Incubators Anonymous

[Cntrcrssgl]

Confession time: I have fallen off the 'no more chickens' wagon with a THUD! In the incubator sits 27 bantam & sebright eggs, due to hatch tomorrow and Sunday. Went to the co-op for starter feed, came home with 7 beautiful little cochins & lakenvalds! I have obviously gone insane! Every year I swear, no more birds ... no more getting up at the crack of dawn to turn them out ... no more threatening the guineas with death for making me run them around the farm before they will go up for the night ... no more searching for eggs everywhere & anywhere except in the nesting boxes, because that would be too darn easy on me! .... no more 50 pound bags of feed & seeds ... no more mess tracked through the house ... no more, no more, no more! Even as I'm writing this I'm planning to set more eggs next week - regular sized hens, to breed with that handsome silver/purple rooster we got last fall.

I think I have finally lost my mind ! LOL !

 

[sonderah]

Confession time: I have fallen off the 'no more chickens' wagon with a THUD! In the incubator sits 27 bantam & sebright eggs, due to hatch tomorrow and Sunday. Went to the co-op for starter feed, came home with 7 beautiful little cochins & lakenvalds! I have obviously gone insane! Every year I swear, no more birds ... no more getting up at the crack of dawn to turn them out ... no more threatening the guineas with death for making me run them around the farm  before they will go up for the night ... no more searching for eggs everywhere & anywhere except in the nesting boxes, because that would be too darn easy on me! .... no more 50 pound bags of feed & seeds ... no more mess tracked through the house ... no more, no more, no more! Even as I'm writing this I'm planning to set more eggs next week - regular sized hens, to breed with that handsome silver/purple rooster we got last fall. :cd  I think I have finally lost my mind ! LOL !

 

[sonderah]

I got a digital thermo/hygrometer at Lowes today!!!!! Stuck the sensor in my new incubator and its reading 99 degrees and 59% humidity. My incubator is reading 100 degrees and 50% humidity. :/ Hmmmm

 

[rnt2005]

Day 21, 12 chicks out of 36 so far... 3 got stuck in the shell... literally glued in... Against what I've read I helped them out. They definitely were ready and would not have made it otherwise. They kept getting stuck on their back and walking funny. One of them seems like it has a crook in his neck... I'm hoping that they get their strength.

Anyways, I am guessing that the humidity wasn't high enough. It's up to 65 now... Any suggestions?

 

[carriebain]

I had to show another picture of my babies. I took this this morning. The light ones with spots and total white one and the black with white spots on head are Super Blue Egg Layers from DMRippy. Some of the black ones without the spots are from her Olive eggers and one of the gray ones also. I have have some of mine in there and they are gray and black and the big buff one. The little gray one on the bottom someone pooed on and she is not really feeling good. She had a protruding naval area. It have receded but she just isn't up to par. one had trouble with its leg but I gave it a leg massage and took the paper off the shavings and she is getting along better now. I love watching them grow and changing.

Use preparation H on the protrusion it helps shrink the tissue

 

[DMRippy]

Glad I am not the only one who chases guinea round for an hour before I give up.... Mine are in 2 packs and one goes one way and the others go another way...... sick of it! I don't care anymore..... they can stay out all night if we don't get them up quick. I would like to find eggs though..... last year they laid in the run.... not sure what the new ones are going to do

The hatcher need more work. I moved the egg into it anyway since one hatched in the incubator. It has hot and cool spots and still the humidity will not go up. I think I need some fans. I am going to run them only when the thermostat kicks in so they don't run all the time just so they will stir the heated air better. I hope they hatch ok with about 40% humidity

I know it will go up when they start to hatch too.... so not panicked. Tomorrow is hatch day and some may hatch later since it is about 95 in some spots.

 

[JWEBB]

Day 21, 12 chicks out of 36 so far... 3 got stuck in the shell... literally glued in... Against what I've read I helped them out. They definitely were ready and would not have made it otherwise. They kept getting stuck on their back and walking funny. One of them seems like it has a crook in his neck... I'm hoping that they get their strength.

