First hatch with diy cooler bator

[Ghosty]

This is my first hatch with my diy cooler bator. I am just winging it. I have an inkbird thermostat calibrated to a medical thermometer using my body temp. The inkbird was .5 degrees off at most. I have no hygrometer. I am going with a dry hatch. I am 7 days in, and I just candled.
A dozen of the eggs were infertile. I set 3 eggs a day late and will candle them tomorrow. I am hand turning 3 - 5 times a day. I ended up with 5 game eggs so far, and some layer/leiper cross, lol.

 

[Ghosty]

Is today hatching day? Keep us updated!!

Today is day 20. I'm getting nervous. I just checked the humiditiy and it reads 67. So it is probably 67-72, somewhere around there. I tried unplugging the two ventilation holes and the humidity dropped, so I plugged them again. Everything is where it should be, I hope.
I realized that I never disinfected the wire tray I made to put the eggs on, but there is a liner between it and the eggs, so I hope it is ok. I can only peek quickly, but I don't see any external pips yet. Three of the eggs are still at day 19. Did I mention I was nervous?

 

[Ghosty]

Omg cute how are things going now

Number two has hatched. One more for sure coming out now. One and two are just starting to get on their feet a little.

 

[Ghosty]

Better pic of number one.

 

[Ghosty]

I woke up today and we have numbers three, four, five, six.

 

[Ghosty]

I'm not sure but I think that's normal when other babies have already hatched. Think it encourages the ones still in the egg. How's it going now

One more just hatched, another coming out. I repositioned a couple eggs.
Cleaning number 7.

 

[Ghosty]

 

[Kafen]

I was looking at the Inkbird ones and I really like them, but ordering from Amazon was going to take over a month! Even trying to find a thermometer that has decent reviews is a struggle, never mind a hygrometer. I've seen some that link up with your phone and I'd love one. I think it would be super handy to have alerts and such if the temp or humidity go too high/low! Good to see your setup, hope for the best!

 

[Kafen]

Ya, I've been looking at hygrometers like crazy, and it is hard to decide on one. I need one with a probe, since I don't have a viewing window. They all seem a little iffy, I think it's just grab one and hope for the best. I candled my other three eggs today, and I may have not turned my game eggs enough. I need to get an automatic turner, I'm terrible at being punctual. Looked like they were stuck to one side of the shell. At this point I'm just gonna keep turning the eggs and hope for the best. I hope my temp isn't getting too high or my humidity too low. I need to get a couple more thermometers and settle on a hygrometer. I'm thinking about adding some water to the tray during this next week.

Hope it’s going well! Any new developments on the ones that look stuck? My life is dictated by the alarms on my phone right now.... I think an automatic egg turner would be so nice! I have an ice cube tray in mine right now and it’s nice because I can just fill one cube with water at a time. Though when I only have one filled the humidity is at 50%, hope I have enough ventilation!

 

[Kafen]

I think you have plenty of ventilation. You may have to plug a couple holes come lockdown to help raise your humiditiy. I have two holes on both sides of the fan and two holes directly across from them on the other short side. Didn't you have four on top?

I looked up about the sticking to the shell. Apparently that is pretty normal around day 8. I just candled three of them, it is day 15, and the air cells have grown like they should. There is healthy veining, and you can see feathers and movement. No photos, but I'll get one of the air cell size. I decided to not candle any more of the eggs, good enough evidence for me, and the less handling the better with my butter fingers.

I am so with you on the auto turner, but I would have to cut down one of the bigger ones to fit many eggs in the cooler and I'm afraid it might sit too high for my current setup. I'm definitely getting one at a later date.
2 more days till lockdown! You go into lockdown first of day 18 right? Lol. Shoot I forgot to turn my other two little tupperware upright in case I need more water to raise the humidity.

So glad you have progress with those ones! I’m on the same page with the candling. I’m so terrified that I’m going to drop one. I even feel like I’m way too rough with them every time I turn them but I figure a hen doesn’t have velvet gloves on when she turns them either.

Originally I was going to have them in an egg carton and tilt it side to side. It would have been easier and safer but then I saw something on here about that being a “no no”. Not sure what the reasoning is, but I got paranoid and just decided to do it the old fashioned way.

I sure hope that’s when you lockdown since that’s my plan! I have 6 small holes on top and no trouble with humidity. I had what I thought was a small jar and it spiked up to 60%. Did you settle on a hygrometer? I salt tested mine and it was reading 3% lower (why does that even work, I can find any info....)

You’re so close to lockdown though! It still feel she’s away for me.