How many people set and forget?

[scoopy82]

I'm just curious if anyone loads their incubator and then leaves it to run its course - excepting checking the temperature and humidity? Anyone not candle or touch their eggs at all until hatch time is up?

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would at least candle twice, just to make sure you don't have any bad eggs. Exploding eggs are not fun. I had some under my broody that were clear, but didn't know how long she had sat on them, but I found out when my daughter exploded it all over my bed last night.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I agree with candling twice.

I don't add water until halfway through (dry incubation).

 

[gryeyes]

Several of my hatches were "set and forget" hatches until Lockdown. Then I sometimes candle eggs, sometimes I do not.

Candling is very very exciting when you see something alive in there, but I prefer, if I am to be disappointed in the hatch, it's only a single time.

 

[Azriel]

I don't candle till lockdown, maybe just luck but never had an egg explosion. I do have to add water every few days to keep the humidity even up to 30, but thats about all I do. My temps are always rock solid.

 

[scoopy82]

I candled on day 4 and then again today on day 7 and as my eggs are brown I'm feeling a little . . . i dont know, frustrated that i cant see it all clearly. I can see dark blobs and veins and stuff but wondered if I would be better off just leaving it until lock down where I probably have more of a chance in seeing either a yes or a no egg. I'm thinking of getting a brighter candling torchy though which might help a little. Ah the frustrations of a first timer - I'm sure you've all seen it all before

 

[dbcooper02]

I usually candle at 7 days to free up some room for the next load of eggs. Running 3 Sportsmans plus a 400 egg FarmMaster redwood and a Sportsman hatcher I always seem to need more room. Monitor temp and humidity? Not me. That's where I set it and forget it.

 

[Saltysteele]

Quote:
what do you expect to see? that's pretty much all they are at 7 days, is a blob with some veins. it's not glass, it's a shell, so you're not going to see everything clearly.

if you see veins and a blob, then it's working. at this point, if it's a bad egg, you would see no blob or veins. i don't know why you would be frustrated that everything is going as planned

 

[scoopy82]

I think I'm more worried that I wont be able to tell if any that have developed have quit, so I dont know if what I am seeing is a live embryo or one that was developing and has died. I guess thats probably why candling several times is more helpful. I'm about to candle the rest that I didn't do before - my hubby was a little humoured to find me in the walk in pantry in the dark with a flashlight and and egg in my hands earlier. So as long as I see veins and blobs then I'm going all right? Cool, fingers crossed I stop being frustrated and learn to just enjoy the process!

 

[chicksntexas]

I'm new too scoop - waiting on my last 4 to hatch ! I candled at day 7, 14 & 18 - mainly so I could learn what to look for, but also I thought it was the coolest thing to see the little chickys moving around in there! I've figured out with this first hatch what to do and what not to do. What to look for is hard when you don't have a clue what you've gotten yourself into! lol Who knew there was so much to learn! I have 30 more ready to go in the bator...will probably stick with the candling days, but hopefully I won't be such a spaz about it this time!