First Time Incubating. *Pics*

[Dirty_South_Chickens]

That incubator is looking awesome, dirty-south-chickens. Would you be able to provide construction plans for those of us who would like to do the same?

Thanks! I am trying to take my time, taking lots of pictures and designing it as builder friendly as I can.

 

[Colourful]

Lol. Good photos. I've hatched 19 so far and it looks like there is another on the way.

I don't have any more photos until tomorrow, when it's warmer so I don't chill my babies because my brooders are outside.

Other than that, I appear to have lost all but one Silver Wyandotte. The others may have been simply too big for their shells

.

Okay people, I have a conundrum.
I had 4 Welsummer eggs. I bought them with a big W on top and numbered them before putting them into my incubator. 1, 2, 3, and 4.
I had 5 home grown Isa brown eggs. They just had numbers 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38.
With me so far?
I tossed egg 2 on day 14 because it had a blood ring. I carefully doubled checked each number that I tossed. I definitely tossed it.
Now, I should have had three Welsummer eggs. I put another aside in the incubator on day 18 because it didn't look too good.
So two good Welsummer eggs.
Only, 3 Welsummer chicks have hatched. I was excited and glad I left the other egg in.
I just check on my un-hatched eggs. There was a number 3 with a big W on it....
So I checked the hatched shell, the only hatched shell in the incubator (I clear them every few hours) and it had a 38 on it with no W.

Somehow, it appears my Isa Brown x Isa/Australorp egg gave me a Welsummer.

... I know I screwed up somewhere, but I don't know how I managed that... Seriously, only egg shell in the incubator... And look up baby Welsummer in google image if you don't know how hard it is to mistake it for something else.

A few eggs left in incubator (only 2 of those I was hoping to hatch, the others not looking good on day 18) So far, not a bad hatch.

 

[Colourful]

Okay, I was freaking out because some eggs weren't peeping, I was writing down the eggs that moved, so I took them out for a quick candle. I didn't have any hatching and I didn't touch the one that was still moving, but I know I should have left it.

Naughty colourful!

Anyway, I candled and saw that many had indeed been lost. My Wyandottes just didn't have the room to pip the egg (because I left my humidity too high for the first week and they grew too much, I think).

Anyway, I only have an Isa in the bator, and that one is starting to zip, so I think it's about time to count my chickens!

I have 20.

12 Australorps
3 Welsummers
1 Light Sussex
1 Silver Laced Wyandotte
3 Isa Brown crosses

I have a 52% hatch out of every egg I put in the incubator.
Or a 90% hatch if I only count those I didn't lose before day 18.

I mourn those I lost, but I'm very happy with those that remain.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Well lock down is tomorrow morning. So I went ahead and candled this morning. Started with 20 eggs. 5 where infertile. Those where thrown out last week. So out of 15 only 4 are going tomorrow.

I cracked one open and it looked like a bean with the eye forming when died. So I'm guessing around day 10ish or so. So back to the drawing board to figure out why!!

 

[mjanderson437]

Congrats on your chicks, DSC and Colourful! I've been enjoying living vicariously through your hatches!

U-tony, sorry so many didn't make it...I hope you have the best of luck with those tough guys that are hanging in there.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

I just wish I know why, so I can fix it before the next test run.

 

[Dirty_South_Chickens]

Colourful that is a great hatch! My first 4 hatch's were not so good lol.

udovichtoony it may take a few times to figure out your eggs vs. incubator for the right temps and humidity...keep us posted on your hatch.

I am up to 23 chicks. 15 Buff's and 8 Lavender orpingtons with 4 more eggs left to hatch.

I am running into issues caused from high humidity as well...gooey chicks and over growth. The first couple chicks came out perfect but the others to follow have had a little harder time. Having said that, the humidity wasn't to off by much because the hatch is currently sitting at a 82% hatch rate...my best to date!

Colourful your going to like your silver laced, my flock is almost all wyandottes. Very pretty birds with great lacing. 2 silver laced, 2 golden laced and 6 blue laced reds. Very good layers too!

 

[NestingHillsSC]

That's an awesome hatch. lol. I guess I just have to adjust temp/humidity up and down till I get the right settings. Need to stain the inside. Maybe. Was thinking Thompson's water sealer. I don't know. lol. I'll just try 12 the next time. LOL.

 

[Lacey1988]

aww thanks at least it was only three...and I shall try again

 

[skookumchuck]

Put 8 eggs into the home built incubator this morning. I was hoping to have a even dozen but we got a big snow storm and cold weather wich put the hens off laying. No eggs yesterday and today. So it is 8 for the incubator trial. We do not have an egg turner just going with tipping the incubator end to end. Temp holding at 99plus deg. The bulb shuts off at 100 deg and kicks back on as soon as it drops past 99 so the ave is 99.5. Humidity is 36% going with the dry method when running the bator with the water bowl it hit over 68%. This is the first time I have hatched eggs in an incubator in almost 38 years. Dang I forgot how much fun it is the anxiety is going to kill me. My 8 yr old Daughter is helping me with the hatch. So here is hoping it all goes well.