First Hatch also with Live webcam

[gisloc]

Hey everyone. First time incubator here lol. I had bought some chickens for my partner while he was over seas. Long story short some ended up not making it, Leaving us with 2 roosters and 2 hens. (Out of 8 over 6 months) We decided to do some research and buy an incubator. We went ahead and spent the extra money and got a fully automated one that all we have to do is add water about once a week. This morning the chicks started to pip. Its really strange and cool to hear them chirping and still be in the eggs. Anyhoo my 2 and 4 year old nephews (Who live over 2 hours away) love watching our chickens and were excited to hear about babies on the way. So me being on workers comp and very tech savoy i decided when i moved them form the turner to the tray to install a webcam with live broadcast in the incubator. Its done through a free service (Not paying 50+ a month atm) I just wanted to post since most of my research came from this site and all of your postings. Besides being patient any advice is more then welcomed. I have raised few day old bought chicks before but never incubated them (we started with 13 eggs. Candled at day 14 because they are brown eggs, threw out 5 because they had nothing going on, believe 5 will hatch just based on how heavy eggs felt on day 18) Feel free to give advice and check the webcam out. Its a free service. If you have to create an account (not sure since i can watch it on the account i had to create to post it) its as easy as signing in with your facebook. And you never know you might want to live feed your next hatch for your little ones Thanks in advance

Justin

https://new.livestream.com/accounts/5796114/events/2474337 <--------Link to Webcam

 

[davemonkey]

Very cool. I did the Facebook sign up and it was pretty painless (this coming from a guy who is technologically challenged). I just heard a peep from one of the eggs by the way. Awesome.

What breed are the eggs from? They look really dark.

 

[davemonkey]

By the way, how does something like that work? Do you just plop a web cam inside the incubator and make a "post" of it? I have a project going right now (Day 8 on incubation) that I have set up for my kids and their friends/cousins (homeschoolers) and I'd love for them to be able to watch the hatch like this!!

 

[gisloc]

They are isa browns and bantam mix. Rooster is a bantam. Sending you a private message about hooking it all up

 

[davemonkey]

Oh, for advice...don't go by the book, per se, on temperatures in the brooder once the chicks are hatched out. Go by behavior. Use the recommended temps as a guide (95 F or so to start), but the chicks will huddle under the light if it's too cool, and will seek out corners if it's too warm. If they are all frolicking about, then they are just right. I have a chick (a "mutt" that was a lucky survivor of a broody that gave up on a clutch) that seems to be very warm natured. She does not like the heat lamp at all, and is most active and comfortable at about 80 F. I guess every bird is different. I do still keep the heat lamp on, but she has ample room to get to a cooler spot...and she does exactly that.

Also, don't ration out food for th efirst few weeks. Keep their feeder full and let them eat all they want. They will grow faster and healthier that way.

 

[gisloc]

Thanks...Yeah my incubator is all in Celsius so that was fun converting. I have raised store bought few day old chicks but never have i attempted to incubate any. So this part is all new to me and very exciting (I have an anxiety disorder so its can be frustrating at points to lol) I appreciate the advice to the max. I feel bad every time i have to open it to add water.