Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

No---I did not take your post above as a attack. We Good! I will admit I have not got much experience in hands on hatching and with the cabinet I candle on day 12 "some times" and day 18 every time, BUT I do not do as some of you----I do not hold the egg to see the heart beat or if it moves. I usually pick up with one hand and place on the candler and take off with the other hand only taking a second on the light---I can go through 200 to 300 eggs in 15 to 20 minutes. I never had a desire to slow down to watch the embryo, the heart beat etc. A few days ago I candled about 150 I am incubating for a lady that has good equipment---just a BAD hatch rate---I have tried to explain---its not doing any good so she sweet talks me into hatching some for her----often. (She gave me about 150 more to set the next week) She has some of the Ayam cemani in these and wants them to hatch so she does not trust herself! I slowed down and checked some of the eggs---more than I ever have---for a few eggs---then right back at it like I was working on a quota. I appreciate the Life in those eggs but taking 5 minutes to look at each does not interest me----maybe because I have studied hatching sheets/pictures in the beginning and I know whats happening in there.

Pictures can't do the real thing justice!! lol But I respect the fact you aren't interested in seeing the development. If you have no desire then there's no reason why you would. You know what humidity works for you, so other than checking for clears, it makes no sense why you would. And we've already discussed if I was incubating trays of eggs at a time I would be way less hands on...lol I'm going into my third year hatching and I still get excited when I can make out a little foot waving about...unless it's flipping me off because of the light in his eyes.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am a newbie, obviously, but I find it just amazing being able to candle them, its like seeing into a womb, watching them twist and turn around, its such a miracle. But I gotta get onto perfect temp and humidity and all that if I am going to hatch these little miracles, lol, I have tried believe me, but 2 things, there is so much conflicting info... especially on humidity. And also equipment issues here, we have had everything from running out of oil in the house and the temp dropping, to bad hygrometers, to this last one where the chick (I watched for hours to make sure it couldn't get out of the container) getting out and into a water dish, forcing me to open the bator..ugh, wish I could afford to get a incubator so I wouldn't have so many issues

This is my answer to that pesky humidity problem of not knowing what info to go by. Basically, you have to find what works for you. http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

As for conatiners of water, get a brand new clean sponge and put in the water dish. It still gives you the humidity and eliminates the drowning hazzard.

 

[mtnvwheritage]

Really good article! I am definitely on the "meddler" side, lol. That's actually what I ended up doing, putting a sponge in, for these other ones, we were out for the day, I freaked when I got home and it was in there! I thought the sides of the container were high enough, but it must have stood on another egg...

 

[BYC910]

I am a newbie, obviously, but I find it just amazing being able to candle them, its like seeing into a womb, watching them twist and turn around, its such a miracle. But I gotta get onto perfect temp and humidity and all that if I am going to hatch these little miracles, lol, I have tried believe me, but 2 things, there is so much conflicting info... especially on humidity. And also equipment issues here, we have had everything from running out of oil in the house and the temp dropping, to bad hygrometers, to this last one where the chick (I watched for hours to make sure it couldn't get out of the container) getting out and into a water dish, forcing me to open the bator..ugh, wish I could afford to get a incubator so I wouldn't have so many issues

Okay newbie find your niche that works for you . The number one rule of hatching is you own the egg so you make the call . Open the incubator or don't open the incubator assist or don't all up to you . I got hundreds tied up in equipment but there is nothing more valuable in hatching eggs than a spot on hygrometer and thermometer. Get those right and all else will fall in line . I run a dry hatch every hatch until the first pip my incubators are operating in whatever the temperature is at the time . In cold as low as 20 degrees or a 100 degrees . So I don't get perfect hatches. Yet I'm still over run with chickens . We would all love to have the perfect environment for incubation but live with what we get . There are always those that will tell you their opinion but in the end its all up to you which method you use . And just remember the only one that is right is ME And you can't go wrong .

