getting ready for lockdown egg carton ?

[bigdawg]

sounds like you are doing everything right. i am no professional, but i do like to pass on the info that worked for me. as long as you keep rotating the eggs side to side, or end to end, you should do fine. you said you have a still air. is your temp 101.5............ very important....... bators with a fan need to be 99.5........... my first hatch was over a year ago. and i am on day 9 now with a test hatch and the suspense in waiting doesnt get any better with your first or your 10th hatch. another important fact, incubating takes alot of practice, LUCK ,note taking from day one, there are so many factors in hatching that any one of them could go wrong and ruin your hatch. most of all try your best and do not be to disapointed with a bad hatch, you learn from it, and try again. i hope you have a great hatch. mine are do to hatch the 23rd, my first time trying the egg carton method. out of the turner on day 18 and into the egg cartons. i will try to post some pics when they hatch, hopefully well, and in the cartons.

 

[Dane Chick]

It is the 23rd and i am thinking good thoughts for you today!!! I just finished a nerve wracking first hatch under my broody. Out of six eggs one was dropped half way through, 1 died during hatch, 1 was unfertilized, and i ended up with 3 chicks. My 15 bator eggs are due on the 27 and 28 so i am going on lockdown soon. I think i will try the egg carton method. I have had temp and humidity issues throughout this first attempt at incubator hatching so i am not expecting stellar results but i have learned a TON! Good luck on your first carton hatch.

 

[bigdawg]

thank you intenschk . i have 12 in the brooder, one just hatched bloody navel, but i am hope ful. 9 more have pips. mon is day 21. as far as the egg carton method i have mix feelings. i had 38 eggs at lockdown. very crowded in there. i have had to get them out sooner than i wanted to. 2 got stuck between cartons, 2 hatched with egg shell on top of there heads. from now on i wont do the egg carton with that many in there. just not enough room. 20 or less go for it. and if you decide to help one wait at least 24 hrs, i didnt on the bloody one and i may have done him in. very sad right now. it is a silkie. but on the bright side i just gotten out a naked neck turken.

its from my seven year old sons bird, he will be very excited in the morning. i can hear the silkie chirping as i type. i hope it makes it. i have only lost one so far, a silkie got stuck between the cartons. good luck with your hatch. i will have some pics mon........

 

[riftnreef]

Don't want to hijack the thread...but will the carton thing work with Serama eggs too?

 

[Shiningfeather]

Quote:
Yes you can use it with all types of chicken eggs.

 

[rarebreedeggs4u]

Quote:
It just did with mine

7 eggs made it to lockdown (wasn't sure on 2), 5 hatched perfectly on the 19th day!

 

[Dane Chick]

Bigdawg, I am sorry to hear about your chick. I lost one that way last week from under my broody hen. Out of 6 eggs she hatched 3 healthy chicks who are currently in a plastic bin brooder in the family room, much to my eight year old sons delight. I am going on lock down with my 15 bator eggs today. It is my first hatch and i was not educated enough to set them all at the same time, so they are due over a three day period. i am going to try the carton method, although i am having difficulty getting my humidity to go high enough already, and i am concerned the carton will suck up the moisture. My bator had a huge temp spike at week two, so i don't necessarily have good feelings about any viable chicks. SIGH. But i have learned a LOT and plan to try again asap if i have a zero hatch rate this time. Best of luck with your chickies, keep us posted on your progess.

 

[4CrazyGirlz]

I am so glad to read all of your posts. This is my fist hatch and we are on day 3. We are so excited I don't know how we are going to make it to day 21!!!

I had been wondering if I should use the carton with our 14 eggs, and I will definitely give it a shot. We have a nice assortment and I would like to see a nice fuzzy variety come hatch day. Thanks for all the good info!

 

[newduckie]

I went to lockdown last night. This is my first hatch and I wish I had subscribed to this site a little earlier and read more before I started. I am learning more every day and I am hoping for two chicks. Two didn't look very promising. I am down to 4 eggs in the bator and 2 under a broody hen. I am going to try to buy some eggs from someone on here and try again. I want some duck eggs but this time of year it is about impossible to find them. My male duck has not gotten the hang of it all yet. I am getting duck eggs, but they are infertile.

 

[Mahonri]

When I use a cardboard or paper carton, it sucks away too much humidity out of the bator.

I now use the other cartons and cut big holes out of the bottom and even some of the sides.