I reckon I'm ready to try again.

[Orange Ribbon]

Some of you may recall how I tried to incubate a bunch in a LG back in the spring and how awful that experience turned out. Afterward I built an incubator out of a fridge, but haven't had eggs to try out yet. My flock is finally laying pretty good, so I figure I'll give it another whirl. I've decided not to get all uptight with what ever happens this time, just go with the flow. Of course, the first batch was from mailed eggs that cost me a bunch and were SS which can be hard to find. I got a new flock of SS from a breeder who was selling out. Only had them here a few days, but I've got 3 eggs so far. I'm going to put in an additional 21 eggs from my layers. They are all mixed up so I don't know what will be what except the SS which I keep separate. I've got Barred Rocks, White Rocks, EE's, and Australorp hens with two BR roosters and an EE rooster. Plus a mixed up rooster. So it will mostly be a surprise hatch. I just hope they are fertile! I did break open one of the mystery eggs and it had a little white ring in it. I understand that means fertilization.

I'm looking forward to it. It will be fun to see some little chickies hatch out for the first time. I'm not going to be uptight, but I'm a little excited.

While I got you here, I want your opinion on something. I've got a name lined up for my little chicken ranch for when I get to raising and selling eggs and chicks. There is a big ridge on the mountain behind my house called Mystery Ridge. So how does Mystery Ridge Ghost Eggs sound? HA! Just kidding about that one.

I'm thinking of Mystery Ridge Farm, but maybe I should make it Mystery Ridge Poultry Farm since I don't raise anything else. When I get my Speckled Sussex line going (mixing two decent flocks to make a new one) I can say they are "from the Mystery Ridge Line." Or is that too corny? I'm known for being mawkishly sentimental. (Just found that term in the dictionary and had to use it.)

Wish me luck! I NEED IT!

 

[ChicksinFL]

Good Luck !

Hatching is so cool, we set up a webcam on our hatcher for the past few days and I gave out the url to friends/family. I had grown ups that had never seen an egg hatch messaging me on Facebook freaking out over the hatching process, it was like they were little kids again. It was also our first time and it was all consuming watching them hatch.

 

[riane'smimi]

It took me a few trys to get it right ,so just keep at it.You will get the hang of it .
I love the name

.. I don't think it's corny at all. I have been trying to think of a name myself with the help of my 6 year old granddaughter. We came up with a few but she really likes :Fluff and Stuff Silkies the best. I was thinking RedWillow after my roo Willow .We will see ,I like both names.
Like you I am proud of my birds and I want people to say "Yea that bird came from RedWillow(Fluff and Stuff) Silkies,isn't it a nice one"
Which name do you like best? I just know she will win out Hahhahaa. She wants to start showing them in 4H if she is old enough if not she can learn all about them until she is.
Oh, I have a peep in the Bator as I type this.
Karen

 

[Orange Ribbon]

riane'smimi :

It took me a few trys to get it right ,so just keep at it.You will get the hang of it .
I love the name

.. I don't think it's corny at all. I have been trying to think of a name myself with the help of my 6 year old granddaughter. We came up with a few but she really likes :Fluff and Stuff Silkies the best. I was thinking RedWillow after my roo Willow .We will see ,I like both names.
Like you I am proud of my birds and I want people to say "Yea that bird came from RedWillow(Fluff and Stuff) Silkies,isn't it a nice one"
Which name do you like best? I just know she will win out Hahhahaa. She wants to start showing them in 4H if she is old enough if not she can learn all about them until she is.
Oh, I have a peep in the Bator as I type this.
Karen

I like both names. That was the safe answer! HA. I'd call it Red Willow Fluff and Stuff Silkies.

 

[Bantam Username]

Red Willow Fluff and Stuff Silkies here too. No reason you can't use both is there? It rolls off the tongue nicely.

And Mystery Ridge Poultry sounds good.

 

[riane'smimi]

Now why didn't I think of that !!! RedWillow Fluff and Stuff Silkies it is. Thanks ,I agree ,it does just roll off off the tongue nicely.I think even Riane will like it.

 

[Orange Ribbon]

Well, Riane'smimi, looks like we got our farm names!

Just put my eggs in the incubator. Can you all remind me what the humidity is supposed to be? I have it at 40% right now. Seems like between 35 and 50% until lockdown and then 65 to 75%. Is that right? I'd rather be a little low on humidity than too high since I read about a lot of chicks drowning.

 

[peepblessed]

Love all the names! Blessings on your hatch and just remember "lots of deep breaths"!

 

[Orange Ribbon]

It's been 7 days since I put eggs in the incubator. The temperature has been holding pretty good, mostly staying between 99.3 to 99.5, although it has gone up to 99.8 a couple times. Nothing to worry about I don't guess. Humidity is staying around 45 -50 percent. I candled a couple eggs last night. Both had dark areas in the top half of the egg, so I broke one open to learn what is going on and there was an itty bitty chicky with eyeballs. I have some technical difficulties physically and hurt too bad to candle anymore, but will check the rest out tomorrow. I'm pretty tickled so far. Maybe I'll get some babies this time around. And in my very own homemade incubator to boot!

 

[BunnyMomma]

It took me a few tries with homemade incubators to finally get someting small that worked well. I was determined to "build my own" 'bator. I now hatch all of my eggs in a GE electric skillet! In fact I have two of them, one is GE and the other is a Sears brand.
I have successfully hatched 3 batches so far. I have both of them full right now.

I also ordered expensive eggs the first time I hatched in a cooler incubator that I made. I had so many problems with it and didn't have any luck. It was depressing. While I was researching different homeade incubators, I realized that an electric skillet has a similar heating element that is used to build incubators. I absolutely love it. Sometimes a chicken starts out in a frying pan, and sometimes it ends up in a frying pan!

Don't let a few tries incubating get you down and don't give up. You can do it!
Good Luck!
Bunny

PS I love the name you picked! Very creative. My farm is called Hens & Friends, because I raise chickens and show quality rabbits.