Harris Farms Nurture Right 360 Incubator is AMAZING!

[jlwquilter]

Going into lockdown tonight! Took the turner out 2 days ago to try the idea of giving the chicks a bit more time to position themselves.
Not that I’m now expecting many chicks . Out of 12 Plymouth barred rock eggs none of them look like they’re going to make it . The eggs are actually from hens I used to own several months ago - I sold them to a woman that had a barred rock rooster. I did get a small hatch out of the hens using my RIR rooster. But these eggs didn’t look so good to begin with but I set them anyway. The other eggs are from my flock and most look ok so we’ll see.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Going into lockdown tonight! Took the turner out 2 days ago to try the idea of giving the chicks a bit more time to position themselves.
Not that I’m now expecting many chicks . Out of 12 Plymouth barred rock eggs none of them look like they’re going to make it . The eggs are actually from hens I used to own several months ago - I sold them to a woman that had a barred rock rooster. I did get a small hatch out of the hens using my RIR rooster. But these eggs didn’t look so good to begin with but I set them anyway. The other eggs are from my flock and most look ok so we’ll see.

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Pullety]

Yes, correct. You can wait to increase humidity until day 19 or 20 for the first round too. The only reason they say to do everything on day 18 is to help those that are new to hatching. It's easier to explain if you say lockdown in general requires that you stop turning the eggs and increase humidity at the same time but the increase in humidity is only actually important for once the chicks make external pips and keeping the exposed membrane moist for an easy hatch.

I think this is right but just to make sure, because I’m paranoid about screwing up, if I increase humidity on day 20, that’s right after 19 full 24-hour days have passed?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I think this is right but just to make sure, because I’m paranoid about screwing up, if I increase humidity on day 20, that’s right after 19 full 24-hour days have passed?

You can increase the humidity as early as day 18 if you're more comfortable with that but if you need to wait for any reason you can actually wait until you see the first external pip. Early pips are common so I don't usually wait any longer that day 20 (but I stalk my Incubators so I see the slight elevation in humidity when the chicks start to internally pip and I can just increase the humidity then if I'm trying to wait until the last minute).
I fill the reservoir in the morning and evening for convenience so I would probably fill it in the morning on day 20, is that what you mean?
The increased humidity for hatch is to keep it moist in the incubator for exposed membranes and that's all.

 

[jlwquilter]

I’m very glad to learn the reason behind what I’m told to do! Not only does it help me remember to do things, it’s also reduces worry if I forget and then remember!

 

[rayrose]

I feel like it's just ok. The light itself is bright but there is a lot of light that bleeds through the plastic and any light that isn't focused inside the egg makes it harder to see. I personally don't use it and I like my separate high lumen flashlight.

What about using the light from a cell phone.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

What about using the light from a cell phone.

You can use a cellphone light. I would use the incubator light sooner than a cellphone personally and just put a heavy piece of cardstock around the light with a hole cut out the size of the light. That would take care of the light bleeding through.

 

[Pullety]

You can increase the humidity as early as day 18 if you're more comfortable with that but if you need to wait for any reason you can actually wait until you see the first external pip. Early pips are common so I don't usually wait any longer that day 20 (but I stalk my Incubators so I see the slight elevation in humidity when the chicks start to internally pip and I can just increase the humidity then if I'm trying to wait until the last minute).
I fill the reservoir in the morning and evening for convenience so I would probably fill it in the morning on day 20, is that what you mean?
The increased humidity for hatch is to keep it moist in the incubator for exposed membranes and that's all.

I’m sorry I didn’t do a very good job of communicating and thanks for sharing extra information about how you manage humidity during the hatch! What I meant to ask about was how you count days. Is 0-24 hours in the incubator called day 1 or day 0? I wanted to know how long I could hold off and didn’t want to mess up the days. But your explanation did clarify when the last moment is to increase humidity!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I’m sorry I didn’t do a very good job of communicating and thanks for sharing extra information about how you manage humidity during the hatch! What I meant to ask about was how you count days. Is 0-24 hours in the incubator called day 1 or day 0? I wanted to know how long I could hold off and didn’t want to mess up the days. But your explanation did clarify when the last moment is to increase humidity!

Ooooh! Ok! I misunderstood! Day 1 is once the eggs have been in the incubator for 24 hours. So if you set the eggs on Monday at 8am, Tuesday at 8am starts Day 1.

 

[Pullety]

You can use a cellphone light. I would use the incubator light sooner than a cellphone personally and just put a heavy piece of cardstock around the light with a hole cut out the size of the light. That would take care of the light bleeding through.

Speaking of lights, could I be hurting the embryos with a 1200 lumen flashlight? I use it for as little time as I can but I worry about causing them discomfort or distress.