Hovabator Genesis Hatch, Feb-May! WITH CONTESTS!

[PepsNick]

Quote:
I'm getting paid $250 for raising the chicks. Really, I don't know if I want Orps. I might not have room. The Lavs are from bargain. I asked her and she said that the males were 100% English import, and the hens had some in them. Kind of confusing.

Really? Hmmmm, there are only 2 people that I know that have 100% Imported English Orps, and as far as I know, they have not yet sold any 100% birds. Hmmmmm......

I hadn't heard of English imported Lavs, either. I couldn't understand why the Orps are "projects" if they're already imported English? What does this mean, then? Working to improve what?

 

[kathyinmo]

Lavender is a gene. If you want the Lavender color in a breed, you must introduce this gene. This gene will have to come from something other than your breed (because this breed does not have it). SOOOOOOOO, they are projects because they are simply crosses until they are worked on for years ....... Orps, for example. It takes years until the "Lavender birds" finally begin to look like an Orp.

There are Lavender Orps in England. Recently someone in the USA imported some. I have not seen them for sale yet.

The project birds in the USA are still projects.

 

[PepsNick]

Quote:
Oh, thank you!

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Tomorrow is lockdown in my Genesis 1588. Is this all I have to do?

Remove turner.
Lay eggs on mesh floor.
Fill all water troughs.
Then close lid till first chicks are dry?

And don't open the red vent button till the last chick has hatched?

Anything else?

 

[fifelakelooper]

Mrs. Mucket :

Tomorrow is lockdown in my Genesis 1588. Is this all I have to do?

Remove turner.
Lay eggs on mesh floor.
Fill all water troughs.
Then close lid till first chicks are dry?

And don't open the red vent button till the last chick has hatched?

Anything else?

Good luck Mrs. Mucket!!​

 

[sgtmom52]

Mrs. Mucket :

Tomorrow is lockdown in my Genesis 1588. Is this all I have to do?

Remove turner.
Lay eggs on mesh floor.
Fill all water troughs.
Then close lid till first chicks are dry?

And don't open the red vent button till the last chick has hatched?

Anything else?

Keep an eye on your humidity gauge. I have had to remove the button as the humidity gets too high once hatching starts. During my last hatch I took it out once the first chick hatched and the humidity went too high. I had 47 out of 48 hatch.

Everything else looks good. I like to cover the wire mesh with rubber open weave shelf liner as it is softer and gives traction to the chicks as they start to move around.

Best of luck to you!​

 

[2chicks906]

Everyone who is setting batches of eggs: please tell me how you store your eggs prior to setting them. I have read all the online literature about the temp and humidity requirements, so I know that. How are you all creating and maintaining an atmosphere of 45-55F and 70% humidity for your eggs as you collect them over several days prior to set?

Also, are you turning them prior to set? I am finding conflicting information online.

I am in Central Texas, where the daily high and low temps are 90F to high 50sF currently.

Trying to improve my hatch rate,

Thanks for all input!

Katherine in Texas

 

[sgtmom52]

On my last hatch I set 50, 2 were clears, locked down 48, hatched 47. These were all my own homegrown eggs ~ not shipped.

I stored most of them in egg cartons in my wine refrigerator which is approx 55 degrees. I propped up the long end of the cartons alternating sides at least 3 times daily so they are leaning. A few of the eggs had been sitting on my kitchen counter in a basket (unturned) at about 65 degrees for about 2 weeks and I put them in just to see if they would hatch ~ and they did.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Quote:
Keep an eye on your humidity gauge. I have had to remove the button as the humidity gets too high once hatching starts. During my last hatch I took it out once the first chick hatched and the humidity went too high. I had 47 out of 48 hatch.

Everything else looks good. I like to cover the wire mesh with rubber open weave shelf liner as it is softer and gives traction to the chicks as they start to move around.

Best of luck to you!

What should the humidity be during hatch? Shelf liner--great idea!

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Quote:
I had them in a room that stayed around 60 F. I didn't know that I should check humidity. I turned the eggs a couple of times a day, propping up one side of the carton and then the other.

Now that the house will be warming up in spring/summer, I'm going to see if I can adjust my egg fridge (an old dorm fridge) to be the right temp.

I have heard though about a lot of people successfully hatching eggs that were at room temp or in the kitchen fridge, unturned, so I'd guess there are a lot of ways to do it.