FEB HATCH-ALONG THREAD ...COME JOIN US.... EVERYONE!

[gapeach717]

You have to stop opening the bator. Those eggs need to have a stable environment and with the bator being opened all the time it will keep on fluctuating. Try to do as much as you can from the outside. I actually sterilized a piece of wire that I can stick through the vent holes so I can move things around if I have to. I use tubing and a syringe to add water if needed.

It's been more bc of water or thermometers moving around that I opened it so far. (For the most part) yesterday out of the blue it spiked to 111* on one gauge and 106* on the other. I panicked and opened everything up to try and cool it down some. It was likely only a few mins but that's the worst of my burns origins. *sigh* I am no good at this.

 

[CamiLynn]

If you ever loose power you can always wrap the bator in blankets or towels to try and keep the heat in for as long as possible. All my bators are plugged into a surge protector because we get a lot of power surges even when the weather is nice outside.

I'm not so much worried for the temp drop as I am the high humidity. It was over 90 at one point and then I was pulling every vent pull I could and pulling out sponges, anything to get it down. I end up putting those hand warmers in there with the vent holes all open until the power came back on. Did what I could, so now my even more nerve wracking wait continues lol

 

[draye]

Day 5 and my six are still doing well.
Wild as al l get out when I open the top of the brooder.

 

[Brookhavens]

It's been more bc of water or thermometers moving around that I opened it so far. (For the most part) yesterday out of the blue it spiked to 111* on one gauge and 106* on the other. I panicked and opened everything up to try and cool it down some. It was likely only a few mins but that's the worst of my burns origins. *sigh* I am no good at this.

It's not that you are no good it is the equipment you are working with... I think the very first hatch anybody does is the most stressful because it is something brand new. You panic , fix the problem and then move on to the next. With each problem you face you are learning something new and can save it for future hatches. It took me a few hatches to finally find out what worked for me. Then winter set in and it was a whole new ball game.

 

[gapeach717]

Thanks I just can't spend hundreds on an incubator (remember the husband who thinks this is bogus, lol) but I am so determined to do this right, but even on here the advise is so broad and different from one person to the next. I am thinking it's a gamble no matter what.

 

[PoultryGirly]

I'm setting my eggs tomorrow or Sunday, and this will be my very first hatch!

 

[PugBug]

THIS has made my morning!!! Can't wait to see babies!!

TY Peach

I can't wait to see them too! They are still in there squirming-

 

[PugBug]

chick days is usually like ONE month from march to april or mid feb to mid march here.

Down here there are several places that carry poultry pretty much yr round, they have more selection starting a few wks b/f Easter. Only 1 place, where I normally get most everything is an old feed & seed- they have the best selection & only 1 that ever has anything other than large meat/egg chicks. I've known them for yrs & there is no telling what you will find walking in up there- all kinds of small livestock, poultry, birds- even kittens & pups sometimes. That's where DH got my little chicks the other day.

 

[PugBug]

Oh my gosh, I need my husband to lock the incubator away and throw away the key for a few days. I am going to kill them before they even have a chance! I am SO scared of killing them I keep checking on them....this is the worst ever!! 42 tiny lives lay in limbo and are depending on my and my insanely hard to keep steady incubator temps and humidity and I am failing, I just know it!!! My hands look like I am half zebra from reaching in and adjusting everything 100 times a day and burning myself on the heating element!

what kind of bator have you got? both mine adjust from outside, you have got to stop opening it. you're doing way more harm that if you just let it be. OMG someone need to tie you to a tree

 

[Brookhavens]

Thanks I just can't spend hundreds on an incubator (remember the husband who thinks this is bogus, lol) but I am so determined to do this right, but even on here the advise is so broad and different from one person to the next. I am thinking it's a gamble no matter what.

The first incubator I used (still use) is one I built myself out of things around the house. I think I spent a total of $20 for all the little things I didn't have. Iused an old igloo cooler that had been sitting in my garage for years bought some electrical stuff at lowes and watched some videos on You tube and I was set to go. I am a 49 year old, woman who had no prior experience in building anything ,let alone electrical knowledge, and if I could do it anyone can. I was so afraid I was going to burn my house down and after almost 8 months of continuous use,both the bators I built are still going strong (I use them for hatchers alone now). They both keep temp. and humidity perfectly and all I really have to do is add water.
You have to realize that everyone has different environments that they hatch in. Someone who lives up in the mountains will do things totally different from someone who lives near the ocean. Even people in the same geographical location have different conditions. I know a lady who lives a few streets from me and she incubates at different humidity levels than I do. The different seasons make a difference too.