Hatch-Along - Setting eggs this weekend (Jan5/6) WHOS WITH ME!

[SilkieSensation]

I haven't had any big variations except for when I candle/turn them but the bator's not open but for a few minutes each time and the temp goes back to normal really quickly so it doesn't worry me. But i think there will be room in the bator next hatch still even though I plan on about 30 eggs next go around ...

Typically with a full or nearly full bator you won't need heat sinks as the eggs will do that on their own by taking up so much of the air volume in the bator. Eggs don't drop internal temp nearly as quickly as their surface temp changes so will help keep the air around them warm as well. With fewer eggs the air temp drops faster since there is less solid mass to help hold temps stable. Jars or bags of water work well to help keep temps stable. I have also seen people use rocks that are of similar size to their eggs. Pretty much anything that will hold heat & replace air volume with solid mass will work.

I'm late, but I would like to join please. I recieved a Farm Innovators Model 2100 for Christmas. Put my first eggs, collect from my hens, in a couple days later and none of them took. I figure my bator temp was way to hot, after I did some research. So, I adjusted some things and started a new batch of 10 eggs. Some went in on the 5th, 6th and one on the 7th. I hadn't thought to come here before placing again, so I am sure I have made more mistakes. I candled last night and I am pretty sure I have some veins going!!

I know it is still a waiting game, but it is also quite exciting! Hoping to find some eggs to hatch from different breeds of chickens, than one's I already have, especially amerucana and olive egg layers! I am really wanting a bunch of different color eggs....a rainbow!

Good luck to everyone's hatch and thanks for the education I am sure I will be getting every day on hatch eggs on my own.

I have a staggered hatch going starting with quail yesterday & today & (currently) something hatching every few days between now & the 30th. I'm a chronic hatchaholic

My bators never go completely empty. There is always at least 1 with something in it.

Well, I candled again (with an LED flashlight) this evening when I turned the eggs and out of 10 eggs, it looks like 7 have life for sure, one looks to be getting viens (its only been in since the 7th), one is porus, but I can see viens and one looks to have the start of a blood ring (dark red line in two places but not a ring or circle). So far so good...if I can just keep my hands off them!

I never throw out anything that I think is a blood ring the 1st time I look at it. I have had so many that simply had a strange vein pattern when they 1st started out that looked like a blood ring at 1st. When I would candle them again 5-10 days later there would be a wiggly baby inside that wouldn't have made it if I had gone with my 1st impression.

 

[SilkieSensation]

OOops-a little late posting. I set some shipped eggs in an LG (first time hatching and I'm consumed with it!)

I wish I had read this thread earlier-lots of great info here. Hope I didn't botch it

. I recieved 9 marraduna bosque hens(Greenfire), only let them sit for 8 hrs on the 5th before putting them in the incubator. The 9 BLRW(Foley/paul lines)) were shipped a little late(supposed to arrive same day). Put them in the incubator on the 7th after letting them set for 8 hrs also. I originally wanted to go with a dry hatch(till lockdown)-I read alot of success on here. I'm was holding at just under 30%. We got 2 days of solid rain and it is holding at just under 40%. Do you all think I should bump up my humidity? I have been holding my temp at 98-99(top of the eggs)-is this too low? I'm seeing alot of 100-102's on top of eggs on here.

I will say the LG has been very stable. Going to candle this weekend!! can't wait!

Temps are a bit low. I use 100F (for still air) & 30-40% humidity (dry hatch) until lockdown. I never add water to the wells. I put a bowl or sponge in next to the eggs if humidity hasn't already hit 40+%. Lower humidity (40-60%) tends to work better for still air & a bit higher (50-70%) for forced air from what I have seen.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I candled two, one from each of my incubators, and it looked like they have a red hue to them now. However, it is my first time hatching poultry eggs, so I have no idea what I'm supposed to be seeing. I'm going to wait until the 12th or 13th, when I'm going to weigh them. I'm not posting much, but I've read every post on this thread so far, so I've taken all advice into account and am running different settings to see what works.

The red hue you are beginning to see is the blood & vein network beginning to form inside the egg. This is exactly what you want to see.

 

[sticknstring]

I couldn't help it -after reading this thread, I had to candle!

