First Time Hatching Anything! (Seramas!)

[Redhead Rae]

@pitbullmomma has hatched Seremas that she got from @WVduckchick. They are both good resources.

 

[MadChickenMama]

Day 2 is coming to an end. The humidity reader was showing basically between 48 and 52 today :/

I went and bought a hygrometer. Having to calibrate it, though, which means it won't be done until tomorrow evening. *If* it was already pretty close to accurate, then the reader on the incubator is way off. The one I bought was reading just over 60%.

We will see. I didn't get the chance to put the anti-moisture pad in the incubator today. I will do it tomorrow, though, for sure! I think I will also follow a tip I read on here about doing a fine mist of a peroxide solution over the eggs to help curb bacteria. But not before I look more into it.

Went to the Re-Store today and there was just so much stuff! All the possibilities!!! I really want to get the coop done and in my yard. I also want to get the brooder set up. I plan on doing that cute little cave looking one with the heating pad. I feel like that's much more natural and if my granddad says I can, I have just the bit of metal mesh stuff I want to use. It needs to be cleaned, but it's already a good size.

Question: Let's say all 22 eggs hatch, would I need two brooders or is one enough? I've got a...4ft maybe it's only 3ft long tote. It's maybe a 1 1/2ft deep. I know I see feed stores with tons of chicks in the brooders but I always felt that was too much in one thing. The wire I want to use will probably be long enough for all the chicks. It looks like it's over a foot long. I would just have to get a 2nd heating pad, no big deal.

Other than all that the day with the eggs has been pretty quiet. Still antsy for day 7!

 

[WVduckchick]

Units are often not accurate, so I'm glad you got an independent one and are testing it.
Is it naturally humid in your area of NC? I incubate seramas dry, which just means no added water, and it's so humid here, my incubator still maintains about 35% humidity which works great for my seramas.

Sunday and Monday I hatched 6 of 7 seramas that made lockdown, and 10 of 11 OEGBs. Similar hatching methods. (oops, I actually gave a pipped serama egg to a broody, and she finished hatching that one).

 

[MadChickenMama]

Units are often not accurate, so I'm glad you got an independent one and are testing it.
Is it naturally humid in your area of NC? I incubate seramas dry, which just means no added water, and it's so humid here, my incubator still maintains about 35% humidity which works great for my seramas.

Sunday and Monday I hatched 6 of 7 seramas that made lockdown, and 10 of 11 OEGBs. Similar hatching methods. (oops, I actually gave a pipped serama egg to a broody, and she finished hatching that one).

It rained for basically a week or 2 straight so it's been incredibly humid. I took some of the water out of the incubator and turned on the a/c and let the kitchen cool down some. That helped a lot. I did add a tiny bit of water back in after a few hours and it seems to be staying between 37 and 41 so I will try and keep it there. Once the hygrometer is calibrated I'll tweak it more.

I did see someone here doesn't add water to their incubator for Seramas, saying the eggs give off enough.

 

[MadChickenMama]

So I installed the fan guard and the anti-moisture foam pad. Hopefully the time it took didn't mess anything up. I figure that I probably did it all in the same amount of time or less than it will take me to candle 22 eggs.

Aaaand I couldn't help myself, I picked two different eggs and put them on the candler. I could just make out the tiniest hint of a blood ring on both! Or maybe I'm seeing things lofl as I've only had them in the incubator about 50 hours.

 

[featherhead007]

Best wishes for your successful hatch!

 

[MargaretAnneHK]

Seramas!! Oh I wish!! Best of luck.

 

[Quackers3211]

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a successful hatch! Post pics of when they hatch so we can see the cute little fuzzy chickens!!!!

 

[MadChickenMama]

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for a successful hatch! Post pics of when they hatch so we can see the cute little fuzzy chickens!!!!

I definitely will! I'll post pictures of candling as well.

 

[WVduckchick]

So I installed the fan guard and the anti-moisture foam pad. Hopefully the time it took didn't mess anything up. I figure that I probably did it all in the same amount of time or less than it will take me to candle 22 eggs.

Aaaand I couldn't help myself, I picked two different eggs and put them on the candler. I could just make out the tiniest hint of a blood ring on both! Or maybe I'm seeing things lofl as I've only had them in the incubator about 50 hours.

No problem, consider the time a broody is off the nest. You must be using a Nurture Right?

Candling is a beautiful thing. I can usually tell within a couple days also, just by the hue of the egg. Ones that develop look orange, infertile ones look more yellow. Of course, I would never remove any based on that, but its a fun guessing game to play early.