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

[chicken hawk 33]

How many goose eggs are in the bator?

five

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Whew! I started to panic a bit yesterday when I noticed that I had 290 eggs to go into lockdown tonight. My homemade coolerbator/hatcher comfortably handles 100 - 120. A few weeks ago I added a second level basket and last week I fit 175 in there. This week I juggled and stacked until I managed to get 200, with the other 90 going into my other small incubators that I trust (Brinsea Eco 20 and GQF Genesis).

I REALLY need to get working on building a new hatcher. The commercial cabinet incubators are awful as hatchers, the eggs barely fit into those short trays, and turkey eggs won't fit at all. I wonder what other people with large eggs hatch in?

I'm really hoping for a good hatch, hopefully even better than last week, so I can get chicks to people wanting them.

100 of those eggs are Cream Legbars, I really need a lot of pullets from those

That's an insane amount of eggs! From my perspective anyway. I may catch up to you someday lol.

Speaking of legbars, I had to pull some eggs out for lockdown today so I did a quick candling of the eggs you sent me. It looks like every single one of the Reese legbars is developing most of the other legbars too. I couldn't see into the BF yet and the BSL seem like they're developing but start slower than the others. A lot of them, I couldn't see much of anything yet but I'm guessing in a couple more days, they'll be exploding with action! It's only day 4.


@Sally Sunshine 35 eggs in lockdown

 

[dheltzel]

Thanks for the tip!!!! I'm on ebay right now, you're right, that could greatly improve my incubator capacity. I owe you 1.

If you want to try for an even lower price, call Hawkhead - http://www.hatcheryequipment.com/incubator_c.html

You want the "chickmaster 48" or "Stabil 48". I like the Stabil brand better, but the Chickmasters were only $1 each used and work well enough (and hold 48 eggs).

 

[dheltzel]

That's an insane amount of eggs! From my perspective anyway. I may catch up to you someday lol.

Speaking of legbars, I had to pull some eggs out for lockdown today so I did a quick candling of the eggs you sent me. It looks like every single one of the Reese legbars is developing

most of the other legbars too. I couldn't see into the BF yet and the BSL seem like they're developing but start slower than the others. A lot of them, I couldn't see much of anything yet but I'm guessing in a couple more days, they'll be exploding with action! It's only day 4.


@Sally Sunshine 35 eggs in lockdown

That's fantastic! Looks like they traveled well. The more I keep Legbars, the more I like them. They lay better, hatch better, and give a better % of pullets than any other breed I have. And they still command a bit of a premium price. As you can see, I'm aiming to flood the SE PA market with locally produced Legbars. 2016 is going to be a good year, I can feel it.

 

[tao chick]

If you want to try for an even lower price, call Hawkhead - http://www.hatcheryequipment.com/incubator_c.html

You want the "chickmaster 48" or "Stabil 48". I like the Stabil brand better, but the Chickmasters were only $1 each used and work well enough (and hold 48 eggs).

Based on design I decided on the Stabils on ebay. Thank you again for sending me in a good direction! I've actually been using ColorClix (http://www.amazon.com/Color-Clix-Advanced-Project-Pack/dp/B00DYRTPIE) to try and create this type of tray, but having one that is the right size and configuration is much easier. I don't want to be TOO cheap about this incubator. I mean, I did get a good deal on the "cabinet/cooler" part, and I have most of the other parts already laying around, and if it holds 96 instead of 48-60, I'll be downright giddy. 96! I'd be able to reach my breeding group start in a month instead of 4 months! And if I don't use it as a hatcher I could stagger hatches. Eeep. I'm excited!

BTW, @LocalYokel , I'm still going to pull out those furnaces grills and oven to see if I can use them as well. Mad lab of chickens, here I come!

Okay, next question:
Should I put in a viewing window? Is this an important feature if I'm only using it as an incubator? Is it just another spot to lose heat and humidity? If I do use this as bator & hatcher, what clearances do I need above the eggs for them to hatch? @Sally Sunshine ?

 

[tao chick]

@Sally Sunshine
My hatch update 6/12 hatched on 2/26 & 2/27. I added 4 from my SIL's hatch so I'm growing up 10 chicks.
I set 18 Cream Brabanters on 2/28. The seller had sent them earlier than I expected so I scrambled to get them into my incubator. :-( I've already tossed 5 weeping eggs (I should've done so many things differently) She agreed to send me some more. I'm building an incubator out of a mini fridge. I'll use the MacGyverBator as a hatcher depending on when/how eggs are doing.

 

[Mirajane]

It's funny, I'm getting eggs from San Diego - 160 miles south of me, post office says they went to Goleta - 70 miles north of me.  They went right  past.....  They left Goleta at 2:30 this afternoon.  I know it only takes an hour to 90 minutes to get from Goleta to my house (I've made the trip hundreds of times).  Where could they be?

I have eggs from Rockmart GA shipping to me, and they somehow went to Atlanta GA, which is the exact opposite of California. I'm still confused.

 

[flocktastic]

Hi,

When storing hatching eggs for incubation, what's the ideal temp for storage prior to incubation? I am turning them (tilting in the clean carton) a few times a day so that yolk doesn't stick...this is my first time to actually hatch on our own...thanks!! ( right now they're in our garage because it's dark & not cold but not hot. (I'm in TX)

 

[Mirajane]

I couldn't get the old incubator up to a holding temp, so I'm not risking it. Instead, I took part of an egg carton, and the bottom is cut out along with part of the side. Moves along with the tray really well! I didn't think it would, but it does! Now I'm pretty happy!

 

[kwhites634]

Hi,

When storing hatching eggs for incubation, what's the ideal temp for storage prior to incubation? I am turning them (tilting in the clean carton) a few times a day so that yolk doesn't stick...this is my first time to actually hatch on our own...thanks!! ( right now they're in our garage because it's dark & not cold but not hot. (I'm in TX)

They should be fine right where they are for now. Before you set them, you'll want to have them at normal room temp for a day...never set cold eggs.