Hatching journey - my silkie babies

[Mother of Chicks]

Mine either - I got my husband to help me with a simultaneous equation because I got stuck - he did astro-physics - I did literature. I can write a lovely poem about chicks

 

[Gardencottager]

Yeah astro physics - sounds about right for what you need to know to hatch chicks!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hello fellow future silkie parents! Wondering how you are doing with your eggs in the Brinsea?
I just started 16 silkie eggs in the Brinsea Maxi advance (14 of the eggs) and the the Brinsea Mini advance (the other 2). I am worried they are not holding their temperatures, so I turned them both up to 37.8. Have you had any problems with temp? I am probably being too much of a "mother hen", but I really want this hatch to be successful.

 

[Mother of Chicks]

Hello fellow future silkie parents! Wondering how you are doing with your eggs in the Brinsea?
I just started 16 silkie eggs in the Brinsea Maxi advance (14 of the eggs) and the the Brinsea Mini advance (the other 2). I am worried they are not holding their temperatures, so I turned them both up to 37.8. Have you had any problems with temp? I am probably being too much of a "mother hen", but I really want this hatch to be successful.

Hey @jmns - Mine are on day 12 & 8 now and they are developing just fine (fingers crossed). I have had no issues with temp fluctuations, but then I am using different machines to you (Advance Mini and Eco Mini). They seem really solid to me and I've heard they are really well calibrated too. Saying that, if you are concerned, I read a few times that a glass thermometer might give you a more accurate reading.

So far I have 11 fertile and wriggling embryos to tend to. Only one was an early quitter with a blood ring.

What makes you think they are not holding temp? I bought a digital thermometer/hydrometer from Amazon and it was so out of sync it was awful. I'd trust the Brinsea over another cheap thermometer any day - have you calibrated?

Let's know hoe you're getting on Happy silkie-ing

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Little paranoia I guess. First time using the Brinsea, chose them due to their excellent reputation. Previous cheap incubator I had was a monster to control. Thank you so much Mother of Chicks, for your advice. I guess I just need to trust that everything is OK. I want to candle when they are at 7 days, breeder said just stick them in the incubator and let them be!
Congratulations on your progress, would love to see photos when they hatch!

 

[Mother of Chicks]

Hey - I am totally paranoid too - that's what will make us good silkie parents Reach out if you need an ear. I am totally worried too. I now have a mammoth spreadsheet since my last failed hatch in every attempt to make things right. All signs are good so far though and that's exactly why I am on the Brinsea now - my other inc was awful.

I am going by this at the mo:

I have a few videos - as soon as I get round to adding to YT I will link them here. Stay strong - you are doing a great job x

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you so much, Mother of Chicks! I got the eggs for my 12 year old daughter for a family project while she is distance learning due to the pandemic. Honestly though I am much more emotionally invested then she is!
I appreciate your words of encouragement and the candling chart is great!

 

[Gardencottager]

Hello fellow future silkie parents! Wondering how you are doing with your eggs in the Brinsea?
I just started 16 silkie eggs in the Brinsea Maxi advance (14 of the eggs) and the the Brinsea Mini advance (the other 2). I am worried they are not holding their temperatures, so I turned them both up to 37.8. Have you had any problems with temp? I am probably being too much of a "mother hen", but I really want this hatch to be successful.

Are you able to put a normal thermometer in there to check, I use digital and normal and they are usually different so I go by the normal one?

My first hatch was in a Brinsea octagon 20 eco and the temp above the eggs was 37.5c but the only chick that hatched had failed to absorb the yolk properly. I was advised that this could have been due to too low temp so now in my second hatch I’m running it more like 38c I’m a bit too scared to run it higher than that but I’ll let you know in a week, when they’re due to hatch. On day 14 everyone who was not an early quitter was still alive so let’s hope

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you Gardencottager! I did turn the incubators up a bit. I have tried testing against different thermometer, even a human medical one, they seem to be accurate, but I am keeping the temp up just a little bit anyway!
I would love to hear how yours are doing! Photos please!

 

[knowvagale]

Good luck Mother of Chicks! (I'm a faithful stalker of the old thread) I hope you have better luck this time!