Early February 2016 Hatch - Who's In?

[CoopDeDoo]

So I am down to Day 4 counting down... so 2 days until lockdown. And now I'm in that obsessive state where I think the eggs have wiggled, but wait, is it because they wiggled? Or because I've been staring at them for so long my eyes are crossing? Will I actually see them wiggle?

In other news, I set up my brooder today! I am so excited! I just hope that my two eggs hatch to keep each other company. I use two plastic kiddie pools bolted together (inverted) with an EcoGlow heater in it.

A question- one of my Silkies has gone super broody. Has anyone tried introducing a incubated chick to a broody hen? Would she "adopt" it? I'm just worried that if only one egg hatches, it will be really lonely. I thought I could try to get my hen to take it in? Thoughts?

I'm setting up my brooder too. At least for the first week I am using a ginormous Rubbermaid with a hardware cloth top. Ecoglow one end for warmth and "security". As far as the incubator goes - Temps are hanging at 98 on one therm and 99 on the other. I'll take it

 

[NTBugtraq]

I'm setting up my brooder too. At least for the first week I am using a ginormous Rubbermaid with a hardware cloth top. Ecoglow one end for warmth and "security". As far as the incubator goes - Temps are hanging at 98 on one therm and 99 on the other. I'll take it

FYI, they can't jump or otherwise get up 12" in the first 3 weeks. Now if they have things 3" tall they can get to they will go higher...but do think about how boring it is to see nothing but Rubbermaid walls...so I'd suggest you cut some holes in the side nearer the bottom so they can look out on the world around them. I would say that chickens are amongst the most curious mammals in the world. They need stimuli, they will do things to create stimuli, and they are way happier when they are being stimulated. The more they have seen beyond their boundaries, the more interested they will be in being picked up and brought out of their boundaries.

 

[CoopDeDoo]

FYI, they can't jump or otherwise get up 12" in the first 3 weeks. Now if they have things 3" tall they can get to they will go higher...but do think about how boring it is to see nothing but Rubbermaid walls...so I'd suggest you cut some holes in the side nearer the bottom so they can look out on the world around them. I would say that chickens are amongst the most curious mammals in the world. They need stimuli, they will do things to create stimuli, and they are way happier when they are being stimulated. The more they have seen beyond their boundaries, the more interested they will be in being picked up and brought out of their boundaries.

It's a clear rubbermaid and I have cats so the top is more for cat proofing in the event that the cats get past us and into the room. I've used it before so I know the chicks can see through the container - maybe not really well like glass but they can see us and we can see them

we call it chick television.

 

[NTBugtraq]

It's a clear rubbermaid and I have cats so the top is more for cat proofing in the event that the cats get past us and into the room. I've used it before so I know the chicks can see through the container - maybe not really well like glass but they can see us and we can see them

we call it chick television.

I've have always said, text carries so little of intent. I saw you say "security", and thought you figured they needed a place to run and hide when you approached, of course you meant "gotta keep the cats out"...lolz, that's like 2 extremes. Good for you.

 

[RookyChickMama]

Review of new little giant incubator, today is day 17, so far the humidity reading is way off, when I started it I filled all the reservoirs and it read 45-50 the cells looked a little small on day 14 so I emptied reservoirs it still read 40, today I bought a new digital thermometer that tells humidity also, it reads 22% so you cannot go by the little giant gauge at all. Tomorrow is lockdown so I'm going to refill all the reservoirs then to raise humidity for hatching. I should have bought the other one from the outset!

 

[RookyChickMama]

Plus side is the air cells have increased with the lower humidity!

 

[NTBugtraq]

Review of new little giant incubator, today is day 17, so far the humidity reading is way off, when I started it I filled all the reservoirs and it read 45-50 the cells looked a little small on day 14 so I emptied reservoirs it still read 40, today I bought a new digital thermometer that tells humidity also, it reads 22% so you cannot go by the little giant gauge at all. Tomorrow is lockdown so I'm going to refill all the reservoirs then to raise humidity for hatching. I should have bought the other one from the outset!

FWIW, the most expensive component in any bator that tells you things is its electronic thermos/hygrometer and its ability (if there) to make compensations (e.g. a computer part).

Cheap bator means cheap electronics, little or no calibration at factory, shipping causing that calibration to go off, and leakage that totally screws up its parameters (lid doesn't seal, but it only measures intake air at a fan spot).

IOWs, you get what you pay for.

Solutions can be;

• Duct tape the lid to the base.
• Buy better digital gadgets (e.g. Brinsea's spot thermos, or a hygrometer costing more than $20)
• Try what I did, I bought 5 different hygrometers all worth $3 or less, and average
• For temperature, but any of those point and shoot temperature gauges, they all seem to be fairly reasonable
• Forget using a hygrometer, and use egg weight loss instead, buy a jewelers scale for small hatches, or buy a kitchen scale for larger hatches. Weigh all eggs, not individual eggs, and do day to day comparisons.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Plus side is the air cells have increased with the lower humidity!

Yeah, lower humidity in the bator pulls more moisture out of the egg, good as long as its not too much.

 

[LilChickens2]

I managed to squeeze 50 eggs into each tray this time, achieving the Brinsea Ova Easy 100 suggested limit. These eggs come from my own layers, who are first generation offspring of pure Black Copper Marans Roosters mated with a dual purpose bird resembling a Red Sexlink. These birds are inbreeds, as they are mating with their own fathers. The oldest layer is ~34 weeks old, the youngest only 24 weeks. And here it is all set up and running. My expected hatch date is 2/20. I'm running at 99.6F, and 50% RH.

Good luck! The Brinsea 100 is next on my list to buy.

 

[Triplecross]

I had a chick that kinda pipped externally this morning. I was so excited but then on a closer look the pip didn't create a true hole in the shell, just a partial eruption, if that makes sense.

Did the chick die trying to external pip? Or is that normal to half-pip and then continue at a later time?