how flexible is how you incubate? how accurate do you need to be? does everything need to be spot on? what if its not, do you toss? worry? not be patient?
Here's one for you to think about. (yes this happened to me) been hatching for 6 years or more,
I have a GQF Sportsman incubator, 3 trays, I generally hatch weekly, but if i get an egg from one of my rare birds, I date it, name it and put it in, (a tray holds about 90 eggs) so have eggs hatching all the time (mostly), I had a batch of my Mahogany faverolles in ( I also don't candle till day 18-19 ) with a batch of my SQ booted bantam 18 eggs. the Shed my 'bator is in I keep at 50 degrees, but it is very brite, so I need to take any eggs to candle during the day in the house, took the tray out, placed it on the top of the 'bator, removed MF eggs took them in the house, I didn't put tray back in thinking that I would but right back with good eggs, candle the booted, put them in the hatching tray, like I always do. candled all the fav eggs not one was good, I forget the booted where left out of the 'bator. when i went back 12+ hours later, found out what I did.
it was dark so candled the eggs, 6 clear, 2 red ring, 11 dark, good?
To heck with it I put them in the hatching tray to see what happens, hatch date was to be Mon, checked nothing going on, tue nothing going on, today we had a snowstorm so didn't go in the shed till late in the day, 5 babies, 2 pipping and maybe more, I will check in the morning.
My temp runs between 99.5 and 100.5, my humidity 50% but there are times it runs out and go's down to 30%, I open my 'bator when a hatch is going on, alot, I don't get 'shrink wrapped chicks', I do not 'Help', and there have been times more than I care to say the chicks jump out of the turning tray because I didn't notice the date wrote on the egg.
life happens. don't stress yourself when hatching, follow the 'rules' but when something gets in the way, go's wrong, or just happens go with the flow, do your best.
Candling is fun but not necessary unless you need the room, hatches can take up to 23 days, sit on your hands at hatch time 'DON'T HELP', if your temp drops or raises, fix it, your hatch will be late or early if it hasn't caused damage. but don't 'give up', what eggs you use make a difference, where they can from, eggs quality changes monthly,weekly, even daily
If you fail try again, keep a incubation log, do what works for you, its trail and error. everyone one hatches differently, what works for you might not work for someone else
This is my advice, use it or not, this is what works for me, and i'm passing it on, to help those who are new,
GoodLuck & Happy Hatching
Here's one for you to think about. (yes this happened to me) been hatching for 6 years or more,
I have a GQF Sportsman incubator, 3 trays, I generally hatch weekly, but if i get an egg from one of my rare birds, I date it, name it and put it in, (a tray holds about 90 eggs) so have eggs hatching all the time (mostly), I had a batch of my Mahogany faverolles in ( I also don't candle till day 18-19 ) with a batch of my SQ booted bantam 18 eggs. the Shed my 'bator is in I keep at 50 degrees, but it is very brite, so I need to take any eggs to candle during the day in the house, took the tray out, placed it on the top of the 'bator, removed MF eggs took them in the house, I didn't put tray back in thinking that I would but right back with good eggs, candle the booted, put them in the hatching tray, like I always do. candled all the fav eggs not one was good, I forget the booted where left out of the 'bator. when i went back 12+ hours later, found out what I did.
To heck with it I put them in the hatching tray to see what happens, hatch date was to be Mon, checked nothing going on, tue nothing going on, today we had a snowstorm so didn't go in the shed till late in the day, 5 babies, 2 pipping and maybe more, I will check in the morning.
My temp runs between 99.5 and 100.5, my humidity 50% but there are times it runs out and go's down to 30%, I open my 'bator when a hatch is going on, alot, I don't get 'shrink wrapped chicks', I do not 'Help', and there have been times more than I care to say the chicks jump out of the turning tray because I didn't notice the date wrote on the egg.
life happens. don't stress yourself when hatching, follow the 'rules' but when something gets in the way, go's wrong, or just happens go with the flow, do your best.
Candling is fun but not necessary unless you need the room, hatches can take up to 23 days, sit on your hands at hatch time 'DON'T HELP', if your temp drops or raises, fix it, your hatch will be late or early if it hasn't caused damage. but don't 'give up', what eggs you use make a difference, where they can from, eggs quality changes monthly,weekly, even daily
If you fail try again, keep a incubation log, do what works for you, its trail and error. everyone one hatches differently, what works for you might not work for someone else
This is my advice, use it or not, this is what works for me, and i'm passing it on, to help those who are new,
GoodLuck & Happy Hatching
