D'uccle Thread

[mstricer]

Quote: I put my styrofoam incubators in a closet, that seems to help control both humidity and temps

 

[Gagirly]

As far as the Brinsea, I have zero problems with temperature or humidity. Once I set the temperature, I never touched it again and I just keep water in one of the 2 channels. With the styrofoam, I have more problem with temperature than with humidity. I only hatch in it, so I keep the humidity at 50% or higher. I fill all the channels with water and also add vermiculite which soaks up the water and seems to keep it from evaporating as quickly. I read that people who hatch reptile eggs use it, so I tried it and it has worked for me.

 

[mmi 45]

doesn't look a lot like pic from ideal i wish they would show real pics

 

[wegotchickens]

Do you have any issues with humidity? I live in the south and seem to have issues with my previous styrofoam incubators and humidity levels.

I don't even measure humidity any more. I go with the dry-hatch method. My bator is in the basement, so no heat, and I only add water if the ambient humidity is low (watch the news, if under 30% then you're getting low). I add water at lockdown if we have had a dry week. My hatch rates are awesome.

When I was obsessing over the humidity I was drowning the poor chicks. Now I go with dry and they pop like popcorn.

If you worry, check the aircell. Big aircell = not enough water. Small aircell means too much.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

When i hatched my EE's in one of those cheapo foam incubators, i did a dry hatch and it turned out great too!

I would say a turner would be great if you are working a lot, but the only time you need the extra humidity is during lockdown

As long as you are not opening the lid, the eggs will provide their own humidity. If you go with the one without the turner, look into the cutout egg carton method and tip the whole bator, that's what i did since i was working with a cheapo styrofoam (which i don't recommend if you have a life)

 

[animalsRawesome]

Quote: Wegotchickens: What incubator are you using/ do you recommend? Do you have a turner, or is your bator being opened and closed throughout the hatch?

 

[Phoenix Farms]

I have a project color question. If I cross a golden laced sebright with a Mille Fleur rooster would I eventually end up with a golden laced D'uccle?

 

[wegotchickens]

Wegotchickens: What incubator are you using/ do you recommend? Do you have a turner, or is your bator being opened and closed throughout the hatch?

I adore my Brinsea Oct20 (cheap one, not digital). I actually bought a 2nd one so I could use one as a hatcher. I do have one turner, but I did turn it manually for a couple of hatches (you turn the whole unit, not individual eggs). I just got the turner because I tend to forget stuff when I'm in a hurry and I always seem to be in a hurry.

So, with a Brinsea, you can manually turn WITHOUT opening the bator. With dry hatches, I only open the bator to candle the eggs.

 

[animalsRawesome]

Quote: Oh, I didn't know that the Brinsea allowed you to turn without opening. Good to know!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

all you gotta do "turn" is tip one side of a bator up and put something to prop it All i did was use an empty cool whip tub! If the bator doesn't have a turner you take a paper egg carton and cut the cups to half the height, just enough to hold the eggs. That way the egg can still "breathe".

The carton helps to steady the humidity, as it soaks up and lets go. I didn't have sponges, so i improvised by saving little rectangles off the cut up carton, and set those in the tiny canning jars with an inch of warm water at lockdown, and filled the channels! Humidity was perfect!

I don't have notes on your specific bators, but i do have tons of hatching notes from my hatch and tons of bookmarked threads all about hatching in my siggy link, including how to calibrate your thermometor and hydrogametor if you need to know Also candling info, air cell info............. hey, it was my first hatch! I let the hens do the work before, now i truly appreciate their work


(the hydrogometer is taped to the TP tube, that's the only thing i could find that would prop it up at the right level

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