After a "traumatizing" season last year, spoiled in prior years... this year has started off much better after a lot of changes!
- New cabinet incubator, retiring the styrofoam boxes (1 awesome Genesis 1588 and 2 Sportsman that were inconsistent)
- Using a humidity pump on the Sportsman box styles in their new use as hatchers. Humidity woes solved!
- Regulating the ambient conditions by using a small room dedicated to hatching, kept at 72 degrees and 30% humidity.
- Storing eggs on a turner rack.
After those changes and hatches, the next move I did was change the feed for the adults. From layer to starter, since free range is out of season and their runs won't get to grow anything for another couple of months.
100% set/hatch from all but the Marans this last batch! 3 duds and 1 failed pip from the Marans. 24 went into lock down, 23 hatched!
Yaaay! Though... I'm some what second guessing setting the 84 eggs I did last week if this is what I can expect percentage wise in the future... the brooders are gonna be full in no time and I'll have to unplug the incubator early!
Getting to the fun part of my hybrids in the 3rd generation, seeing some of the traits I'm aiming for! This is a grow out batch to watch.
- New cabinet incubator, retiring the styrofoam boxes (1 awesome Genesis 1588 and 2 Sportsman that were inconsistent)
- Using a humidity pump on the Sportsman box styles in their new use as hatchers. Humidity woes solved!
- Regulating the ambient conditions by using a small room dedicated to hatching, kept at 72 degrees and 30% humidity.
- Storing eggs on a turner rack.
After those changes and hatches, the next move I did was change the feed for the adults. From layer to starter, since free range is out of season and their runs won't get to grow anything for another couple of months.
100% set/hatch from all but the Marans this last batch! 3 duds and 1 failed pip from the Marans. 24 went into lock down, 23 hatched!
Yaaay! Though... I'm some what second guessing setting the 84 eggs I did last week if this is what I can expect percentage wise in the future... the brooders are gonna be full in no time and I'll have to unplug the incubator early!
Getting to the fun part of my hybrids in the 3rd generation, seeing some of the traits I'm aiming for! This is a grow out batch to watch.
