Enjoy by Oct. 24...

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Well I have three fuzzy little yellow peeps peeping around inside the 'bator.

Here is the current status of the hatch (pip times are on top, hatch times on bottom):

This pic right here will change as it's updated.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
They ought to be White Foghorn Leghorns. I hatched some of these earlier in the year...

I kept one pullet from that hatch. JoJo lays a white egg 27 out of 30 days...

I'm contemplating holding on to one of these baby roosters to mate with Princess Penelope, an Easter Egger who lays 89 out of 90 days...

 

[Germaine_11.20]

That is so wonderful. So how many are there now?

I don't mean to be a pest but when you are weighing the eggs are you weighing each egg individually or as a group?

When you re-weigh the eggs periodically do you again weigh individually or as a group?

Thank you. I would like to start doing this.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
3 Peeps and two pips currently.

I weigh each egg individually and figure out the percentage weight loss and then average them. As you can see, the humidity controls the weight loss and the objective is to lose 12-14% by Day 18 and then go on lockdown at 60% RH.

 

[eekgads]

Huh, first of all, I would have never thought Trader Joe's would have fertile eggs. VERY cool! We don't have a Trader Joe's but we do have a Whole Foods sooooo.....hmmmm....

You keep your incubator's humidity that low? I thought the RH should be around 60% in the 1st 18 days & then days 19-21 should be 80%?

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
That's what a lot of the conventional literature will tell you, but the weight loss method is how I roll.

If I used 60% RH for the first 18 days, the eggs would not lose enough weight through evaporation. When this happens, there is too much fluid in the egg and the air sac is too small and the peeps drown inside their eggs.

 

[Mahonri]

Pics of the chics tomorrow?
?

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
I'll be sure to have a photo session as soon as the hatch is complete and I can open the 'bator. Sun. night or Monday morning.

 

[Mahonri]

 

[lovemychickies]

That's quite a science project you have going on there. I'd do it myself, but I have a knack for hatching roosters. I live up in Mendocino, so I bet our Trader Joe's eggs are from some of the same sources.

Tempting...

PS... Nicely Done!!!!