Pictures can't do the real thing justice!! lol But I respect the fact you aren't interested in seeing the development. If you have no desire then there's no reason why you would. You know what humidity works for you, so other than checking for clears, it makes no sense why you would. And we've already discussed if I was incubating trays of eggs at a time I would be way less hands on...lol I'm going into my third year hatching and I still get excited when I can make out a little foot waving about...unless it's flipping me off because of the light in his eyes.

 

[WVduckchick]

Speaking of candling, I have 22 lavender Orpington eggs on day 8 that I had only done a quick in-place candle of a few days ago. This evening, I happened to be cleaning up in that room this evening when all of a sudden, my Brinsea Octagon Eco starts making the most awful noise!! I grabbed the lid off to see if the sound was coming from the bator or the turner. It was the bator fan!

Luckily, the other Octagon EX was vacated by the duck hatch, so it was sitting there empty. I moved the whole bottom half, including the eggs, over to the other turner, and used the top half from the EX. Whew! Lucky break for a change.

I haven't hatched in the Eco because I've done several staggered hatches and have been hatching in the styro, so I hadn't really cleaned the Eco, but apparently the dust in the room from the chicks had made its way into the Eco fan. Blew it all out, cleaned it up, and it seems to be running fine now.

After all that was when I realized I hadn't candled the LO eggs lately. 2 clear, and a couple that look strange. Almost like a blood ring around the bottom of the yolk! But I still see great movement in them, so I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe the fan had gone wacko when I hadn't been around and caused a temp flux. Guess I'll see eventually.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Speaking of candling, I have 22 lavender Orpington eggs on day 8 that I had only done a quick in-place candle of a few days ago. This evening, I happened to be cleaning up in that room this evening when all of a sudden, my Brinsea Octagon Eco starts making the most awful noise!! I grabbed the lid off to see if the sound was coming from the bator or the turner. It was the bator fan!

Luckily, the other Octagon EX was vacated by the duck hatch, so it was sitting there empty. I moved the whole bottom half, including the eggs, over to the other turner, and used the top half from the EX. Whew! Lucky break for a change.

I haven't hatched in the Eco because I've done several staggered hatches and have been hatching in the styro, so I hadn't really cleaned the Eco, but apparently the dust in the room from the chicks had made its way into the Eco fan. Blew it all out, cleaned it up, and it seems to be running fine now.

After all that was when I realized I hadn't candled the LO eggs lately. 2 clear, and a couple that look strange. Almost like a blood ring around the bottom of the yolk! But I still see great movement in them, so I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe the fan had gone wacko when I hadn't been around and caused a temp flux. Guess I'll see eventually.

Wow.

 

[PD-Riverman]

That's actually what I ended up doing, putting a sponge in, for these other ones, we were out for the day, I freaked when I got home and it was in there! I thought the sides of the container were high enough, but it must have stood on another egg...

If the sponge works good---Good. If the container is bigger than the sponge----that scrap piece of 1/2" hardware cloth you got laying right over "there" can easily be cut and bent with pliers to make a top for your water container. Good Luck

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Hey guys, does anyone have experience collecting duck eggs for the incubator? I've got 31 collected in the last 6 days that are awaiting their stay in the incubator and I'm just wondering if they are clean enough to prevent a bacterial outbreak in the bator. I've been trying to get fairly clean ones and tossing the really dirty ones but I'm not sure if the ones I have are clean enough. Here are some pics, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hey guys, does anyone have experience collecting duck eggs for the incubator? I've got 31 collected in the last 6 days that are awaiting their stay in the incubator and I'm just wondering if they are clean enough to prevent a bacterial outbreak in the bator. I've been trying to get fairly clean ones and tossing the really dirty ones but I'm not sure if the ones I have are clean enough. Here are some pics, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Those are fine! Some folks wash eggs, some just chip off the really dirty chunks. All you can really do is try them, and smell the incubator often.

I'll usually wipe the worst areas with a wet paper towel, but I've incubated MUCH dirtier than those.

 

[BigWeenMachine]

Ok, that's good. Thanks for the help! Should be ready to set these eggs by Saturday or Sunday so were getting excited for hatching season!