IA here

[harleyjo]

Quote:
Beautiful birds! Question about the incubator too.... should I cut the bottoms out of egg cartons to set them in? I don't have an automatic turner yet. So my options are turning them on the wire tray they are on or put them in egg cartons and use blocks of wood to prop and unprop. I told you all I was going to need some hand holding. I just need to better understand the turning part of this for now.

Those birds are not 2 months old yet so have a lot of developing to do yet. Either way will work well. I suggest you do what you are comfortable with. I used to lay them on the wire and turn 2-5 times daily as my schedule allowed which seems most natural. Now I use the autoturner and have just as good of hatches as before. Just remember that at 18 days(for chickens) you quit turning them and lay them on the wire to hatch out. I candle eggs at about 4 days. I use a bright flashlight to candle in a very dark basement. Good Luck.

LOL! I am not comfortable with anything yet! I am worrying now about how to clean and sanitize this stryrofoam incubator when I am finished with the hatch, the best way to put towels or foil in the botton at lockdown, if I am even going to see anything when I candle them. This is a 3 ring circus at my house right now!

 

[apbgv]

I saw somewhere on the net yesterday about a swap in alden tomorrow anyone know anything about it?

 

[karimw]

Well, I don't know if it's me or the bargain bator but I'm not having much luck with hatching right now. I got 14 out of the 20 I locked down to hatch - 6 never pipped at all, but all were fully developed I can't keep the temps steady at all and I get very different readings from the 3 thermometers in there. Humidity has been good though

. In any case I have 7 new Iowa Blues, one of which is from my lost flock and 7 Iowa Blue/Ameraucana crosses. I'll post picks soon!

 

[pbjmaker]

Quote:
I will have to post a picture of my Ia Blue X BC maran cross. She looks like a boxy Ia. Blue. I also have a Ia. Blue X red sex link.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Hi Jo,

I just use sponges to increase humidity. If your humidity is between 55 and 65%, you won't need to do anything else.

To clean it, I just take the bottom part of the incubator out back and spray out shells, etc. The shells will clog my sink, even if I run the disposal. Then I take it inside, spray it out good again. Wash with soap and brush it out. Then take bleach solution and spray it. Wait 60 seconds and spray it out good again with water. For the top, I just wipe it out with bleach solution.



Quote:
Those birds are not 2 months old yet so have a lot of developing to do yet. Either way will work well. I suggest you do what you are comfortable with. I used to lay them on the wire and turn 2-5 times daily as my schedule allowed which seems most natural. Now I use the autoturner and have just as good of hatches as before. Just remember that at 18 days(for chickens) you quit turning them and lay them on the wire to hatch out. I candle eggs at about 4 days. I use a bright flashlight to candle in a very dark basement. Good Luck.

LOL! I am not comfortable with anything yet! I am worrying now about how to clean and sanitize this stryrofoam incubator when I am finished with the hatch, the best way to put towels or foil in the botton at lockdown, if I am even going to see anything when I candle them. This is a 3 ring circus at my house right now!

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Are you using a LG? Those work good for the first few uses.

Quote:

 

[karimw]

Here's some pics of the new hatchlings:

I did get 2 of the brown colored chicks and 5 black ones

These are out of some lovely Ameraucana pullets (1 blue/2 black) and the Iowa Blue rooster from the original flock.

 

[karimw]

Quote:

I bought a used Hova Bator still air of undetermined age. I didn't spend much, but now I'm committed to this staggered hatch system so I guess I better upgrade

 

[harleyjo]

So do I just put sponges on the bottom on top of the wire rack instead of filling the water channels? How do you all feel about the "dry incubation" method suggested in this article? https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=14596-incubation-cheat-sheet Mine is also a still air Hova Bator. Also do any of you know the crosses for a Cornish Cross? Just in case I want to do a few at a time, and I don't know that I am going there yet, is it a Cornish male x White Plymouth Rock female?





Quote:
LOL! I am not comfortable with anything yet! I am worrying now about how to clean and sanitize this stryrofoam incubator when I am finished with the hatch, the best way to put towels or foil in the botton at lockdown, if I am even going to see anything when I candle them. This is a 3 ring circus at my house right now!

 

[harleyjo]

Here is another link on dry incubation....https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
It sounds like this may help those of us using these cheap foam bators.