First time incubating Silkie eggs. Candling pics and embryo movement video.

[Rockporters]

Well, it looks like I’m going to have a perfect hatch. A chick or two aren’t out of the woods yet, but for now they’re okay. All that went into lockdown hatched. I used a new incubator this hatch, the NR360. Love hate relationship with it.

How are your eggs doing? If they aren’t developing when you candle, maybe try kicking the incubator up half a degree since your room is cold?

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

The Good Mother auto, wishing I would of spent more, now. Bought because reviews were good but reviews dont mean much in today's market place. I still may be able to return, going to look into that. Although if these develop will probably keep and buy something else. Will need more than 1 anyway. i don't like that I can't see in it and have to open to check everything.

My new batch has only been in since night before last. I did kick up the temp a little last night, it was still a little low this morning, so I did a tiny bit more. I removed the batteries last night before bed too, on my digitals. They were closer this morning in #s. Thank you for that!

I let the humidity drop too, it's around 30 now.

Congrats to you on your hatch!! I'd love to see your babies/hatches once in the brooders!

What colors are you doing with your silkies? I wish I could find good silkie breeders in my area...

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

I used a new incubator this hatch, the NR360. Love hate relationship with it.

Obviously you love the perfect hatch! Lol... What else do you love/hate about it? Looks like a nice bator. And holds some eggs!

Ps. I'm going to take your advice and see, I think my roo has a TON of under fluff. Could very well be the situation. Any pointers or how to, or how not to, on that?

 

[Rockporters]

You’re welcome. You’d think thermometers would be more accurate these days, right!?! If your incubator is running too cold, the eggs won’t likely develop. Now that you’ve kicked it up, give them a couple extra days to catch up before candling.

Blue cream (porcelain) this time. The eggs were bought from Geri Gordina. I also hatched 4 Chocolate English Orpingtons. Sadly, one of them hatched with a bad eye. Not sure what will happen with that one. I Still have Serama, white face Spanish, and paint Silkie eggs in the other incubator.

What colors are you hoping to hatch from your Silkies?

Definitely check an egg for the yolk bullseye. I know of several breeders who have to artificially inseminate. If not going to show, and if it weren’t cold out, you could probably just trim his feathers.

The NR360... I like the perfect hatch. Temps and humidity were spot on and internal display was accurate. I like the external water filling ports. And I like being able to see into the incubator.

I hate the lid. I hate that it’s awkward, cumbersome, and just generally a pain in the rear. The clear plastic is flimsy and takes several (or 6 or 7!) tries to get it back on correctly. It’s incredibly easy to think it’s on, meanwhile letting out heat and humidity because it isn’t. The trays aren’t great. You have to use a cover of some sort for the bottom tray. I normally do, but it isn’t optional in this one. It is slick, and the holes are kind of big. Also, they were too generous with the finger slots. I get that it’s for ease of removal, but several chicks got their legs/feet stuck in them. The center of the incubator is very low. Silkies were even almost touching it. With more clearance eggs could be upright if needed. If the turning tray had been designed differently a full 2 dozen eggs could fit, instead of 22. Cleaning it after hatch was pretty difficult. I think that about covers it.

With all that said, all incubators have their problems. That it has such a great hatch rate is huge!!

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

Oh my gosh!! What beautiful babies!! So happy for you!!! My goodness they are Soooo sooo cute!!

So do you get your eggs shipped to you, and that's going well for you?? I've been looking at that option but wondered if it was too cold and if it was worth it, meaning, successful hatches. Looks like it is! At least sometimes... Although, l need more practice first to get the reigns on this bator.

As far as silkies... I'm mainly experimenting for now. Eventually I'd like to breed to standard but still looking for quality stock. Not many breeders in my area. So I'd like to aid in that eventually. It'll take a little time...

It surprises me that thermometers aren't crazy accurate or easy to calibrate in this age of technology. Speaking of which, they're back to not matching. Ugh. Not even close.

I was impatient tonight and candeled. Out of 12, tossed 3. 2 super pourous, 1 cracked. But pretty sure it was viable. Attached pic below. One that I kept I'm pretty certain, could see the faint red ring/bullseye.

Above, cracked egg that I opened. Below, porous egg that I opened. I see a little white spot on both. So thinking the roo is successful with the ladies.

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

Fail again. Those opened eggs dont look fertile. But hey, I'm learning and read a lot since opening them up. He's got 2 laying hens in with him, so it's possible only 1 is fertile.

I'm pretty sure I have life in one egg, at least. I'm going to try to be patient and wait til day 7.

I'm leaving eggs out there now, hoping 1 will go broody... 3 eggs, no one's sitting.

And two clutches later...

4 more days of waiting and hopefully... Please, oh please, oh please be fertile and actually, hatch!

 

[Rockporters]

We didn’t have internet all weekend. I’m sorry to see the eggs weren’t fertilized. Fingers crossed that a couple turn out to be fertilized.

I have Serama starting to hatch in the Brinsea. I took the NR360 up to the bf’s. One of his Christmas gifts was ayam Ketawa hatching eggs. Hoping they hatch as they were crazy expensive.

We will see how the Serama do in the Brinsea!

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

I had to look up the chicken breed that you got for your bf, beautiful breed... I didn't even know there was a chicken called The laughing chicken, cute!

I was right about the one that I thought was fertile, I have five that are for sure growing!! I now see how hatching can become addictive. It's awesome to see the growth and movement! Praying they hatch and are OK! I'm giving the other 4 a few more days but I think they weren't fertile. How are your new chicks doing? Is that ones eye okay?

One of my silkies also went broody and is on those eggs that I left in the coop. So it worked! She's on 7.. I think only some are hers. I'm thinking hers are a little bigger then my other hen that is in with the roo and her. Those (slightly bigger ones) also being the unfertile ones. I guess I'll see what happens with those, too. Hoping for the best...

I'm going to try to have eggs shipped in within a week of my hatch that are in the bator now.

I read really good things about the brinsea. That was my top choice at first. Might be my next bator but I will prob look around more before deciding. Let me know how it works out for you. Hope you have a great hatch!

Fingers crossed for your bfs eggs, and yours, and mine! Haha.

 

[SilkieLoverFarm]

Well, out of my 5, 3 hatched and are doing well. First time using an incubator so I'm happy any lived at all. Had to do assists but they lived and are busy little babies. Although assisting was scary, it worked!

Now I'm on my second batch, shipped eggs this time. Blue and splash, silkies of course. I pray any hatch. The shells are all pretty porous and I think all of them have detached air cells. Such is my luck but learning a lot.

Any pointers here? I read to keep them upright big end up, unturned for 7 days, keep temp normal but humidity low, 30-45 percent the first week. Not to touch or candle until after the 7 days, I'm a couple days in now. From what I read it didn't speak of humidity after the first week.

On a good note, I'm finally learning this incubators quirks. It has many.. haha

How are yours and your bfs babies doing? Updated pics of your blue creams? They were so cute! How do you order eggs from Geri?

 

[Rockporters]

Hi! Things have been crazy here. Congrats on getting babies finally! That’s exciting!

We hatched 4 of the bf’s eggs. I had a couple of great Silkie hatches.

In my opinion, I’d stick the eggs in the ‘Bator now. Upright.(Standing up) Don’t turn for 3 days. Vent closed for the first week, then open. Humidity for the first week around 30%, but I mostly choose to dry incubate the rest of the time. If you do 45% for incubation that is going to be too much. Watch your air cells.

You can contact most breeders on FB these days. I’ll look up links and Pm you tomorrow.

Fingers Crossed for your new eggs!