first time incubating, first set of eggs went in about an hour ago

[ESD]

Hey Melissa,

Just wanted to say good luck with the hatch!! My fist set of chicks hatched last weekend and for the most part, everything was great. I put in 25 and ended up with 20 healthy babies. I know there are lots of people who help their chicks, and many who don't, but I had to help 3 of them out. They pipped on their own, I just got some of the shell off the end for em'. But for me they are my pets, so I didnt want them dying in the egg if I could help it. Next time I believe I will let nature take its course though. I had the auto-turner set up like you and I left mine on until about the 19 day. As far as humidity goes, I'm still new at that stuff, but I tried to keep the water at about the same place the whole way through. Like I said, I'm still learning about humidity. I know this though, watch your temp as you get towards the last week of incubation. As the chicks develop the temp inside your incubator will go up. I had to back my temp down a little everyday during the last week until about the last 3 days. Also, the only time I opened the top was to add a little water. Anyway, hope everything works out for ya....I'm lovin' mine...good luck!!

 

[melissaowens]

I have 27 in the bator now. the whole humidity thing is still a lil confusing, all i know is that i put water in the bator when its empty. and i am very careful when i do..i keep check on my bator 5 and 6 times a day just to make sure the temp is good.this is day 4 for my eggs. i hope they are growing, I CANT WAIT TO SEE THEM! they are gonna be mutts, but they will still be beautiful, if they hatch, like i told my huspand even if i only have one hatch i will still be happy, now if more then one hatches i will be even more happy. well im off to go to work ya'll have a great day, t-mobile customers are waiting for tech support

i hate my job.

 

[Backyard Farm]

Hey Goat Lady

Are we almost neighbors? I live in Vancouver WA!!
Here is a pic of the eggs... I have two marans out this morning...and more on the way.

So glad I am not working today. Love to be here on hatch day!

 

[Backyard Farm]

Melissa,

Humidity, like temp, is a good thing to monitor.
Walmart sells digital temp/humidity meters for about $8. They are not super accurate usually but will give you a pretty good idea about your humidity.

Too high a humidity or low too can cause problems.

For my first batch of chicks, I had the humidity too high. They all drowned in their shells before hatching even though they were fully developed except for a few. I got better monitors and changed my humidity level and haven't had that problem since.

Your humidity is probably in an OK range and you probably will not have a problem but having that confirmed by a meter would probably make for a lot less worry.

 

[melissaowens]

thanks so much. so would it be safe to say around the 10 day i can candle them?OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH I CANT WAIT! i have always wanted to do this and see how they look in the egg, but finally conned my huspand into letting me have chicked. i was only suppose to be allowed to have 5 and now i have 29 all together and 27 eggs in bator lol.

btw the bator i have has plugs in them to pull to try and control humidty i was told to only pull one and when i get to day 18 plug it back so all humidity stays in is that right?

 

[Ruditchka]

You could even candle at day 8 and see the chicks moving around a lot!(then again on day 10, just for the sheer excitement of it !!!!)

 

[PeepMomma]

OH my Gosh! Will day 10 never get here!! I am pulling my hair out waiting to see if these are going to make me babies or if I have duds! I am totally addicted! It's worse than smoking!

 

[melissaowens]

i totally agree peep

im back and fourth back and fourth lookin at the bator fighting myself from touching them

 

[PeepMomma]

Lol!

Then I don't feel alone!

 

[ESD]

You guys are really acting like a bunch of kids, I tell ya.....nevermind, I couldn't even type that without laughing....I was like a kid at Christmas...it was terrible. I couldn't go 20 minutes without looking in on them!! It's even worse now....all those babies running around and playin'...

Anyway, to Backyard Farm, I guess the bator I have is designed to be "newbie" ready or something. The chicks didnt seem to have any problems humidity wise....but I think you are right...I'm gettin' me a meter to check with on the next hatch.

Take care