Incubators Anonymous

[ocap]

set up two breeder tractors today.....earlier than planned last November.....not enough eggs to start up the new incubator and colder than I want but I am still getting the Springer Fever.

 

[ozexpat]

be very careful of chicken math.......

I started with just 2 coops.

1 year later

inside covered run open run
Coop A 8*8 8*12 8*12
Coop B 8*8 8*12 8*12
Coop 1 6*6 6*8 6*6
Coop 2 6*6 6*8 6*6
Coop 3 6*6 6*8 6*6
Coop 4 6*6 6*8 6*6
Coop 5 6*6 6*8 6*6
Coop 6 4*4 4*6 4*4
Coop 7 4*4 4*6 4*4
Coop 8 4*4 4*6 4*4
Coop 9 4*4 4*6 4*4
Coop 10 4*4 4*6 4*4
Coop 11 4*4 4*6 4*4


add to that 15 quail pens, chukar and guineas. my turkeys and muscovies are on there own and find their own place for the night

oh and i have 80 eggs set

these birds are a dangerois thing.

 

[DMRippy]

I am excited!

I hatched 2 MFL chicks today. She laide 2-3 eggs 3 weeks ago..... that was it.....

But still 2 chicks..... more to come I hope.

I also hatched my first batch of Silkies..... no idea the colors yet but they are just mutts. AND my first WL chicks in MONTHS..... yeah! Let spring begin!


I visited some family today and I have a family member that is really getting into chicks..... maybe I will hook them up with some chicks.

 

[ki4got]

I am excited!

I hatched 2 MFL chicks today. She laide 2-3 eggs 3 weeks ago..... that was it.....

But still 2 chicks..... more to come I hope.

I also hatched my first batch of Silkies..... no idea the colors yet but they are just mutts. AND my first WL chicks in MONTHS..... yeah! Let spring begin!


I visited some family today and I have a family member that is really getting into chicks..... maybe I will hook them up with some chicks.

donna, do you ship chicks or local only?

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I have the boxes to ship chicks..... I think I have shipped them once. But willing...... when it gets warmer.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I have the boxes to ship chicks..... I think I have shipped them once. But willing...... when it gets warmer.

that part makes me nervous. I don't think ill ever ship chicks.

 

[sillycmoy]

Okay so out of my first incubation I only have 2 that I think will hatch.

and I hope they will both hatch so I don't have a lonely chick, and no one around here will be selling chick till the end of Feb. Anyways. I started with 9 possible fertile eggs, 4 never started, and then I had 3 more quit. We are at day 17 today, and I candled them, not much development since day 14. I only have to tiny tiny Bantam Eggs that are extremely full, all I can see is the air sack and then dark round chick spot. So hopefully they are both doing great and will hatch.

My question is I heard that Bantam eggs usually hatch around day 19, and these eggs were pretty full at 14 days. So do I still wait to lock them down at 19 days like planned or do you think I should lock them down tomorrow. Right now they have been at around 35-39% humidity, how high do I need to make it, around 65% or is it higher.

Thanks for any help, I'm hoping for 2 to hatch.

 

[ki4got]

Okay so out of my first incubation I only have 2 that I think will hatch.

and I hope they will both hatch so I don't have a lonely chick, and no one around here will be selling chick till the end of Feb. Anyways. I started with 9 possible fertile eggs, 4 never started, and then I had 3 more quit. We are at day 17 today, and I candled them, not much development since day 14. I only have to tiny tiny Bantam Eggs that are extremely full, all I can see is the air sack and then dark round chick spot. So hopefully they are both doing great and will hatch.

My question is I heard that Bantam eggs usually hatch around day 19, and these eggs were pretty full at 14 days. So do I still wait to lock them down at 19 days like planned or do you think I should lock them down tomorrow. Right now they have been at around 35-39% humidity, how high do I need to make it, around 65% or is it higher.

Thanks for any help, I'm hoping for 2 to hatch.

my own bantams hatch the same as the lf... day 21 usually. so yeah lockdown day 18 or 19. it isn't how full they look, the air cell needs to expand for the chicks to have room to move when it comes time for hatching...

my own incubation, humitidy runs 10-20% max (averaging 10% right now) and I bring it to 55-65 for hatching. this is called dry incubation. I add NO water for the first 18 days.

just had 2 hatch in the incubator because I wrote the date wrong... the other 3 hatched in the hatcher this morning. first chicks from my own eggs this year. 2 mille fleur bantam cochins, 1 red dorking and 2 blue laced red Wyandottes.

 

[kmollyhughes]

my own bantams hatch the same as the lf... day 21 usually. so yeah lockdown day 18 or 19.  it isn't how full they look, the air cell needs to expand for the chicks to have room to move when it comes time for hatching... 

my own incubation, humitidy runs 10-20% max (averaging 10% right now) and I bring it to 55-65 for hatching.  this is called dry incubation. I add NO water for the first 18 days.

just had 2 hatch in the incubator because I wrote the date wrong... the other 3 hatched in the hatcher this morning.  first chicks from my own eggs this year. 2 mille fleur bantam cochins, 1 red dorking and 2 blue laced red Wyandottes.

I'm incubating for the first time...in two incubators. Lol. Usually I just let my broody girls do their thing. But, my question is...does the dry hatch make them lose too much water from the egg? My incubator is a brisnea octagon and the Internet says keep humidity between 40-50%...but OTs on BYC say around 30%. So haven't been real finicky about it for the first couple weeks. I guess I'll just have to see what hatches and mess with things on my next batches...but not worrying about humidity would be awesome. Like I said, here in Nevada it's so dry that I wonder if dry hatches would be too dry and make the air cell too big for them to move....?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I would ad water the last week- dry hatch is best for homemade incubators