First timer UPDATE w/PICS! Two successful - pics in post #26

[Gypsylion]

Update Day 22: Well, my first chick came out perfectly on Friday night (Day 20) - YAY! That one is the one remaining egg from my own bantam flock, and I think she's out of my d'uccle/ameraucana hen, sired by my porcelain d'uccle roo. She's a cutie! Pics soon. Chick #2 came out to join her yesterday - a little self blue d'uccle. The two of them look slike silver and gold next to each other - so cute! Chick #3 is a barred cochin that seems like it couldn't turn around in the egg? There's another thread on here explaining the same situation, and hers turned out well with some help, so here's hopin'. After having the egg pipped and open (dime-sized hole with the beak sticking out upside-down and gasping?) but with no change otherwise for almost 24 hrs, I pulled off the top of the shell last night, as well as a bit of membrane and put it back in the incubator. Still no change this morning, so I pulled off all but the bottom curve of the shell, and put it back in its spot in the carton to let the last bit of membrane/yolk absorb and fall off. He's flopped out a bit now, but still seems REALLY weak, so we'll see what else I can do today. I'm hesitant to do more until that umbilical cord stuff dries up a bit, but if anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!

Here's the other thread with the same story

Update Day 18: about to go candle for the final time and set things up for lockdown. So excited!

Update Day 15: candled again today and have 16 still alive and doing well.
Here's a link to my candling results data. Can you tell I'm a science-type?

*****Original post*****
First time hatching my own - any advice welcome!

30 eBay'd eggs of black mottled (14 from aviholic) and self blue (9 from Leon Valley Trading Company) d'Uccles and some birchen, barred, brown red, and gold laced cochins (12 from Covered Bridge Poultry) arrived in the past 2 days, and I'm setting them tonight! Also setting 6 of my own mixed bantam eggs as a shipping control...

Set-up:
Still-air Hovabator set at 101 deg (on top of the eggs) and ?? humidity (need a new hygrometer)
Self-turning using cartons and a board under the edge of the 'bator (rotating the board to each side clockwise on each turn - based on my BYC research thus far)

Pictures coming soon!

Setting: 23 Apr
Lockdown: 11 May
Hatch: ~15 May (assuming all goes well)

A friend and I tried to hatch eggs last year and had zero success, so I'm really nervous about these! I need to go get a couple new thermometers and a new hygrometer today...

I'm hoping to start breeding my own d'Uccles and cochins I definitely intend to show some of the birds I already have, as well as some of these babies if they turn out well so wish me luck - I really want these babies to be ok!

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Good Luck!!

for a good hatch!

 

[eggseroneous]

I am setting SQ Mille Fleur d'Uccles today as well! I have 16 ebay eggs. My first hatch and I am so nervous. I'm so afraid of doing something wrong and killing them.

I also had a mix of standard breeds that were supposed to be here by now, but are late, and I don't want to wait any longer to get the bantams in. I guess I will just have a staggard hatch. Hopefully they arrive tomorrow!

My set-up

LG still air
hand turning
3 thermometers and an ancient hygrometer---seems to be working but getting a new one as well.

Bator has been running for 2 weeks and keeping 100-101 temp steady.

Good luck to all!!

 

[Gypsylion]

I'm excited for your milles! Here's hopin'...

I got a new thermometer and two hygrometers today (the simple dial ones), so now I have 3 therms and 2 hygros in there. Overkill? Maybe...

Temp was holding at 94 deg, despite turning the temp knob up a quarter turn but I couldn't wait to put the eggs in any longer - I'm hoping the added warmth from the eggs themselves will bump the temp up.

Humidity was 60% with the "A" basin full of water/sponges, so I squeezed out two of the sponges and put them back in there... I'm going to check everything again in an hour and see where we are.

For turning the eggs, I labeled the 4 sides of the 'bator with numbers so I can ask DB to turn them at lunchtime for me - started with half an egg carton under side #2.

Keeping fingers crossed...

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

good luck! I have some hatching on Wednesday, should be interesting!

 

[eggseroneous]

Quote:
Thanks! I am so excited, I don't know what to do!

Where did you buy your dial hygrometers? I don't think I want to use digital. I've got this old dial hygrometer and I'm not sure it is working correctly. I have both channels filled with water and 2 saucers as well and it's reading 35%. I guess I should have calibrated.

I hope my other eggs show up tomorrow because it will be too late to add them to this batch. I don't have the funds to get another incubator --though I do plan to get another sometime--I just have to save up for it.

I'm not sure there's even room for any other eggs in there with all the saucers, thermo's & hygro's!

 

[eggseroneous]

Quote:
What are you hatching?

 

[Gypsylion]

Quote:
Thanks! I am so excited, I don't know what to do!

Where did you buy your dial hygrometers? I don't think I want to use digital. I've got this old dial hygrometer and I'm not sure it is working correctly. I have both channels filled with water and 2 saucers as well and it's reading 35%. I guess I should have calibrated.

I hope my other eggs show up tomorrow because it will be too late to add them to this batch. I don't have the funds to get another incubator --though I do plan to get another sometime--I just have to save up for it.

I'm not sure there's even room for any other eggs in there with all the saucers, thermo's & hygro's!

I was worried I wouldn't have enough room either!

I got my dial one from the little pet shop on the corner... they make them for reptile cages. Petco would have them, as would Walmart I bet. Cheap, too. I will note that out of the 4-5 hygrometers in the store, I bought the two that had the same reading. Which is to say, check a bit rather than just grabbing the front one - not all of them are the same.

 

[eggseroneous]

Quote:
I never thought of that! I'd have just grabbed!


Just a few months ago I never would have even thought about hatching eggs. I just wanted a few laying hens. I was going to order some chicks, but the hen house is still under (re)construction, so I thought I could do this in the meantime--give hubby and DS some more time to get everything built before the chicks are big enough to go in the coop. I can see I am going to be hooked on hatching. I don't know why I want to do this to myself! It's stressful! I guess it's the same as being an adrenaline junkie!

 

[Gypsylion]

Totally! It's so exciting... and, assuming something hatches, I expect we'll have a huge sense of accomplishment!

2 questions for everyone:

1. My temp was low (90-94 deg) and humidity high (60-70%) for the first 10 hours... what effect will this have on my babies? On a scale of none to horrible deformities...

My temp is up to 96 now, and I just increased the knob again, and my humidity is down to 46%

2. I'm using the carton method, with half an empty egg carton to lift sequential sides of my entire incubator. How high is high enough? 2"? 3"? Higher? I'm worried that the embryos are getting slightly shifted, but not actually turned.

Thank you!