I just cant get it right.

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Me? I only have the el-cheapo foam Hovabator with egg turner, no fan. I don't want to purchase another incubator, I know there are some out there that do a respectable job. Too much work for me. Last summer, I had over 100 chicks, 3 different ages, in 3 different brooders in my basement and it was real work! I am just used to my broodies doing the job for me...

No, I meant the OP!!

I sell mine off with no problems. ThankGOD!!!

 

[JD]

Hey Deb, it's me Jodi. Don't mean to highjack but couldln't resist. How are you doing and with the new campines? I just had I think a pretty good hatch with my r-com on the pheasants 7 out of 11 and really didn't know how old the eggs were when I got them, but I think that was a pretty good outcome. If you have the money for one in the early spring, that's when they have them on sell. I got mine for $249. in Feb. It is really great especially for small eggs. Good luck to you kodiman1 and Deb is right, can't beat those broodys. I have a silkie hen setting on two of her own.

 

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

Hey, Jodi, glad to hear you are doing great! Sounds like you did a real good job with hatching out your pheasants. I might consider something like that next year, I just HATE the whole "me doing the brooding and raising thing" thing. But, you know, selling the pheasant chicks and peafowl chicks actually pays for the feed for an entire year. That is why I so BADLY need some more of my Silkie hens to go broody, like RIGHT NOW! Patience is not my kind of virtue...the campines are 4 weeks old and growing like little weeds. I am supposed to be getting some more sometime in May, again, if I can get a hen to become broody and do the job for me!!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Oh thank GOD!!!! I was wracking my brain where did I know this person from. I don't!!!

 

[JD]

You are so funny debiraymond

I'm sorry I didn't clerify whom I was talking too. Back to Spring Creek, I wish I was closer to you, I'd be more than happy to help you hatch. Have you got a pic of your babies somewhere here on BYC. I bet they are pretty. I'll pm you on my pheasants. Good luck kodiman1 on your hatch!

 

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

Quote:
Oh thank GOD!!!! I was wracking my brain where did I know this person from. I don't!!!

so what are you trying to say?

 

[Egg_newton]

I had horrible, horrible hatches my first two times. For example second hatch I got three chicks out of 90 eggs and had to cull because of deformed legs and feet. I just put my 3rd batch and so far things are way better. We set 90 again and ened up with 62 in lockdown. Most of the ones that didn't make it to lockdown didn't develop. So, it just takes practice and heartbreak if your not one of the lucky ones with the "touch". I also have a silkie sitting on 6 eggs. All of hers are doing great. I would definately just use broodies if I had a few eggs I wanted to do and she went broody when it was at the right time.

 

[babsbag]

I am sorry that your hatches are not going well. I would calibrate the hygrometers and then run 30-40% the first 18 days. And then at lockdown I would go 65-75%.

Make sure your vents are open. It is important that you have a good air exchange in the incubator. I would check out this link and see if you can get some more ideas. If the chicks were fully formed then the eggs were good so I would think that your humidity was too high for the first 18 days or that you had your vents close to get the humidity up. I hope you can figure out what is going on.

http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/troubleshooting_incubation.pdf

 

[kodiman1]

Hey, thanks for all the information, it has really been helpful. I have a home made cabinet that we purchased off Craigslist about 3 months ago. It is styled after the GQF and is forced air. It holds the temp pretty constant. I do have to manually turn it three times a day, but that is just a flip of the lever. The humidity seems to be constant as well. Actually there is condensation at the bottom of the bator in the brooder? Area. So when it is time to stop turning, I put them in the Styrofoam one to hatch out.
Last night when I had given up hope I had one hatch and two more pipping, so maybe the outlook is getting better. I did make the mistake of putting the eggs in the bator the day they were laid and putting new ones in each day. I just don’t have a place to store them at the correct temp.

I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has failed at first, thanks again for all the suggestions.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Oh thank GOD!!!! I was wracking my brain where did I know this person from. I don't!!!

so what are you trying to say?

That your post made no sense if you were addressing me... I was sitting here thinkg CAMPINES???? What the heck is that and have I met this person???