Ella2025's Experiment Broody Hen Hatch-A-Long

[GreenJay]

Let's grow broody eggs!

 

[ella2025]

Yes, the sponge creates more surface area for evaporation.
I'd take the styrofoam off unless there's some directions that say it's supposed to be on. How would you see in otherwise?
Also, where is the incubator located? Don't want vents blowing AC or heat on it or sunlight shining on it.

That makes sense, thanks. Fortunately neither AC or heat are a problem because the incubator is in my unheated, un-ACed basement. I do have a dehumidifier in the basement and maybe that's contributing to the really low dipping humidity.

 

[ella2025]

Bippy is super happy with her fake eggs, absolutely clueless to the fact that I switched her eggs, and nobody's kicking out of the nest now

 

[ella2025]

Bippy is quite frail and light compared to the other chickens. I will put a chick feeder next to her nesting box once the chickens get out of the coop tomorrow morning.

 

[ella2025]

The candling has come!
Ever since we put a little bowl in the incubator, humidity has been stable at around 50-55%. (Is that too high for non lockdown time?)

Today is day 14/15! Lockdown is very soon.

Pepper, egg number 6, on day 14. Not as big an air cell as 2 as expected, but nice looking veins and all, considering this egg is much harder to see through.

Egg number 2
Very nice looking veins and air cell. Lockdown for this egg is supposed to be in 3 days. I see movement occasionally. Only way it might not survive is at hatch time.

A question about lockdown. Should I start not turning eggs and raising humidity on day 17/18 or 18/19? The eggs have a 1 day gap so I'm wondering which is better.