Hands on hatching and help

[WVduckchick]

Lol ok thanks. Just curious what is the humidity pump? I've been hearing alot about it. How does it work?

The humidity pump is basically an external water reservoir, that is connected by fish-tank-like tubing to the main unit. The unit has an RH% setting, so if drops below that setting, it sends a signal to the pump to bring in water. The water drips onto a pad that is suspended above the eggs, just a few drips at a time, just enough to maintain the humidity reading. The pad is made of some kind of thick paperlike stuff.

(not my picture)

 

[jenniferlamar70]

The humidity pump is basically an external water reservoir, that is connected by fish-tank-like tubing to the main unit. The unit has an RH% setting, so if drops below that setting, it sends a signal to the pump to bring in water. The water drips onto a pad that is suspended above the eggs, just a few drips at a time, just enough to maintain the humidity reading. The pad is made of some kind of thick paperlike stuff. (not my picture)

Oh I want one lol does it have a built in hygrometer then to know if it needs to pump more or not?

 

[WVduckchick]

Go for it! If you candle quick, look for the "draw down.
@RubyNala97

How do I tell if it's drawn down? I did a quick peek without moving anything. I just shined it towards the air cell. I didn't see any little beaks in the air cells yet.

This one has drawn down. The blue and black lines are from day 7 and day 14

Oh I want one lol does it have a built in hygrometer then to know if it needs to pump more or not?

Which unit do you have? I think only the "Advance" models have the hygrometer and a place to hook the pump, but not positive about that. You can scroll through your menu (press + and - at the same time) and arrow through. See if you see an RH% option.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Btw-I need to visit you on the broody thread. I'm having this worst broody mamas this spring.

I will be glad to offer any help I can---I can not find the thread so tag me or let me know.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Oh! Amy I been waiting to ask someone do those longer red trough feeders works?(to keep poo out of food)? Got frustrated with some beaks needing trimmed so made ours,that way they trim them themselves,,still always wondered bout long red feeders.

I absolutely positively hate them....lol I would never buy another, and no they don't help with poop. Actually they roost on the top and poop more I think...lol Filling them is a pain because the top is so much higher than the bottom. Hard to explain. If you just fill the bottom portion the food is low in the feeder. If you fill it enough that it comes up to the holes it makes a mess before you can close it. This one sits outside all the time, I don't normally use it, but I needed something for out there. I hate the big round one that I have in the coop, but it's better and they don't poop in it.

Whew this thread has been busy today lol. I can hardly keep up. I candled my ancona duck and silkie eggs today. It's only day 3 so just a quick glance while I was turning them. They looked really good though. So far over half of them are already starting to vein and I saw the heartbeat in one.

That's good.

Hey guys it's day 20 here. Is it ok to take the lid off to add more water? No one has any cracks or holes in their egg yet..

Yes

What week can I move the chicks out of heat lamp?

Depends on the temps inside or where your brooder is. I brood inside and if it's spring/summer, (which I will never brood inside for winter again, so you can say I won't hatch in winter,) usually by 4 weeks for me it's off. Between 3-4 weeks if it's warm enough inside I cut the light during the day and only use it at night when it's cooler.

My Chicks are usually weaned off the lamp during the winter/colder months at a rate of 5 degree's per week. Warmer months I put them in a ground pen at 2 weeks old with some heat at night/cooler part of the morning and late evening. Usually during the warmer months---(where I live)----by 4 week old they are off the heat.

Me too pretty much.

Go for it! If you candle quick, look for the "draw down.
@RubyNala97

How do I tell if it's drawn down? I did a quick peek without moving anything. I just shined it towards the air cell. I didn't see any little beaks in the air cells yet.

WV posted an excellent pic of draw down. You'll know it when you see it cause you'll think holy crap that air cell is big! lol

 

[WVduckchick]

I absolutely positively hate them....lol I would never buy another, and no they don't help with poop. Actually they roost on the top and poop more I think...lol Filling them is a pain because the top is so much higher than the bottom. Hard to explain. If you just fill the bottom portion the food is low in the feeder. If you fill it enough that it comes up to the holes it makes a mess before you can close it. This one sits outside all the time, I don't normally use it, but I needed something for out there. I hate the big round one that I have in the coop, but it's better and they don't poop in it.

I don't necessarily like mine either, but they are nice for more birds. I have one of the metal ones. The easiest way I have found to fill it is with my flat scoop, over top of the feed barrel. Don't remove the top from the feeder, just pour though the holes, and let the overflow fall back into the barrel or bag.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

This one has drawn down. The blue and black lines are from day 7 and day 14 Which unit do you have? I think only the "Advance" models have the hygrometer and a place to hook the pump, but not positive about that. You can scroll through your menu (press + and - at the same time) and arrow through. See if you see an RH% option.

