Half Shell Hatch-A-Long! (Caution, unsuccessful, please read whole thread before attempting)

[MGG]

Yes, you can turn it off multiple ways. There is a separate connector cord in the back that you can just disconnect, you can take the tray out, or just don't reset the number of days to hatch. If there are 3 days or less left on the readout the turner will automatically shut off for lockdown. You still want to remove the turning tray for lockdown but it's made so that you don't need to move the eggs. You literally lift up on the tray and the eggs are already in place for lockdown. I started using the no-skid shelf liner because I feel like it's nicer for the babies so I do take them out and put them back personally.

I always use shelf liner too. Thanks! That info is very helpful.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Update!
So, last night I used the food coloring method on the two girls so I can tell which egg is who's. Anyway, I have my first subject! Blrw egg. (#1) Now I have to figure out how to set this all up. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to open up the egg? I was thinking maybe opening up the air cell and pouring it out? I feel like cracking it might be bad. Also, how do I make sure the blastoderm is on top? Sometimes when I crack eggs it's on the bottom. Anyhow, here's the egg. I like that there's just a few little streaks. Its my first time trying this method and it seems to have worked great. View attachment 2128759

Lol! I've never heard of using food coloring. That's a clever idea!

 

[MGG]

Also, this is a bit off track, sorry lol. When candling eggs, I've seen lots of people put them on a candler or flashlight pointy end up. Like fat end on the candler. I am just confused how that can work, since you're never supposed to put hatching eggs pointy end up. Sorry for all the questions, lol. I have been meaning to ask this, but I just now remembered. I figured it would probably be pointless to start a whole new thread about it.

 

[MGG]

Lol! I've never heard of using food coloring. That's a clever idea!

I found it on here somewhere. I just have to say, I'm not bothered by things like "um, that" but it was really gross! I realized afterwards red might not have been a good color to use, since it looks like blood. But my hen has a lot of "butt fluff" so it conceals the color. Blue works great.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Also, this is a bit off track, sorry lol. When candling eggs, I've seen lots of people out them on a candler or flashlight pointy end up. Like fat end on the candler. I am just confused how that can work, since you're never supposed to put hatching eggs pointy end up. Sorry for all the questions, lol. I have been meaning to ask this, but I just now remembered. I figured it would probably be pointless to start a whole new thread about it.

I use a high lumen flashlight and not the candler on top of the incubator so I just hold them in the same horizontal orientation that I incubate in.

 

[MGG]

I have located some Dixie cups! Any idea of how to "crack" them? I was thinking of opening up the air celk and gently pouring it in. Cracking seems a bit to rough.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have located some Dixie cups! Any idea of how to "crack" them? I was thinking of opening up the air celk and gently pouring it in. Cracking seems a bit to rough.

That does sound like a gentler approach! I've never attempted anything like this before so it's all a guessing game for me! Lol

 

[MGG]

Update! Ok, so I did it! The egg was also actually fertile! (Idk how that poor little bantam breeds my huge blrw) First - I put two dixie cups inside each other. I cut in some holes with a knife. My eggs were too small, the bottom half want all the way to the bottom of the cup, instead of being elevated a bit like I was planning. To fix this, I got a toilet paper roll, cut a ring out of it and put it inside the cup. The egg was too heavy, and it still touched the bottom. So I cut a strip of cardboard (from the toilet paper roll) and put it in the bottom of the cup like a bridge. So it's just arched in the middle. Then I put in the egg. It rested on the bridge perfectly. I also cut off the top of the cups so they were shorter. So, I took out the egg (it was not yet opened up) and got a pin. I tipped it pointy end up and started scratching an X on the tip. This took forever. When I finally got through to membrane, I started breaking off pieces of shell very carefully. I got a decent portion of shell off. Then, I got saran wrap. I cut off a square. I put a few holes in it with a pin. They're tiny holes. I made sure there were no bubbles or wrinkles in it, and put it over the top of the egg and the cup. Then I put a rubber band (I actually used an elastic hair tie because it was laying on the counter) over the saran wrap. It seems like everything's working so far. I am still not sure how to turn it, it wouldn't fit in an egg carton, and the cup barely fits in my incubator as it is. This might not work at all, but at least I tried, lol. Here are some pics. Btw, any turning suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Update! Ok, so I did it! The egg was also actually fertile! (Idk how that poor little bantam breeds my huge blrw) First - I put two dixie cups inside each other. I cut in some holes with a knife. My eggs were too small, the bottom half want all the way to the bottom of the cup, instead of being elevated a bit like I was planning. To fix this, I got a toilet paper roll, cut a ring out of it and put it inside the cup. The egg was too heavy, and it still touched the bottom. So I cut a strip of cardboard (from the toilet paper roll) and put it in the bottom of the cup like a bridge. So it's just arched in the middle. Then I put in the egg. It rested on the bridge perfectly. I also cut off the top of the cups so they were shorter. So, I took out the egg (it was not yet opened up) and got a pin. I tipped it pointy end up and started scratching an X on the tip. This took forever. When I finally got through to membrane, I started breaking off pieces of shell very carefully. I got a decent portion of shell off. Then, I got saran wrap. I cut off a square. I put a few holes in it with a pin. They're tiny holes. I made sure there were no bubbles or wrinkles in it, and put it over the top of the egg and the cup. Then I put a rubber band (I actually used an elastic hair tie because it was laying on the counter) over the saran wrap. It seems like everything's working so far. I am still not sure how to turn it, it wouldn't fit in an egg carton, and the cup barely fits in my incubator as it is. This might not work at all, but at least I tried, lol. Here are some pics. Btw, any turning suggestions would be greatly appreciated. View attachment 2129198View attachment 2129199View attachment 2129200View attachment 2129201View attachment 2129204View attachment 2129202

Very cool! Thank you for sharing in detail what you did! I hope it works! I'm kind of wondering if it may be better to not turn in this case? Do they show the cups gently rocking in the videos of this project?

 

[MGG]

Very cool! Thank you for sharing in detail what you did! I hope it works! I'm kind of wondering if it may be better to not turn in this case? Do they show the cups gently rocking in the videos of this project?

Is it ok not to turn? Since the embryo won't really be touching the shell? I mean, a couple times a day I can "swirl" it around maybe. I mean, not really swirl it, I know the babies are incredibly fragile, but Idk. Most people do this in cabinet incubators with the big tipping trays