAYS- DRY NESTING BOXES o-O...... Lololololololol

 

[LapisLazuli]

I put my eggs into lockdown yesterday!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I put my eggs into lockdown yesterday!

Yay! Fingers crossed for a good hatch!

 

[AusHen]

Hope everyone is doing well. we have had shocking weather here (still do) flooding rain and wind which resulted in power outages. Sadly I lost soo many eggs in the incubator, only 3 left
My broody girls are going great protected from the weather though, 4 good eggs under the Polish and 2 under the Silkie, if I get any to hatch from the incubator I'll be putting them under the Silkie although the girls will most likely share anyway

 

[cajuncluckerswla]

Hope everyone is doing well. we have had shocking weather here (still do) flooding rain and wind which resulted in power outages. Sadly I lost soo many eggs in the incubator, only 3 left

Yet another heartbreaking reason I will insist on having a backup generator before attempting to incubate any eggs myself.... our power lines here give up the ghost if a squirrel pees too hard on them.... lololol

I hope you have three little musketeers in there and they make it out successfully!

 

[LapisLazuli]

Are wool hens safe? Wouldn't the chicks get tangled in the fleece strips?

 

[AusHen]

Yet another heartbreaking reason I will insist on having a backup generator before attempting to incubate any eggs myself.... our power lines here give up the ghost if a squirrel pees too hard on them.... lololol

I hope you have three little musketeers in there and they make it out successfully!

The Mr is getting me a generator for Christmas so this should be the last time I need to worry about power outages. Thankfully I let the broody chooks to most of the incubating, especially during my storm season