Yes I had quite a few eggs like that. unfortunately I'm running the octagon 20 eco. I plan on upgrading to the advance next year. I do have the advance mini but it's so small I don't think I would use a pump with that one lol

 

[RubyNala97]

Go for it! If you candle quick, look for the "draw down.
@RubyNala97

How do I tell if it's drawn down? I did a quick peek without moving anything. I just shined it towards the air cell. I didn't see any little beaks in the air cells yet.

Just like VW's pic, the air cell grows dramatically in about a 24 hour period, right before internal pip. Did you trace the air cells at all? The first time I saw draw down was around day 19/20 and I freaked because I thought my eggs had shrink wrapped! The membrane pulls down and sorta forms around the chick. You can see the outline of the chick, especially where the chick meets the bottom of the egg/air cell. It's a good sign that hatch is close and the chick is still alive. If the chick quit in lockdown it won't draw down.

Oh I want one lol does it have a built in hygrometer then to know if it needs to pump more or not?

Did you get the Eco model? You can't upgrade to the pump with the Eco (I wish you could)!

I will be glad to offer any help I can---I can not find the thread so tag me or let me know.

I thought you were one of the main helpers on the broody hen thread! Sorry. Well I would love some advice or insight. I have all purebred silkies and most of them are first time moms...and terrible moms. They are good sitters but that's about it. I tried seperating them and that worked better but integration was hard. So this month I let them hatch in the coop. The first week they stay in the coop with the babies. I put chick feeders and waterers in the coop and give them finch seed mix with starter grit and scrambled eggs daily. That went good. The chicks were eating, drinking and scratching around. But after the first week the moms take the chicks down the ramp into the run. That's where trouble starts. The moms have been ignoring the babies after they make that move around 1 week post hatch. I find the chicks crying and the moms are off doing there own thing, ignoring the crying chicks. The chicks basically fend for themselves. So far out of two batches with 2 different moms I have gone out to check and have found a total of 3 dead chicks. I had one good mom. She protected her babies, she fed them and always had them right next to her. That was the one mom I had seperated for about 3 weeks. Is this normal for first time moms? With the last batch I ended up taking the 2 remaining chicks inside after I found the dead one yesterday. These are small batches too. The biggest batch was 5 chicks. Is there anything I can do or not do to help them be better moms? Does it take a couple batches for them to get the hang of it? I'm really over these bad moms and hearing crying chicks and finding them dead! I don't even want to let another one sit!
(thanks for letting me vent)!

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I absolutely positively hate them....lol I would never buy another, and no they don't help with poop. Actually they roost on the top and poop more I think...lol  Filling them is a pain because the top is so much higher than the bottom. Hard to explain. If you just fill the bottom portion the food is low in the feeder. If you fill it enough that it comes up to the holes it makes a mess before you can close it.  This one sits outside all the time, I don't normally use it, but I needed something for out there. I hate the big round one that I have in the coop, but it's better and they don't poop in it.

That's good.

Yes

Depends on the temps inside or where your brooder is.  I brood inside and if it's spring/summer, (which I will never brood inside for winter again, so you can say I won't hatch in winter,) usually by 4 weeks for me it's off. Between 3-4 weeks if it's warm enough inside I cut the light during the day and only use it at night when it's cooler.

Me too pretty much.

WV posted an excellent pic of draw down. You'll know it when you see it cause you'll think holy crap that air cell is big! lol

It's funny you say that cause that was exactly what I was thinking. I was worried maybe my humidity was to high hahaha. Guess now I know. I keep seeing one wiggle every once in awhile..

 

[Lacrystol]

So I have another experiement I am trying with helping sticky chicks. SO far all is good, I have a call duck that is three days late and I can tell he's got a lot of gooy stuff in that shell, So I'm atempting to save him, I know the chances are 90/10 out of a 100 and that meaning 90% of not making it and 10% making it. So far my little experement is working out OK. I have managed to remove MOST of the sticky gooy stuff out without harming the embroy. He's still alive and it's be almost 24 hours. I'm patiently waiting for him to absorb some yolk and internally pipped. It's a slow process but if this works out I WILL BE OVER JOYED.

I will keep you updated on my results. With him being this sticky I usually lose them but so far, CROSSING FINGERS IN A BIG WAY, he's still alive..