Hatch-Along Chickentopia 2.0

[Duckduckgoosie]

Hello, longtime reader, first time hatch-along thread maker.

2024 ended with me breaking my wrist, having surgery,
and rehoming my flock as I needed rest and couldn’t lift feed bags, etc for the foreseeable future.

However… now I feel like I could manage a little flock of little chickens.

On Saturday I pick up about a dozen Serama eggs!

I’ve only used an incubator once before. I’m excited/nervous.

Restarting feels right.

 

[Slothinc]

Hello, longtime reader, first time hatch-along thread maker.

2024 ended with me breaking my wrist, having surgery,
and rehoming my flock as I needed rest and couldn’t lift feed bags, etc for the foreseeable future.

However… now I feel like I could manage a little flock of little chickens.

On Saturday I pick up about a dozen Serama eggs!

I’ve only used an incubator once before. I’m excited/nervous.

Restarting feels right.

Oh how exciting to start a little mini flock!!! Seramas are just too cute! I hope you have many that hatch!

 

[OrpingtonManiac]

Hello, longtime reader, first time hatch-along thread maker.

2024 ended with me breaking my wrist, having surgery,
and rehoming my flock as I needed rest and couldn’t lift feed bags, etc for the foreseeable future.

However… now I feel like I could manage a little flock of little chickens.

On Saturday I pick up about a dozen Serama eggs!

I’ve only used an incubator once before. I’m excited/nervous.

Restarting feels right.

Yayy! Good luck with incubation!

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Getting ready over here- I will be running two incubators, a Brinsea Mini II that I bought off FB Marketplace and a Kebonnixs (new). I should be getting about 2 doz Serama eggs on Saturday from two different breeders.

I could do one breeder’s eggs in one incubator and the other set in the other, or do 6 and 6 in each?

Both these machines are new to me. The Brinsea had been used 4 times and then stored by the seller. I removed some dust but seems to be humming along.

I have an inkbird hygrometer in each. Calibrated both.

Plugged machines in to start testing.

Kebonnixs reads 99.5, 35% humidity (incubator readout), hygrometer reads 98.6, 23%

Brinsea reads 99.5 (incubator), hygrometer rea
ds 97.5, 29%.

Oh- this is cool- the Brinsea was missing the water trough guard but my friend made one for me with his digital printer!

Meanwhile I’m setting up my brooder tonight because I pick up two Brahma chicks tomorrow afternoon. I have this plan to make a Serama flock, raised with just a couple Brahmas for warmth in chilly weather.

 

[Slothinc]

Getting ready over here- I will be running two incubators, a Brinsea Mini II that I bought off FB Marketplace and a Kebonnixs (new). I should be getting about 2 doz Serama eggs on Saturday from two different breeders.

I could do one breeder’s eggs in one incubator and the other set in the other, or do 6 and 6 in each?

Both these machines are new to me. The Brinsea had been used 4 times and then stored by the seller. I removed some dust but seems to be humming along.

I have an inkbird hygrometer in each. Calibrated both.

Plugged machines in to start testing.

Kebonnixs reads 99.5, 35% humidity (incubator readout), hygrometer reads 98.6, 23%

Brinsea reads 99.5 (incubator), hygrometer rea
ds 97.5, 29%.

Oh- this is cool- the Brinsea was missing the water trough guard but my friend made one for me with his digital printer!

Meanwhile I’m setting up my brooder tonight because I pick up two Brahma chicks tomorrow afternoon. I have this plan to make a Serama flock, raised with just a couple Brahmas for warmth in chilly weather.

Ooooh your friend should sell the guards for those brinseas - I swear every used one I have seen has that piece lost, and I have lost one of them myself They are hard to hang onto. Very exciting!!! I would probably do 6 and 6 in each one just in case there is a failure with one of the incubators… then you could still have chicks from both breeders, hopefully. But I think any way you do it will be fine!

 

[Cheekychook12]

Will you name and number the eggs?

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Will you name and number the eggs?

Is that to keep track of each egg’s development?

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Here’s the pattern we used:
https://www.printables.com/model/536415-brinsea-mini-water-pot-guard

 

[AinaWGSD]

Is that to keep track of each egg’s development?

Yes, but also if you want it lets people choose an egg to root for. Most people pick a theme for the hatchalong and people can pick an egg and name it according to the theme (obviously you aren't beholden to the name, once the chicks hatch you can name them whatever you like). It's just a fun way to make the hatchalong more interactive.

Congratulations on your decision to restart your flock btw! Seramas are awfully cute.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Yes, but also if you want it lets people choose an egg to root for. Most people pick a theme for the hatchalong and people can pick an egg and name it according to the theme (obviously you aren't beholden to the name, once the chicks hatch you can name them whatever you like). It's just a fun way to make the hatchalong more interactive.

Congratulations on your decision to restart your flock btw! Seramas are awfully cute.