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

[familypendragon]

I so wish one of my ladies would go broody, but honestly its probably too hot here now for outdoor hatching. I think its about 107 in the coop right now, poor things. I talked ot DH about all my options and he said to go ahead and get the Incu-kits and give them a try. He liked the easy conversion to battery power since we already have several solar panels and batteries set up. He said it was a good use for them in case of power outage etc. So I went ahead and got 2 incukits, the 12 volt battery cord for both, and the 12 volt turner motor for one. Not sure exactly how/when I will convert both the bator and hatcher since they are both in use. Maybe I will get a cooler to use temporarily so I can work on one at a time... In the meantime I hope the ones I have in now make it. I tired to up the temp a little so it would stay at 100 instead of 99 and now it keeps jumping to 102 (forced air). So I keep adjusting it so little that I am not sure I actually did anything (those dials are ridiculous - need to glue on something bigger) and hope I can get it to hold 100. Good thing I am home all day....

 

[loveourbirds]

a whole day and no posts!!! guess its the holiday weekend.

familypendragon- did you get your temperature regulated?

 

[elliechooks]

I have just set another lot of shipped eggs. 3 have floating air cells, the other 3 I couldn't see the air cells at all, but they are quite dark eggs and I think my lamp needs new batteries!

 

[lizanne]

I had the first hatch of eggs from my own chickens! So exciting, and so much easier than with shipped eggs. These are chicks from a Salmon Favorolle roo, and my "wheaten-ish" EE pullet. All of them have been hatching super early, and I'm not sure why. Temp in the bator has been between 99-100. The first 2 were set on 8-11 and hatched Thursday afternoon (8-29) and Friday morning (8-30). The 3 was set on 8-15, and hatched last night (9-1). They haven't had any issues and seem super healthy. #1 and #3 both hatched with only 20% humidity. I put them with one of my broodie hens, because I hadn't set up a separate brooder from them.

 

[sumi]

Congrats, lizanne, they're gorgeous!

 

[familypendragon]

a whole day and no posts!!! guess its the holiday weekend.

familypendragon- did you get your temperature regulated?

I keep thinking so and then it either shoots up to 102 or down to 98 - so no I don't get it. I moved the eggs on Day 18 to the hatcher today. Its been holding 102/65% perfectly for days. After I put them in it went up to 104. I have adjusted it again and am hoping it will stay at 102 again. The incubator is hovering around 99 again since I took them out. I am afraid to do much tweaking but I am trying to get it up to 100 again without going over. I can't wait till my incukits get here.

 

[loveourbirds]

i hope the incukits fix your problems. i know you have already ordered them. i have great luck with replacing the original thermostats with wafers. i love the dual wafer thermostats.

a trick i learned on little giant, if the temp went erratic- turn the thermostat down to just below 99* and let it set for 2-3 hours, then bump the temp back up to 100* if your fighting the temp in both directions, you usually end up over adjusting and messing yourself up.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I officially have Bleached clean EMPTY BATORS!!! YAYAYYAAA Next up, removal all birds from my basement! They guy that wanted me to hatch him serama is not responding, so I will assume I need to post them for sale, I get so irritated with people!!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I have just set another lot of shipped eggs. 3 have floating air cells, the other 3 I couldn't see the air cells at all, but they are quite dark eggs and I think my lamp needs new batteries!

Good Luck!!!

I had the first hatch of eggs from my own chickens! So exciting, and so much easier than with shipped eggs. These are chicks from a Salmon Favorolle roo, and my "wheaten-ish" EE pullet. All of them have been hatching super early, and I'm not sure why. Temp in the bator has been between 99-100. The first 2 were set on 8-11 and hatched Thursday afternoon (8-29) and Friday morning (8-30). The 3 was set on 8-15, and hatched last night (9-1). They haven't had any issues and seem super healthy. #1 and #3 both hatched with only 20% humidity. I put them with one of my broodie hens, because I hadn't set up a separate brooder from them.

AWESOME!!!

 

[chicksooner]

I keep thinking so and then it either shoots up to 102 or down to 98 - so no

I don't get it. I moved the eggs on Day 18 to the hatcher today. Its been holding 102/65% perfectly for days. After I put them in it went up to 104. I have adjusted it again and am hoping it will stay at 102 again. The incubator is hovering around 99 again since I took them out. I am afraid to do much tweaking but I am trying to get it up to 100 again without going over. I can't wait till my incukits get here.

Not sure if you have done this or not yet but I use little glass bowls filled with water with snap on lids to take up space in my bators. Having the mass in there helps the bator hold temps better. Good luck!