Help with my homemade incubator please!

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

what is the blue cloth thing the eggs are on?

 

[Jloeffler]

Hey, Happy Hens, It's that nonstick drawer liner stuff. I got a roll for $1 at the dollar tree. It has small holes to let any hatching liquid fall thru but is soft for new chicks to walk on, I hope!

Got humidity hanging steady at 70%. I had to break seal to add a cup of steaming water to boost humidity. It worked and I didn't lose temp at all. So hopefully no harm! I REALLY hope they hatch! This is almost as bad as when I was pregnant! At least I don't have to give birth myself!

 

[Floridachicken1958]

Jloeffer: I will bet you that you get atleast 100% hatch if you got heat & humidity correct. I like that pen for your chicky's, I'm not getting many eggs but I am selling chickens. Just got assortment of Silkies in today. Good luck on your first hatch.

look soon you will have these

 

[Jloeffler]

Okay today is Day 21. I have been avidly watching and listening for the last couple of days, much to my dh s amusement. At least someone is getting something out of my experiment! And, I swear I saw one rocking! Not so sure now, but at the time I was sure it did a little rock twice!

Question: how long do I wait?

Florida - I certainly hope so! And now my only laying hen is broody! NOW she decides she wants to hatch eggs! Crazy bird hormones!

 

[Floridachicken1958]

Quote:
You shouldn't wait no longer than 25. Time will tell, And you might think hey are all fertile but in the long run they are not all fertile.Thats what I hate when I think they are all fertile and there not.Look for these soon

Mine are always on time. day 18 I Raise the humidity up to atleast 55.

 

[Jloeffler]

Okay, first of all, is it normal that I'm checking on those eggs like every half hour to an hour??

Serious question now : humidity and temp have been perfectly steady since lockdown began. Then a couple of hours ago the humidity started to climb slowly. It's now almost at 75%. is this normal? Do I need to do anything?? Arrrggghhh! This was supposed to be fun! Not stressful!! LOL!

 

[Jloeffler]

Anybody on the climbing humidity question? It's up to 76% now.

 

[Floridachicken1958]

Quote:
Your humidity is most likely climbing cause a chick has pecked a hole through the egg.and yes it's ok if it climbs. That is 1 way to tell a chick is on it's way out.

 

[Arielle]

Jloeffler, hang in there!. I just finished my first incubating experience today. And you're right it can be stressful; I'm not sure that I catagorize this hatching business as fun, though my chilrden certainly do. But then while they were alseep, I was checking and rechecking humidity, air cells and temperature. Endless. It's intersting, it's a challenge. Way more stressful than I expected! And I'm doing it again--made my own incubator, and set 27 eggs (turkey and EE) though I've noticed I'm not stressing as much.

Great job making the fishtank incubator--love the creativity and helpfulness of the people hereat BYC!

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
You are exactly right! My dh keeps picking on about getting on here so much, but where else would someone else have sympathy over my stressing about eggs hatching?

love it!