Evening folks! Back at the computer after a full day trying to work on finishing the Naked Neck coop ("The Nudist Colony") - it's all that little dinky stuff that ends up taking so much longer than you expect that's driving me crazy! But roost and nest boxes are FINALLY installed, floor of henhouse is in, and poop tray and egg doors cut. Still gotta hang the door and some other stuff, and finish the hardware cloth apron and pop door, but had to stop when I lost the light (and was so tired I was falling down!)
@Sally Sunshine , I remembered after my email that I DO actually have a very accurate thermometer on hand, a NIST-traceable Thermapen (in the kitchen), so I wiped it down with sanitizer, and took temps in both incubators, and temps are right on target compared to displayed temp (whew!). Don't have a good hygrometer (just a pretty inaccurate weather one), but again, I will use the air cell to guide me there. I preemptively dropped the humidity to 40% per your comments on blue/green eggs. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get the humidity below ambient (35-40%), though. Here's hoping that won't be something I need to figure out how to rig. I've read all the Hatching 101 and linked stuff, and LOVE some of the articles and guides you linked - especially the Hubbard Breeders and Pas Reform Academy! Thank you so much for gathering all these resources for us. I'm excited (and nervous) for candling on day 7 - hoping I have some developing ones.
OK, off to catch up. Back in a bit...
- Ant Farm