Hatchalong! Setting Eggs April 6, 2012. Anyone else in?

[steveclank]

I'm also new here. I set mine around 5:00pm on April 6th. I have 15(shipped BO) eggs in my Octagon 20 eco. I was very patient in the beginning, but, as it gets closer I'm getting a lot more nervous. This is my second experience with incubating. My first one, when I was 11, did not go so well....It broke during the middle and lost all the eggs. As I've gotten older, I've always wanted to retry and make up for what happened so long ago....Temp has been very stable(that's why I bought a more expensive incubator). I candled 2 eggs, and they looked good. I don't like having it open for any amount of time(that whole temp thing).

Since it was 5:00pm on April 6th...When would be the best time for lockdown?

 

[tgperg]

I'd go with 5 pm on April 24. That's a full 18 days isn't it?

 

[loves2hatch]

welcome steveclank, what tgperg said for lockdown or if thre is a better time for you that would work too. I don't think you have to have an exact time to do a lock down. I know some on this board say to wait til they pip either externally or internally. I'm not sure what I'm going to do this time. I think getting the hatch time close to the set time is what I gather everyone is supposed to be striving for. That way you know if your incubator settings are running to hot or to cold.

Question for everyone that has turners or their eggs are sitting upright. Are you going to lay them down to hatch them or keep them upright in cartons or whatever? I usually lay mine down but I'm curious as to leaving them up this time and see what happens, maybe put them in cartons with slits in the bottom? I'm getting nervous the closer it gets. I so want a good hatch for my friend. I already threw out 8 eggs! I had another smelling one last night. I candled it and saw no veins or movement, the airsac was slanted already and the shell by airsac looked like it had big pores.

I added a little water today 1fluid oz. hygrometer was reading about 20% but the room one was still reading 43%. Odd thing I notice when I take the lid off the incubator my humidity goes up not down? I have the plug open. I guess the fan is sucking the moisture out. Anyone have thoughts on this?

Sorry, for the long post! I feel like I'm writing a book eveytime I write on here.

Can you tell I'm excited/nervous?

 

[fowlsessed]

Just seen this thread. But It's still not to late, I'm in. I just have 16 eggs though, they're an assortment of old english game bantams. blacks, wheatons and a lemon blue roo over a brown red hen. Hope every thing goes well, I'm using a stincky, old hova-bator, but hey at least I have something and an automatic turner.

 

[loves2hatch]

I'll be candling tonight. I almost don't want to since most of the eggs in the one box had to be washed,

Man this is almost my least favorite time, when it should be my most favorite

I'm in. I set 2 batches of shipped eggs on the 6th. One is a mixed bag Coronation Sussex, Ex Leghorn, Marans, Wheaten, and Blue Wheaten Am that had one broken egg. That one egg got goo all over the rest of the eggs so I had to wash them.

The second batch is LF Lemon Blue Cochin project eggs

. I already have a couple of EE's and 5 Turkey eggs in from the 31st of March and 6 BLRW shipped with some wonky air cells that go into lockdown on the 9th. I have the turner off till the new eggs have been in 5 to 7 days in case the air cells are loose, so I'm turning the older ones by hand for now.
I have a Hovabator 1588 w/auto turner I bought in January and last week I got a used Reptipro 5000 (off ebay) that doesn't have shelves. So now I can have staggered hatches, incubating in the 1588 and lockdown/hatching in the Reptipro (which is alot easier to clean). I rigged a plastic egg flat I cut to fit about 4in off the floor in the Reptipro since the temps are graduated, cooler on the bottom and warmer at the top. (about 2.5 to 3 degrees). A friend has had small cabinet bators that quit recently so she is sending me her shelves.
I do a version of the dry hatch. It is often very dry here so I try to keep the humidity about/above 30%, adding warm water 1cc at a time if necessary during the incubation, days 1-18. I was adding water to the 1588 to get a 55-65% for lock down but now with the Reptipro I am learning that the Cabinet bators don't lose humidity much, it looks like I'm going to be locking down at about 45% and letting the hatching chicks raise the humidity level. This is the recommendation of a friend who uses Reptipros. I will adjust it as I learn I'm sure.

Hey Zoo, what happened to the eggs that were into lock down on the 9th? Did you get a good hatch?
What did you see when you candled those washed eggs? good news?!

 

[tgperg]

I have mine upright as well. I haven't decided what to do for hatch. I could leave them as they are or lay them on their side. Not sure which is better. Must do more research first, I guess.

 

[Zootopia]

Hey Zoo, what happened to the eggs that were into lock down on the 9th? Did you get a good hatch?
What did you see when you candled those washed eggs? good news?!

I only got 2 BLRW's hatched out of the 6 in lockdown. Don't know what happened with the other 4 they were all full term, just never pipped. They were the ones with the worst air cells tho so maybe that was the problem.
The washed eggs seem to be doing pretty good so far, I did pull 2 of the AM that were clear but the rest seem to be developing fine. There is one Maran that may be a blood ring, but it is so dark it is hard to tell at this point so I'll leave it in for now.
The lemon blue eggs are a toss up, I had 4 clear, only one was not fertile the rest just didn't go anywhere. Small blood spots only, very sad.

 

[steveclank]

One week to go...Hopefully.

 

[loves2hatch]

Hmm, my temp was up a degree this a.m. even though it is colder outside today. I don't have my heat on in the house and the room is a little colder than normal. Not sure if I should leave it be or turn it down a notch?! I know temps seem to go up the last week when chicks are developing more but not sure what the protacol is when you have a fan on the incubator. Guess I'll just keep checking on it and decide later. I wouldn't be concerned with the degree since it is on my digital. but the thermometer that is laying on top of the eggs (not digital) goes from 100-103 depending on when the heat element kicks on and off.

I have mine upright as well. I haven't decided what to do for hatch. I could leave them as they are or lay them on their side. Not sure which is better. Must do more research first, I guess.

I agree, more research to be done! but I like the sound of what I'm reading.. less mess and no bumping around of other eggs. I don't know which will make me more nervous.

I only got 2 BLRW's hatched out of the 6 in lockdown. Don't know what happened with the other 4 they were all full term, just never pipped. They were the ones with the worst air cells tho so maybe that was the problem.
The washed eggs seem to be doing pretty good so far, I did pull 2 of the AM that were clear but the rest seem to be developing fine. There is one Maran that may be a blood ring, but it is so dark it is hard to tell at this point so I'll leave it in for now.
The lemon blue eggs are a toss up, I had 4 clear, only one was not fertile the rest just didn't go anywhere. Small blood spots only, very sad.

aww that's to bad. Hopefully you have good luck with the rest of these.

One week to go...Hopefully.

I wan to candle constantly but know i better not. I need a candler that I can slip threw the little hole on top and move around to each egg so I can see what's going on inside there. Anyone inventive enough to make one for me?

 

[loves2hatch]

For those of you hatching Ducks. I just found a post where tweetysvoice created a water saver for ducks https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder
You should check it out if you haven't seen it. It's simple to make and you will definitely be glad you made one if you don't have something similar.