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

[kwhites634]

Kid is spoiling one chick out of the bunch, and it pooped on me the turd!

At least he's got good taste in cigars

 

[Sally Sunshine]

At least he's got good taste in cigars

those were for eel fishin, keepin bugs at bay,

Pop had lit them for me since I was a little girl
I grabbed them boxes at the estate sale

NOW I gotta gooooo

 

[kwhites634]

those were for eel fishin, keepin bugs at bay,

Pop had lit them for me since I was a little girl
I grabbed them boxes at the estate sale

NOW I gotta gooooo

Getting a great visual of you, as a little girl,pulling on a big ol' cigar!

 

[WVduckchick]

Alright, I had to adopted/buy 2 chicks for my "lone wolf" d'uccle, I found some sexlinks, I HATE THEM.  They are the messiest chicks I have ever encountered.  Feed EVERYWHERE!  Once I am able to hatch some more friends for my little D'Uccle man, they are out of there. 

How old are they? My sex-links weren't very friendly as chicks, but once they got to laying, I couldn't ask for better chickens. Sweet, run to me when I come down the driveway, they even try to come inside if I leave the door open. They are easy to pick up and hold, and I've never had one try to nip at me. And they are awesome layers! Maybe you just need to give them some time.

ETA - are you just complaining about the mess they make? Mine aren't very messy either (my bantams are the mess makers!) but I use a large feeder that has a lip on the tray that bends back in toward the center about half an inch. They can't scratch as much out.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

start reading, get your thermo hygros calibrated (tells you how in that article) tells you how to collect and save eggs, and all that good stuff in the article. You are correct, start with your own eggs, sell them off on CL or something, and practice practice practice, and then try getting shipped eggs not too far away though. shipped eggs can be tough even for a seasoned hatcher. but you have to understand the basics. and that article has the basics


Setting fresh eggs and egg quality see hatching 101 article

Humidity
Humidity is NOT A SET NUMBER, you need it YES! However, you use it as a tool to "adjust" egg weight loss during incubation. We candle on days 7,10,14,18 To WATCH WEIGHT LOSS IN EVERY EGG! An EGG MUST lose approximately 13-14% of its weight during the incubation process. THIS IS YOUR GOAL!! You can monitor this by marking Air cells and also by weighing.is never a set number, its about the required weight loss that the embryo/chick needs to loose to be able to turn and pip inside the egg, its about optimum chick quality and growth size inside that egg, too much humidity can bring a mushy wet chick that cannot absorb its yolk correctly and has excess fluids and sometimes cannot turn to hatch it is that large of a chick.

Temperature With a Forced Air Incubator (fan model) you can get the best hatch rate by keeping the temperature at 99.5º F. throughout the entire incubation period. HOWEVER, when using a Still Air incubator (no fan) at 102º F. The reason for different temperatures is that with a fan model the circulating air warms all around the egg while still air temperatures are warmer at the top of the egg than at the bottom. The temperature is measured at the level where the embryos develop (at the top of the egg). A high temperature tends to produce early hatches. A consistently cooler temperature tends to increase incubation times and produce weakened chicks.
CALIBRATION! YES! It’s IMPORTANT! Calibrate the thermometer/s you are using for your Incubator. I use 3 thermometers! You need to make sure your thermometer is reading correctly, Even one degree may cause serious problems with your hatch! see HATCHING 101 for how to calibrate

Ventilation: Oxygen requirements will increases during development and during hatching never cover vent holes during hatch time.

BE PREPARED TO LOOSE ELECTRIC have a back up plan for emergencies see hatching 101 article for suggestions

SHIPPED EGGS = CHANGE OF PLANS see hatching 101 article

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

OMG!! So much good info!! I will certainly read and put into my knowledge bank for good use! One thing I've noticed is that my broodies seem to hatch eggs on day 19, two days earlier than the 21 days most people say eggs in incubator seem to hatch. Of course, there are always some that hatch on day 20. Once, we had an egg hatch on day 18! I had to remove the chick for a day until his siblings all hatched for fear of the broody abandoning the eggs to care for the early bird.

For the multiple thermometers and hygrometers, do you make sure all 3 are different brands or are they just different units from the same brand?

Thanks!!!

 

[kwhites634]

OMG!! So much good info!! I will certainly read and put into my knowledge bank for good use! One thing I've noticed is that my broodies seem to hatch eggs on day 19, two days earlier than the 21 days most people say eggs in incubator seem to hatch. Of course, there are always some that hatch on day 20. Once, we had an egg hatch on day 18! I had to remove the chick for a day until his siblings all hatched for fear of the broody abandoning the eggs to care for the early bird.

For the multiple thermometers and hygrometers, do you make sure all 3 are different brands or are they just different units from the same brand?

Thanks!!!

I'd go with different brands myself. Whatcha think @scottcaddy ?

 

[chicapee]

 OMG!! So much good info!! I will certainly read and put into my knowledge bank for good use!  One thing I've noticed is that my broodies seem to hatch eggs on day 19, two days earlier than the 21 days most people say eggs in incubator seem to hatch. Of course, there are always some that hatch on day 20. Once, we had an egg hatch on day 18! I had to remove the chick for a day until his siblings all hatched for fear of the broody abandoning the eggs to care for the early bird. 

For the multiple thermometers and hygrometers, do you make sure all 3 are different brands or are they just different units from the same brand?

Thanks!!!

I use a brinsea spot check thermometer, and an incu therm hygrometer/thermometer.

 

[RubyNala97]

Just marking a spot here. Haven't finished reading the whole thread yet, but I will! Life got busy and I had a better then expected hatch in the beginning of October, so I had no room for more chicks for the Holloween Hal. Hope you guys all had great hatches!! It's so great to have you around, Sally!! We're pretty lucky!

 

[venymae]

OK, we pulled Uglybator out of the garage in anticipation of our eggs from @Sally Sunshine this week! I have my fingers crossed and am excited as I've never tried to hatch shipped eggs. I will be pulling on all of your experience and wisdom you guys!

 

[Cynthia12]

Sally says......@Cynthia12 she staggers all the time she will know what to do!

I don't stagger ..as in...setting eggs on different days in the same bator....this last batch just staggered in it's hatching. They all hatched on different days, but were set on the same day. I have staggered hatches before in the same bator, but probably only a couple of times. Not fun. :/ Sally gave good advice..as usual. I did the same thing..and, I do this if the eggs set are mostly done hatching, I check the last ones to see where they are at the end of day 21 if no others are hatching on that day..and there are no pips.

And, I am not one to weigh eggs.

I do watch those air cells though! Make sure they aren't getting too big, or staying too small, and adjust humidity accordingly. I have some eggs in right now, where most of the air cells are looking great! But, a few were on the small side. When I have this happen, I don't adjust the humidity..obviously. Most are doing well, just cross fingers for those that have the small air cells. I'm getting a lot of pips in that set now. Going to be a busy night.