First hatch-lockdown day TODAY!!! due 26st & 31st.*UPDATE*

[prncssprplfrog]

Okay,
I originally set 9 eggs that were due on the 27th, but lost them all. I now have 3 eggs that are due on March 26 (lockdown is 23rd). Of those 3- I am pretty sure only one is still plugging along- I'll have DS do the sniff test tonight.

Here's the rub- I also have 8 Maran eggs in the same bator that are due on the 31st of March. Lockdown for them is on the 28th. I have a new Octagon 20 coming this Monday. Should I separate the 2 sets due do the difference? I am also worried about this little guy being alone- although with luck my shipped Maran eggs will hatch out friends. I did have quite a few wrecked air cells though........



I think I'm addicted.....I have two more sets of eggs coming in the mail.....

 

[JordanFamily]

I would get the new bator to temp and seperate the eggs to avoid any issues when one hatches such as humidity going to high for the still incubating eggs... Or you can just wait until the first batch needs to go to lockdown and then move them to the other bator since they do not need to be turned like the others do... And that way you can raise the humidity for them to, like you should for lockdown... Good Luck

 

[prncssprplfrog]

So either way your suggesting that I separate the two batches, right? I thought so. I don't know if I'll leave the other two questionables in there with the good one. One out of 5 isn't a good hatch rate....

 

[brendapa]

I don't think it's that crucial to separate, at this point, for 1 chick, unless you have been running at a high humidity throughout the last 15 days.
What has your humidity been? If you've been running a 50% or higher, going to 60%-70% might effect the marans eggs the last 7 days.
If you've been running a drier incubaton (30%-40%) the same incubator may just work fine. I think the eggs will have lost enough weight and you should not be at risk of drowning chicks. jmho.
brenda

 

[prncssprplfrog]

I've been running 30-38% humidity so far. So, for one chick- I think I will leave them alone in the same 'bator. I'll let everyone know how it goes..... As it is, my Marans are on day 9 and I'm afraid that the air cells are too big. Does anyone have an idea how big the air cell should be in stages? I've looked.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

*update*

As I thought- I'm down to one out of the five I set on 3/5. I'm concerned about how far along he is: I have him on day 16 today, but the poor chick seems to take up almost all of the egg. I still have him in with my 8 Maran eggs that are due to lock down 5 days later.

Maran eggs are on day 11, I saw 7 sure signs of dancing chicks in there last night. I'm so excited! I don't think that's bad for shipped eggs! I am worried about a few of them because they either have odd looking air cells or moving air cells. I have them upright in an egg carton, but I think me tipping them caused the air cells to settle off kilter.


I'm also concerned that the air cells on the Maran eggs are too large. I've been doing "dry incubating" up until this point- but have upped my humidity to 42-46 percent. I'm having trouble getting it up past 56% at any given point.

Picking up chick starter today & making sure that I have the brooder ready for my one little guy.

 

[prncssprplfrog]

Okay~ today is lockdown day for my lone survivor egg. I'm thinking it is either a glw buff brahma cross or brahma egg. I was hoping it was my sebright, but I really don't think she's laying.
Anyway- my octagon 20 came yesterday, so I candled my Maran eggs & switched them to the octagon til the little might hatches.

Seeing as I have 18 more eggs coming in the mail, I had better get ready for the fun to begin!!!



I candled the little guy last night the make sure there was still life in there- the little guy barely had any room left to move! So technically I locked him down last night. I was worried about getting the humidity up- as it's been a struggle all 18 days, but I woke up this morning to 68%. WHEEEE!!!!