How is your flock today?

[BlueBaby]

@BlueBaby Well here we go, my first time around incubating. This morning the machine was still working fine, humidity was 44% and temp was 100.2 so I set 22 eggs.

I will keep an eye on it so the numbers stay consistent and then I will candle in seven days to see if I have anything going on.

Good luck! If the humidity drop's a bit, then just add a little bit of water to bring it back up. You do have 2 of those little red plug's, don't you? Just have 1 of those red plug's for now. Add the 2nd red plug later when you go into lock-down on day 18. Do not count today as day 1. Day one start's after the first 24 hours after you put the egg's in there. Write it down so you don't loose track of your day's. After 20 day's, hopefully you will have new chick's hatching.

 

[BlueBaby]

@416bigbore June 15th should be your hatch day.

 

[416bigbore]

@BlueBaby Do you remove your auto egg turner or turn it off when they start to hatch?

 

[BlueBaby]

@BlueBaby Do you remove your auto egg turner or turn it off when they start to hatch?

The turner get's removed on the 18th day when you are ready to start the lock-down. You won't want the chick's possibly getting caught up in the turner because it could kill them. Take the egg's out, and put them in the carton small end down, then remove your turner. Then lay the egg's back down in there on their sides. I line the bottom with a puppy pee pad, so it's softer on the chick's feet, and easier to clean up after the hatch is done. Just leave a spot open where you will be adding the water at for the humidity. Don't get the pad wet too, though.

 

[416bigbore]

The turner get's removed on the 18th day when you are ready to start the lock-down. You won't want the chick's possibly getting caught up in the turner because it could kill them. Take the egg's out, and put them in the carton small end down, then remove your turner. Then lay the egg's back down in there on their sides. I line the bottom with a puppy pee pad, so it's softer on the chick's feet, and easier to clean up after the hatch is done. Just leave a spot open where you will be adding the water at for the humidity. Don't get the pad wet too, though.

Ok that makes more sense to remove it over just turning it off. Thank you.

 

[BlueBaby]

@docteurshepherd How is your hen doing now? Is she doing any better?

 

[BrothersBirds]

My flock is doing good!!!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Aloha gang! Lost this thread for a bit and glad to be back.
Yes, @docteurshepherd -how is your sweet little hen doing? Would love to hear about the surgery and what lead up to it. I hope all is well and she is in recovery.

Congrats on your first incubation @416bigbore ! Most exciting... how is it going???!!! Did you candle yet?!!

Nice walkthrough with the incubator @BlueBaby . So great to have someone who has been there-done that when on your first flight. My first incubation I was pretty nervous even though I had just spend some dough on a incubator that does it all, I still worried I could mess things up. Well, 4th of July acetylene bombs went off and electric went out for hours several times. I lost about 1/3 my hatch but I think it was from a dirty egg in the end. Lessons learned. No dirty eggs, no July 4th or NY. All hatches after that got better and I worry much less now.

I just finish my hatch yesterday and was/am VERY happy with my chicks. They pulled a lot of Buff- more than I hoped for - and I am tempted to do a back to back incubation as most all are sold.
I did have one late and troubled hatch who got shrink wrapped when I opened the bater despite our 70% humidity. Spent some time getting her freed, now working on leg strength and she seems willing, thank goodness. Always awesome to get a win in once in awhile.


This little feral has gotten into the habit of jumping up on the arbor roof and sounding every morning and eve b4 hoping into our orange tree for the night. Kind of had it with her and her fellows... but kind of funny too...

And OH. MY. GOODNESS. THE. NOISE. these girls made yesterday. Nine just screaming up a storm for hours. RIDICULOUS!!! Seems like today they must have sore throats because it is quiet as a library now.


The sad part is I just put a summer door on the main coop nest box, cleaned and added all fresh and delicious bedding and NOT A ONE would go in and lay. It was all about the power struggle and squawking.

chickens

 

[416bigbore]

@TropicalBabies Thank you, yes I did my first 8 day candling on a few of the eggs that I could get to without having to remove the top cover. Surprisingly enough, the 5 eggs that I did candle from the 22 all looked like something was happening on the inside. I will candle them all right before lockdown to have a better idea.

I have been having such a hard time with keeping a constant humidity and temp because of where I have the machine set up at. I have noticed that the room temperature fluctuation during day does effect my inside readings so I have been babysitting it to make sure I don't cook the eggs and lose the hatch.

I am going to purchase the Nuture Right 360 incubator for my next go around and that should simplify things a lot for me.

@BlueBaby has been a huge help for sure with helping me figure out this machine.

Cute pictures, thank you for sharing. What type of incubator machine do you use?

 

[TropicalBabies]

I have an Rcom. I don't think I could get the Brinsea shipped to me, Nurture right was sold out and because of our small home with no storage, dirt and tropical bugs I did not want to go with the Hova Bator styrofoam.
Rcom was great to order from and it got here fast and in 1 piece. I spent the extra $$ for the pro so I did not get in my own way. I liked their look and set up. I have grandkids and detest the dump so try to upgrade as much as I can to keep my broken stuff out of it when I can. I am really happy with it except I am not happy with the chick freeway. It seems they trash the heck out of the unhatched eggs and I do suspect it effects my hatch. I don't know, I am no expert by any means but think I need to do smaller hatches or put in speed bumps lol. I try not to watch the little wrecking balls because it makes me nervous and sad. When/if I buy a second incubator I may go with the Nurture Right or try harder to get the Brinsea or buy a monster pro one. Who knows?