Anyways, I am guessing that the humidity wasn't high enough. It's up to 65 now... Any suggestions?

65 is good and will go up while they hatch I see too, whats the temp at? 98.5 is good. with higher humidity you don't want a high temp drop it down a degree. Open a air vent if have one or several they need oxygen. Its best to not open the door and if you have to, and you have a fan, turn the fan off before you open it. They can be very unstable and clumsy at first and will rest and gain strength often. Just watch and try to be patient I know its very hard to not get in there!

 

[Runawaylobster]

Day 21, 12 chicks out of 36 so far... 3 got stuck in the shell... literally glued in... Against what I've read I helped them out. They definitely were ready and would not have made it otherwise. They kept getting stuck on their back and walking funny. One of them seems like it has a crook in his neck... I'm hoping that they get their strength.

Anyways, I am guessing that the humidity wasn't high enough. It's up to 65 now... Any suggestions?

assuming your humidity reading is correct 65 is plenty. i like it when mine is at 65, not too much and not too little.
however if you have opened and closed sometimes it is enough for them to get stuck (not always but sometimes)... so this could be the
reason. I have trouble keeping mine above 50 at this time of year, but in general it still seems to be fine.

the one with the crook in the neck may straighten out, because it was in that position in the egg and if they were stuck for a long time then
it may just have to adjust .

i will keep fingers crossed , and good luck..

 

[Runawaylobster]

Confession time: I have fallen off the 'no more chickens' wagon with a THUD! In the incubator sits 27 bantam & sebright eggs, due to hatch tomorrow and Sunday. Went to the co-op for starter feed, came home with 7 beautiful little cochins & lakenvalds! I have obviously gone insane! Every year I swear, no more birds ... no more getting up at the crack of dawn to turn them out ... no more threatening the guineas with death for making me run them around the farm before they will go up for the night ... no more searching for eggs everywhere & anywhere except in the nesting boxes, because that would be too darn easy on me! .... no more 50 pound bags of feed & seeds ... no more mess tracked through the house ... no more, no more, no more! Even as I'm writing this I'm planning to set more eggs next week - regular sized hens, to breed with that handsome silver/purple rooster we got last fall.

I think I have finally lost my mind ! LOL !

Glad I am not the only one who chases guinea round for an hour before I give up.... Mine are in 2 packs and one goes one way and the others go another way...... sick of it! I don't care anymore..... they can stay out all night if we don't get them up quick. I would like to find eggs though..... last year they laid in the run.... not sure what the new ones are going to do

The hatcher need more work. I moved the egg into it anyway since one hatched in the incubator. It has hot and cool spots and still the humidity will not go up. I think I need some fans. I am going to run them only when the thermostat kicks in so they don't run all the time just so they will stir the heated air better. I hope they hatch ok with about 40% humidity

I know it will go up when they start to hatch too.... so not panicked. Tomorrow is hatch day and some may hatch later since it is about 95 in some spots.

no guineas here but i can tell you i have same trouble if i let the leghorns out. Alot of my place has lychee orchard on it, and I have no chance of gathering the birds up at dark because they seem to think the trees are better than the coop for sleeping and those guys can fly!! I have given up with two birds that are what i call feral in my yard, one hamburg and one buttercup, they appear to be dog proof and predator proof, they appear every time i bring the feed bucket out and get in my way and they have been on the loose for at least a year.....

i'm so afraid the leghorns will go the same way i just keep them in, the big fat ones like marans and orps get to go out but it might not be all bad cause i give the leghorns all the veggie scraps to compensate, and they just love it (my daughter saves all the leftovers from her juicer and they go mad for it)

Donna... good luck on the hatch.. i have had birds hatch at about 43%..

 

[Runawaylobster]

I have little lav orps in my hatcher whoopee!!! they are so cute.. i must get pics this time.

so why am i up for 2 hours already!!! I got up and removed the divider in the batchelor pad while it was still dark... they have been side by side for about 6 weeks.. hoping that's enough for them to figure out they know each other.. i don't get through the wire sparring any more at least.