Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

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I was thinking I need to just get a new incubator - and I have had my eye on this one http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incuview-egg-incubator.html But then I realized it only holds 27 eggs. And really I have everything except the controller - so now I am considering buying 2 of these and replacing the "guts" of my Farm Innovator 4200 Pro and LG with these http://incubatorwarehouse.com/48-watt-incukit-dc.html

What do you think? And even then - do I trust it or do I need one of these for each also? http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-remote-thermometer-hygrometer.html

I have done more reading and I am thinking that maybe I have too low a temp overall because the hygrometer i have only has full degrees. So it either says 99 or 100. It mostly is at 99 which I am guessing is actually anywhere from 98.5 to 99.4. So for all I know it is running at 98.5 all the time. Although my hatches aren't delayed... and I am trying not totally dry hatching and adding enough water to get about 45% humidity for the first 18 days. Of course it won't be for the first 18 now because the next batch is on day 16, and the one after that is on day 5 now. The next 2 batches are due to ship on Monday.
 
If you are a little handy you can just buy an stc-1000 on amazon or eBay to control temps and a PC fan. I converted a farm innovators and a hovabator 1602N using them. They are now as reliable as a hovabator Genesis 1588.

When I am back in USA I can pm you the step by step if you like.
 

That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing!


I was thinking I need to just get a new incubator - and I have had my eye on this one http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incuview-egg-incubator.html But then I realized it only holds 27 eggs. And really I have everything except the controller - so now I am considering buying 2 of these and replacing the "guts" of my Farm Innovator 4200 Pro and LG with these http://incubatorwarehouse.com/48-watt-incukit-dc.html

What do you think? And even then - do I trust it or do I need one of these for each also? http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-remote-thermometer-hygrometer.html

I have done more reading and I am thinking that maybe I have too low a temp overall because the hygrometer i have only has full degrees. So it either says 99 or 100. It mostly is at 99 which I am guessing is actually anywhere from 98.5 to 99.4. So for all I know it is running at 98.5 all the time. Although my hatches aren't delayed... and I am trying not totally dry hatching and adding enough water to get about 45% humidity for the first 18 days. Of course it won't be for the first 18 now because the next batch is on day 16, and the one after that is on day 5 now. The next 2 batches are due to ship on Monday.

If you're looking into a new incubator, I recommend the genesis 1588. It holds temperature perfectly and it holds just as many eggs as the standard styrofoam incubators. (50 chicken eggs)

Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/GQF-1588-Gene...8&qid=1377953625&sr=8-1&keywords=genesis+1588
 
If you are a little handy you can just buy an stc-1000 on amazon or eBay to control temps and a PC fan. I converted a farm innovators and a hovabator 1602N using them. They are now as reliable as a hovabator Genesis 1588.

When I am back in USA I can pm you the step by step if you like.
That is a very generous offer, thank you :) Hm, that is tempting... although I will still be stuck finding some other way to deal with humidity right? Although, I do like the idea of the incu-kit in that it has everything and controls temp by reducing and increasing power constantly versus turning on and off.... I am somewhat handy - in that I have common sense and follow instructions well (9 years in the Army - I take orders well, LOL!).
 
That's very interesting.  Thanks for sharing!



If you're looking into a new incubator, I recommend the genesis 1588. It holds temperature perfectly and it holds just as many eggs as the standard styrofoam incubators.  (50 chicken eggs)

Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/GQF-1588-Genesis-Hova-Bator-Incubator/dp/B001O4L9LK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377953625&sr=8-1&keywords=genesis+1588
Yes, I thought about that one too, although I do like the idea of the proportional controller on the thermostat of the Incuview. But since I'd need two because I am doing staggered hatching I'd be looking at over $400. That is why I am thinking of trying the $50 "guts" and making my current ones into an icuview... if its possible. I think I may call them and see what they say about my idea.
 
OK, hit me with your best shot here.

My shipped eggs experience:

18 Welsummers - all dead by hatch time except one who hatched and then died. All badly malpositioned at eggtopsy.
14 Barred Rock - 3 hatched, all the rest died and the others that made it to lock down were badly malpositioned at eggtopsy
18 Breda - 9 made it to lockdown, one pipped and died in the shell day 19, all others were dead at eggtopsy with bad malpositions and could not even reach the air cell with the exception of one.
18 Quechua/Colloncas - 16 survived terrible shipping experience but none developed.

My personal mutts hatched fine (20 of 24 I think). I am dry hatching which leaves me with about 30% humidity in the bator for the first 18 days. Bator is forced air and 99-100 degrees. I move them to an LG still air for hatch with 65% - 70% humidity and temp of 101 at the top of eggs, 99 at the bottom.

I have let shipped eggs sit for a day before setting them. I have tried auto turners and now hand turning. I have hatched in cartons and I have hatched laying down.

Is this just what I should expect because they are shipped, its Texas and its summer. Or is there a common cause of malpositions that I don't know about?

I have 6 Bielefelder Eggs and 12 mor Quechua/Colloncas shipping to me on Monday. Is there even a point or am I just going to kill them all?

The Bredas that I just lost were perfect on day 19. All moving around and looking very much alive when I candled them. Day 21 they were all dead.
I have noticed that my shipped eggs like the dry incubation, but then they only hatch well if I only bring the humidity in my hatcher up to 45% and do it slowly over those four days. As soon as they internally pip, I pip a hole in the top of the shell and make sure that their beaks are well out of the membrane, then I bring the humidity up to the 50's. My shipped hatches have gotten a lot better (like going from 10% to 75%) and I am just using a plain old hova-bator.
 
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I noticed the same thing, I lost a lot of chicks this last hatch from raising it too high, my eggs hatched well, but the shipped chicks that hatched, came out really wet and gross.
 
Yeah, I don't know why, but for some reason eggs that I have gotten shipped seem to hold onto a lot of moisture and end up wet and I think that the wetness causes the malpositioning. I have found that my most malpositioned chicks are also the wettest and their yolk absorbtion is way behind the other chicks. And it has to be due to shipping, not my hygrometer because I'll get two out of 12 eggs that are really wet and one that is shrink wrapped and then the rest that are fine and the only variable is the shipping process. Of course, if they're malpositioned and not wet, you can assist with good results. I've noticed that it varies across breeds, too. Mutts that I get shipped are a lot less likely to have issues, but silkies are always like 75% wet for me, even if I keep the humidity low.
 
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I have been trying to give my broody hens my shipped eggs they seem to do a good job at hatching them.
 
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