December Hatch-A-Long 2014

[Debs55]

I always have to slightly increase the temp when I take the egg turner out, because the heat from the turner motor is not in there. I always Add warm water, BUT app 100 degree(you can convert--lol)---not cold or hot. It seems you have Way to much water in it, but??? What kind of incubator are you using?

Its a digital thermostat so it shouldn't need messed with. Its a homemade incubator. Its big and wooden and I think that is my problem. After this hatch (if any hatch) we are going to gut this one and make another cooler incubator like my other one. Also there is no fogginess or condensation on the windows. I think I am just going to leave it alone for now except for adding water when needed and see what happens

Edited to add that my thermostat has been calibrated

 

[Renee572]

I know people candle at different times and for different reasons. I do not candle in the single digit days because I want to give the eggs a chance. I candle the first time on day 12 to remove any clear eggs and then again on day 18 when I remove the turner. On day 18 I remove any eggs that did not develope/died early/etc. The only time I have ever had a Bad egg was from buying eggs from a Auction---where we have no idea how old they are. If you set fresh layed eggs, your chances of having one to explode is very slim.

thanks... the real question is how exactly do I know they stopped developing or died? In this case will I always see a blood ring or do I judge by the size, like if most of them have the entire egg filled with a black blob and one only has a small black blob?

 

[PD-Riverman]

when I candled mine last night I got a rotten one. smelled it as soon as I picked it up. and it came fresh from my own hens! it was so nasty!

It can happen. I been setting 50 to 100 per week for months and have had only one that had a smell when I candled on day 18. Hope that does not change!!

 

[Debs55]

It can happen. I been setting 50 to 100 per week for months and have had only one that had a smell when I candled on day 18. Hope that does not change!!

Oh I know it doesn't happen often at all. This is the first time I have ever had a rotten egg and Ive been hatching for 4 years (mostly with broodies until now). But when it does happen oh my gosh it stinks. Im glad I handled every egg before lockdown

 

[PD-Riverman]

thanks... the real question is how exactly do I know they stopped developing or died? In this case will I always see a blood ring or do I judge by the size, like if most of them have the entire egg filled with a black blob and one only has a small black blob?

I you candle on day 18 and you can see a smaller black spot with what appears to be liquid moving as you tilt the egg some---you can throw it out. A full developd egg will be "most" all dark except for the air cell.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Oh I know it doesn't happen often at all. This is the first time I have ever had a rotten egg and Ive been hatching for 4 years (mostly with broodies until now). But when it does happen oh my gosh it stinks. Im glad I handled every egg before lockdown

I do the smell test with Every egg I candle too!! LOL

 

[ChickyChickens]

Okay...my incubators are finally working properly!!

 

[Debs55]

thanks... the real question is how exactly do I know they stopped developing or died? In this case will I always see a blood ring or do I judge by the size, like if most of them have the entire egg filled with a black blob and one only has a small black blob?

Here is what I do (keep in mind everyone does it differently):

I candle on day 7 and day 14 for my broodies:
Day 7: If there is veining they are good and go back under momma, If I don't see veining or it just looks off I mark it with an X and it still goes under momma but I know to double check those later. If momma has a lot of eggs sometimes I will check the marked ones and keep or toss on day 10 to give her more room under her.

Day 14: should see a small amount of veining near the air cell (make sure you see an air cell! If not it may just be full of rotten yolk) and then should pretty much see a black blob. The blob is probably moving some. Usually the easiest place to see movement is right above the air cell. If moving it goes back. If not moving or looks odd it gets marked and still goes back. Those marks only help when after every other one has hatched I can say "oh well that one looked funny on day 14 so it is likely it wouldn't hatch"

Same concepts for the incubator but I candle days 10 and day 18

 

[PD-Riverman]

Its a digital thermostat so it shouldn't need messed with. Its a homemade incubator. Its big and wooden and I think that is my problem. After this hatch (if any hatch) we are going to gut this one and make another cooler incubator like my other one. Also there is no fogginess or condensation on the windows. I think I am just going to leave it alone for now except for adding water when needed and see what happens

Edited to add that my thermostat has been calibrated

OK, is it a "Proven" incubator or is this its first hatch?

Edited to add-----what kind of heat source are you using and what kind of thermostat in it?

 

[Debs55]

OK, is it a "Proven" incubator or is this its first hatch?

first hatch. Trial run. I know not to expect much