EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Sally Sunshine]

Hi Sally!!!!

On my Brinsea's, I take the top apart every time I hatch in them. I found that the screws started to rust after the 10th hatch or so. I now rub soap on all the screws before putting them back in. It's cut down on the rust. It's a total hassle.

Since they have discontinued my incubator, I ordered a bunch of extra fans and gears etc. The only thing that has broken so far, is the clutch on the turner - twice. So, I keep several replacements on hand.

I have to lock my kitten up each time I clean them, since I found out the loose screws are a GREAT toy. Took me about an hour to find one that he took off with.

see, this shouldn't HAVE to be done this way, if it needs taken apart like that they should have some sort of simple clips or something, not tiny little screws all over the place and screwed into cheap plastic like that. its BS and if they rust I will have another fit to them, I am sure they are having a ball with my email lol

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Hey he is similar to my chick! Dad is a very pretty darker colored EE, like a bluishblack with tan shoulders?? He's pretty anyway! Your dude is beautiful too, have to say I've never seen a white EE rooster!

Most of my screws have rusted too. The one that screws in the turning mechanism is completely rusted out, not sure what I'd do if I ever had to replace that part! I've painted clear nailpolish on all the rest to try and keep them from rusting more.

good lord!!! how expensive is it to use stainless tiny screws! but again we shouldn't have to even discuss this with a company that charges so much for incubators.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Talking hatching on here? I just hatched some sexlinks. Don't normally do any hatching at this time, but wanted some good layers to start this coming spring. They will lay, got a couple of girls. Didn't know that I would have a bad fall, so had to get rid of a lot of large hens out there that were getting older, and a lot of the babies, but I will have some layers come spring. Who's ready for Halloween..glad we do a parking lot thing in our area. We go park our cars, set up our area..we just sit in the back of our Gimmy and pass out candy. I have a cute bowl with a witch hand that will activate as the children go to reach for candy, she will say in a witchy voice...want some caandy? Happy Halloween.. t
ick or treat. The little ones I have learned I need to let parents know whats about to happen, scares a lot of the real young ones.

Cynthia! I didn't recognize your avy!! yes, I just hatched ducks and am complaining about this huge new brinsea bator pc of junk! not my ducks for a friend.

We don't take the kids out anymore, we just take them to the candy store. LEss hassle no worries, say heres 15 bucks get what you like.

plus kids are getting sorta big not that I am thrilled with that
HArmonyAnn needs to stop growing up!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Well I read through both posted articles...not sure what I think caused it....temp problems in the brinsea probably, to have all those fresh local healthy eggs from three different farms suddenly up and die at the same time after they were doing well in Uglybator...

Uglybator hatched mostly on day 20, so a little earlier than expected. Temps were a little high (around 101) so that's not too surprising. Humidity was spot on so it's not that. A lot of "disease" and contamination came up. I doubt it was disease, but contamination...I mean I suppose it could have been. I did have wet fingers once when I started to turn the eggs in ugly. ANd I don't really wash my hands before turning them (only afterwards) I try to sanitize my incubators really well after every hatch (hot water with dishsoap + clorox disinfectant wipes after). I guess I'll be more conscious about washing my hands before handling eggs? Eventually I'll get a better thermometer too. I have another request to hatch eggs for a friend so I really want to figure this out.

I never wash my hands before turning shhhhh I didn't say that! lmao
I doubt that was the issue seriously
look at the duck eggs I just hatched, nasty gross
I would double check thermometers,
I always run calibrated 100.5 and lower at lockdown barely add water unless humidity drops here, but haven't had that issue this year.

Are you sure it isn't a hen or flock issue? sometimes its good to give extra vits and minerals as they may be lacking in something

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Sometimes, I do the basic 3 liter of milk, 0.5 cup of vinegar or lemon 85C° strain, some salt and eat.
I have got Rennin but didn't have the chance to use it, all the milk that we have here is HTST pasteurized, so it isn't so good for cheese, I wish I had enough land to rase 3 goats.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_pasteurization

12 MONTHS holy molasses on the table!!!
is it kept cold this time as well?

I made mozzarella took three tries to get it right and understand the process, I also tried a simple whey ricotta but it wasn't very good, really no flavor and it seemed more like mozzarella chunks than true ricotta. I will try some farmer cheese with some herbs etc come spring. but for now its all frozen and I will use for cooking and for soaps.

I have made
chocolate pies,
moz cheeses
Ricotta
ice cream
soaps
Kajeta
cooked icing for cakes
this was the ricotta, sure thought I had it, it looked great and then after refrigeration it was sorta all stuck and hard.

 

[Akrnaf2]

good lord!!! how expensive is it to use stainless tiny screws! but again we shouldn't have to even discuss this with a company that charges so much for incubators.

They REALLY want to charge also for replacement parts.......

 

[Akrnaf2]

12 MONTHS holy molasses on the table!!!
is it kept cold this time as well?

I made mozzarella took three tries to get it right and understand the process, I also tried a simple whey ricotta but it wasn't very good, really no flavor and it seemed more like mozzarella chunks than true ricotta. I will try some farmer cheese with some herbs etc come spring. but for now its all frozen and I will use for cooking and for soaps.

I have made
chocolate pies,
moz cheeses
Ricotta
ice cream
soaps
Kajeta
cooked icing for cakes
this was the ricotta, sure thought I had it, it looked great and then after refrigeration it was sorta all stuck and hard.

All this from your own goats milk?
Ricotta is made from the whay, and not from the actual milk.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

oh BENNY

I forgot to tell you!

HarmonyAnns hen was sick with something we have no clue what, she was just sitting in the corner, I fed her whey from the moz cheese instead of water for two days and Ill be darned if she didn't get up and walk away from sickness!! so until I know what to do with the whey I put in waterers and feed to chickens!

The Brahama on the left, she is still kicking!!

 

[venymae]

I never wash my hands before turning shhhhh I didn't say that! lmao
I doubt that was the issue seriously
look at the duck eggs I just hatched, nasty gross
I would double check thermometers,
I always run calibrated 100.5 and lower at lockdown barely add water unless humidity drops here, but haven't had that issue this year.

Are you sure it isn't a hen or flock issue? sometimes its good to give extra vits and minerals as they may be lacking in something

Well, the eggs came from 4 different flocks! None of them mine. (Two local acquaintances, my BFF, and my dad) I didn't lower my temps during hatching, I had a Halloween egg in their still. Temp was around 100. I run a dry incubation and them pump the humidity as high as it can get as soon as I see someone pip. I feel like a triple checked my thermometers @_@ but I am mostly relying on the aquarium thermometer. I rotated the eggs position in the bator when I turned them to avoid hot/cold spots. Some days I would rotate them tons, some days just 3 times, one day I forgot and only turned them twice. I have a folded over towel they sit on for cushion. I did drop one on another, but it actually hatched fine ironically. Any red flags pop up? The brinsea ones are in an auto turner.

 

[venymae]

until I know what to do with the whey I put in waterers and feed to chickens!

The Brahama on the left, she is still kicking!! View attachment 1169459

The black hen on the left is so beautiful looking! What kind is she Austrolorp?