INCUBATING w/FRIENDS! w/Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs No problem!

[Mims]

These stupid lamps always make me nervous with a fire hazard... Does this look flammable?

Peep-Chicken - look up the post Mama's Heating Pad in the Brooder. I started using it, and threw my heat lamp away. My chicks loved it and it is perfect for them.

Try it, you won't regret it.

The post should be under the Raising Baby Chick forum, I believe.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update

 

[kwhites634]

These stupid lamps always make me nervous with a fire hazard... Does this look flammable?

Set a thermometer on the floor directly under the lamp.

 

[lazy gardener]

Okay guys. I'm getting ready to set my quail eggs for real this time.

Since I can't really candle them, should I do a float test or anything on them, before I set them? I'm thinking not, since I KNOW how old these eggs are.

Some lady on one of my chicken pages posted something about spraying with gold label Listerine to kill any germs on the eggs and in the bator. In all my chicken page perusing, I've NEVER seen this suggested. Did I miss something, or is she just crazy?

IMO, she's half a bubble off plum. But, that's what makes the world go round. If she's getting good hatches, who am I to argue with her. But, unless she's getting 90 - 95% hatches, she's got no business telling the rest of the world how to hatch eggs. Does she publish her hatch rates??? As for doing the float test before setting eggs, that's totally bogus IMO. The float test tells you how big the air cell is. Not if the egg is bad. That's what candling is for. You can candle eggs before incubation or at any time after you start. Wet/dry bulb humidity measuring is definitely a way to go, and I think it's accurate. But, if you have a calibrated and accurate hygrometer, the wet bulb method is just an other learning curve that is not necessary.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Okay guys. I'm getting ready to set my quail eggs for real this time.

Since I can't really candle them, should I do a float test or anything on them, before I set them? I'm thinking not, since I KNOW how old these eggs are.

Some lady on one of my chicken pages posted something about spraying with gold label Listerine to kill any germs on the eggs and in the bator. In all my chicken page perusing, I've NEVER seen this suggested. Did I miss something, or is she just crazy?

your hatching quail, you need a higher humidity, I have no clue what she is talking about with the Listerine, you may get some growth, you can add copper pennies in the bator, but they have to be before a certain year when copper content was higher and that will naturally keep the bacteria at bay in the water wells for those hatching smaller eggs that need higher humidity. I have had button quail and cots, I have hatched them fine at 45-55% and then 70 at lockdown. I dont suggest AT ALL what she is saying for standard breed or duck or goose eggs EVER!!! you will in fact loose your eggs in most humid areas of our country... its all about your area and your eggs and your areas humidity, how can she tell you what your eggs need? she cant.... end of story......

I never heard of floating eggs before incubating..... why risk getting more bacteria on them set them and smell them at day 7 and 14 and 18 whats hard about that?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

IMO, she's half a bubble off plum. But, that's what makes the world go round. If she's getting good hatches, who am I to argue with her. But, unless she's getting 90 - 95% hatches, she's got no business telling the rest of the world how to hatch eggs. Does she publish her hatch rates??? As for doing the float test before setting eggs, that's totally bogus IMO. The float test tells you how big the air cell is. Not if the egg is bad. That's what candling is for. You can candle eggs before incubation or at any time after you start. Wet/dry bulb humidity measuring is definitely a way to go, and I think it's accurate. But, if you have a calibrated and accurate hygrometer, the wet bulb method is just an other learning curve that is not necessary.

ha ha ha half a bubble off plum!!!!

 

[napdognewfie]

I set 11 eggs from DD's hens tonight.

100% hatch on my runner ducks and 5 out of 24 shipped eggs.

I don't clean my quail eggs. If they're that dirty, don't use them. I have not been able to candle them, I don't even try anymore. Just sniff when you turn them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Okay guys. I'm getting ready to set my quail eggs for real this time.

Since I can't really candle them, should I do a float test or anything on them, before I set them? I'm thinking not, since I KNOW how old these eggs are.

Some lady on one of my chicken pages posted something about spraying with gold label Listerine to kill any germs on the eggs and in the bator. In all my chicken page perusing, I've NEVER seen this suggested. Did I miss something, or is she just crazy?

IMO, she's about a half bubble off plum. But, if she's getting good hatches, who am I to argue with her method. Unless she's getting better than 95% all the time, I don't think she has any business telling the world that her method is the only or even the best way to hatch eggs. Wet bulb humidity reading was used in the days before hygrometers became so common. I think it's an accurate way to measure humidity, but there's a bit of a learning curve with it. If you have an accurate hygrometer and calibrate it, you shouldn't need to bother with wet bulb readings. As far as her use of high humidity, those of us who use the dry method are finding that we have better hatches. If that works for her fine, but I'd be interested in seeing her publish data on ALL of her hatches.

Sorry. First post disappeared. Double post.

 

[Mims]

ha ha ha  half a bubble off plum!!!! 

Glad to hear, that's what I thought too.

No idea about the humidity. We're in West Texas, where its dry as a bone 99% of the time.

I just set my little eggs, I had to use straws to keep them upright. 15 eggs, plus the couple that they have yet to lay me tonight. No idea why these little birdies wait until 9/10 pm to lay...

Humidity's at 46%, and temps at 100. Wish me luck.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

The other 2 pips!

I'm collecting parts to make an incubator/brooder combo.
Hi everyone. I'm caught up on the thread but expect a few new posts by the time I finish typing.
I love this group.
Congrats to the newest chick hatches. I love the fluffy updates.
Congrats and welcome to the newest BYC members and hatchers/incubators.
Sincere condolences to those with losses. Incubator issues, illnesses, bears and other predators make this hobby devastating at times. Hugs.
To those waiting impatiently: I completely understand. Hang in there.

These stupid lamps always make me nervous with a fire hazard... Does this look flammable?

I feel that way too, they are hot

I use 60 watt in the very corner and then 40 watt and if you have it on wire you can even bend the wire down lower when they are smaller and move it up after the first week.

I set 11 eggs from DD's hens tonight.

100% hatch on my runner ducks

and 5 out of 24 shipped eggs.

I don't clean my quail eggs. If they're that dirty, don't use them. I have not been able to candle them, I don't even try anymore. Just sniff when you turn them.

bummer on the shipped, congrats on the runners!!! welcome over!!!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Glad to hear, that's what I thought too.

No idea about the humidity. We're in West Texas, where its dry as a bone 99% of the time.

I just set my little eggs, I had to use straws to keep them upright. 15 eggs, plus the couple that they have yet to lay me tonight. No idea why these little birdies wait until 9/10 pm to lay...

Humidity's at 46%, and temps at 100. Wish me luck.

good luck how long did you store the eggs before setting? and at what humidity did you store them and temps?