Incubators Anonymous

[Faraday40]

Hi again. It's been a while since I've been on this thread. I decided to do a test hatch and set up an incubator. Just some orps from my own flock.

I've never washed hatching eggs before. I've always trusted in leaving the bloom alone and simply choosing the best eggs. But I read that rinsing with warm/hot water, spraying dilute Listerine, or spraying with H2O2 could improve hatch rate. Has anyone ever tried any these methods? The idea is to disinfect the outer shell to prevent colonies of bacteria from growing and entering the shell.

I'll be using my old foam Hovabator (with an added computer fan) because it has an auto turner. It doesn't hold the temp as steady as my home made cooler-bator, but with my schedule, I'm choosing the incubator with an auto turner.

 

[WVduckchick]

Faraday, you've been reading FB chickens pages, haven't you?

sorry, I shouldn't laugh. I have not tried them.

 

[WVduckchick]

I set a mix of 27 eggs tonite. Some bantam cochins, some SDW OEGBs, some silkied seramas, some chocolate orps covered by bantam cochin roos, and 3 eggs from my blue Marans hen. She runs with my bachelor bantam cochin boys. Not sure if they are getting the job done on her or not, but had to throw a few in.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I set a mix of 27 eggs tonite. Some bantam cochins, some SDW OEGBs, some silkied seramas, some chocolate orps covered by bantam cochin roos, and 3 eggs from my blue Marans hen. She runs with my bachelor bantam cochin boys. Not sure if they are getting the job done on her or not, but had to throw a few in.

Oooo! Silkied seramas! When my fertility improves, do you want to trade some serama eggs? I have possible frizzled

 

[WVduckchick]

Oooo! Silkied seramas! When my fertility improves, do you want to trade some serama eggs? I have possible frizzled

Sure! Or I'd trade ya my silkied serama eggs for some turkey eggs too.

This little girl should be laying any time now

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Sure! Or I'd trade ya my silkied serama eggs for some turkey eggs too.

This little girl should be laying any time now
View attachment 1261295

Awesome! I could do turkey eggs

 

[Faraday40]

@WVduckchick
x2 on those silkied seramas

.... but I doubt they'd do well up here. We get pretty cold, so maybe best to send me pics instead. LOL

I'm surprised my Sebright does so well. She's a smart bird, though, and learned how to use those big dumb, fluffy orps to her advantage.

 

[WVduckchick]

Awesome! I could do turkey eggs

Deal!

@WVduckchick
x2 on those silkied seramas

.... but I doubt they'd do well up here. We get pretty cold, so maybe best to send me pics instead. LOL

I'm surprised my Sebright does so well. She's a smart bird, though, and learned how to use those big dumb, fluffy orps to her advantage.

Your sebright doesn't know she's a sebright.
We get pretty cold here too, and they are surprisingly hardy. The smooth seem to take the cold alot better than the silkied though. My smooth are slightly larger birds too. Those crazies actually sleep outside in the open air. Up high, with a wind break, but they refuse to go inside.

 

[Faraday40]

Your sebright doesn't know she's a sebright.

Yes, our Sebright thinks she's the Queen. She's faster than the orps, so she can grab & go with the best treats. The smallest bird always gets the biggest piece. Of course then she must brag about it to tease the others and make them chase her. If for some reason the orps have gotten to the treats 1st, she simply hops up onto my arm & helps herself to the treat bucket.

In winter when she decides to hang out in the pine trees, a poor rooster must wait out in the open snow and for her to come down. At night I always make sure everyone's in the coop. When we have those below zero nights, she hides between &/or UNDER the orps. After several frantic nights searching for her, I've learned where to look. When it's hot in the summer, she actually sleeps inside the window sill and steals the cool night's breeze. Because the window is above the top roosting spot, she believes she's above them all in pecking order. My little 2lb hen has chased off her share of 8lb orp pullets.

 

[Jessimom]

I really tried to stop hatching....I really did. I went MONTHS with no eggs. But Orrpeople sent me some eggs....I had a great hatch. I held off a bit by setting up an incubator at a school, once those hatched, I was hooked again....

What has been my downfall.....There is a Farm CoOp on facebook that I seem to have WAY too much luck. I won Blue Copper Marans, all 8 looked good at lockdown last night. Won at the same time a mixed dozen, 7 of those looked good at lockdown, 1 iffy. I also won 8 Gold laced Polish that arrived yesterday. The first thing I won was a Defender chicken coop. I also won 4 pints of fresh butter. All of those I bought chances and my number was chosen. There are 15 more that I lost. I've stopped buying chances (except on non egg related items). Only one I'm still waiting on is a Flow6 behive that I'm in. We're just waiting for all the chances to be sold.

BUT.....There was a free giveaway, just post a link to the CoOp page to your home page, or to a farm animal related group, for a free chance. So, I did. I didn't pay attention to what the prize was. Out of close to 1000 entries, I won. So, now I'll be getting 10+ day old rare breed chicks. They don't know yet what will hatch out of the 7 pens they are currently hatching from. They said they will let me know what they are sending once they are boxed up.

Here on BYC, I bid on some double laced Barnefelder eggs on the 24 hour auction page....

I am lost.....