All my basque hens have a little black "spot " with veins running from it

-with the exception of two(I'll leave them in there, as they might be a little later hatch)

. The wyandottes are still clear??( only been 3 days)

Thanks for the advice Silkie-I'm going to bump up the humidity a bit and even out the temp to 100.

 

[CamiLynn]

Typically with a full or nearly full bator you won't need heat sinks as the eggs will do that on their own by taking up so much of the air volume in the bator. Eggs don't drop internal temp nearly as quickly as their surface temp changes so will help keep the air around them warm as well. With fewer eggs the air temp drops faster since there is less solid mass to help hold temps stable. Jars or bags of water work well to help keep temps stable. I have also seen people use rocks that are of similar size to their eggs. Pretty much anything that will hold heat & replace air volume with solid mass will work. I have a staggered hatch going starting with quail yesterday & today & (currently) something hatching every few days between now & the 30th. I'm a chronic hatchaholic

My bators never go completely empty. There is always at least 1 with something in it. I never throw out anything that I think is a blood ring the 1st time I look at it. I have had so many that simply had a strange vein pattern when they 1st started out that looked like a blood ring at 1st. When I would candle them again 5-10 days later there would be a wiggly baby inside that wouldn't have made it if I had gone with my 1st impression.

Sorry for my last post trying to figure this thing out on my phone. I didn't remove any eggs will give it several days longer, but the red lines I see are very dark red like itty bitty sticks floating in the yolk. Anyways, we shall see. I'm still super excited that actually see real growth this time

 

[CamiLynn]

 I couldn't help it -after reading this thread, I had to candle!
All my basque hens have a little black "spot " with veins running from it -with the exception of two(I'll leave them in there, as they might be a little later hatch) .  The wyandottes are still clear??( only been 3 days)
Thanks for the advice Silkie-I'm going to bump up the humidity a bit  and even out the temp to 100.

Yay!!

 

[Antgarner]

The red hue you are beginning to see is the blood & vein network beginning to form inside the egg. This is exactly what you want to see.

I figured it was a good sign, but reassurance is always good . I'm so excited already, I'm probably going to die of a joy-induced heart attack when the first one hatches.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I figured it was a good sign, but reassurance is always good

. I'm so excited already, I'm probably going to die of a joy-induced heart attack when the first one hatches.

Try hatching some of these (shorter wait til hatch

)



There are two 1 week old coturnix quail (hatched the 2nd) in with 7 that hatched last night & today. Amazing how much they grow in a week.

 

[fisherlady]

I have used just about everything but ink pen to mark eggs (afraid it will crack them). Crayons, colored pencil, regular pencil, nail polish, water based markers, permanent markers, etc. None of them have harmed any of the eggs. I actually make sure I use permanent marker for broody eggs because it's the only thing their constant turning & hot tushies don't rub off. Nothing like trying to pull the fresh eggs from under a broody when all of your crayon or pencil markings are now gone and you are a week into incubation.

Making a mental note to grab a pen to remark the eggs under Gracie...

I'm so excited already, I'm probably going to die of a joy-induced heart attack when the first one hatches.

I can totally agree with you there! And I'm not even the one doing any of the work!

 

[fisherlady]

A quick Gracie update and a question....

Update- My SO was out with the chicks tonight to give them their evening spoiling and to get Gracie out for a few moments (she's not big on leaving the nest, so we get her out twice a day to stretch) When he did that he checked the eggs for temp... all were warm and the brat candled one without me!! (I am at work till tomorrow morning

) He only did one, and he said it was full of veins!!!!

He was stoked!! But he resisted the urge to bother any more of them for now... the plan was supposed to be for Saturday but he said he couldn't resist...guess I can't blame him, I want to peak too!

Question- We numbered the eggs on both sides, Gracie tucked them under and arranged them to suit herself.... well, she rearranges them frequently (we have seen her doing it at least twice a day ourselves, so don't know how often it happens when we don't see it), we see now how the numbers move around in the nest, front to back, outer edge to middle, etc. Evidently it is her way of controlling temps and humidity.
So now that I am turning this into a book, here's the actual question... do any of you rearrange your eggs in the 'bator to see if it affects the hatch? because the heat and humidity can change in different corners of the 'bator at least by a little, or maybe the air flow is different? I figure if broodies do it maybe it works for 'bators too?