Incubators Anonymous

[ChickNmamma]

Update on the hatcher changes.... temp holding well... humidity was still about 60%. 1 chick popped out this afternoon a day and a half early and several others had pipped. EVEN THE POLISH TOLBUNT

all three were moving really well when I put them in lockdown SUPER EXCITED since I only got 6 eggs and 3 made it to lockdown. 1 developed and quit early, 1 was cracked and didn't make it, the other might have been clear, can't remember.

I have some Black Eng Orps and something else that is new to me..... hum....OH GNH.... have just not had great luck with them. Either I kill them or the die form something else. Kinda my last try, I think. I have MILLIONS of DOLLARS in the GNH

for the chicks - sure hope moving the humidity in front of the fan helps with the warm WET air for them. Sounds great so far!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
The Marans are the real test... lets see how many get stuck this time

 

[ChickNmamma]

EEEEEEE! I went out to put my test eggs in "lockdown" on the bottom tray of the Sportsman I just re-furbished, took them out to check where the air cells were so I could set that upright - and one PEEPED at me....

Day 18....

I haven't hatched any chicks in an incubator successfully in such a long time I forgot what a wonderful feeling it is when they make it that far!

they hatch... 6 mixed up Silkies, one Partridge Wyandotte Bantam and one Sumatra.. and they ALL have huge air cells and are completely dark..

Amazing to me they made it this far, I didn't really have the incubator set when I put them in, I had only just added the new thermostat and finished painting it and was just heating it up to drive out the paint fumes. Two days of drying and then these eggs went in...

I still don't have an electronic humidity gauge and the humidity trays aren't setup right even now (have to put that bucket/hose on top yet.. - the temperatures went all over the map (down to 91 and up to 104?) for these because I was trying to dial in my new thermostat and I have them in the laundry room that gets cold at night and warm during the day (wouldn't try that with the thermostat wafer - no way)... There were only the 8 eggs in that huge incubator so nothing to hold the temperatures steady..

The eggs were originally under a broody for the first 7 days, but then I got 8 pure Partridge Silkie eggs so I swapped her mixed eggs out and put the new ones under her. I decided to give her eggs a chance in the incubator anyway..

they hatch...

 

[tlpounds]

People are wondering why i look so sad, as i clandestinely catch up on BYC while in my office..

.... she was a very pretty little hen

AWWWWW. That's so awesome. What a great story / poem.

 

[ozexpat]

Today Mrs Oz arrived at the farm. Lots of dramas that essentially I bestowed upon my amazing wife.
· 180 (or something like that) chicken eggs, 18 duck eggs on day 19/20 in the incubator and the power was out
· The planned sad eggtopsy of the cotournix quail that started to pip on day 16 but then got hit with a 105 temp spike and all life stopped.
· 20 Muscovy ducklings hatched 4 days ago under a broody with the second one hatching her ducklings any day.
The power was out for an hour and twenty minutes when she arrived. Ten minutes later the power came on, fans and lights in the bator came on and the temperature inside the bator was restored. The temp only had dropped to 95. That beast is well insulated and retained its heat well.

The Cotournix are trying to hatch – the spike in temps did some damage – it killed the initial early pippers but now we are on day 20 and we have eggs chirping. Two assisted hatchlings are in the bator warming and eggs are rocking. We have a drawn out hatch on our hands but may end up with Cotournix yet.

Mrs Oz went over to the bator house and found the brooder light on. Low and behold, there were 20 ducklings pooping in the brooder. We actually bought the trio of adult Muscovies off the family of one of our nannies. It appears that Azun had said that at her place, ants attack the ducklings and he needs to look after them for the first 6 weeks. Bernie, the gardener, so keen to get every bird to adulthood, heeded her advice. Now, my perfectly clean brooder, needed for the anticipated onslaught of chicks, is now home to poopers that could be free ranging with their mother.

On top of all that – I just got a text from Mrs Oz. Two chickens have hatched! Its going to be a crazy day on the farm. The text finished with Yippy Kay Yay Mutha Hen

I guess mrs Oz is happy

 

[Flowerbh]

Today Mrs Oz arrived at the farm. Lots of dramas that essentially I bestowed upon my amazing wife.
· 180 (or something like that) chicken eggs, 18 duck eggs on day 19/20 in the incubator and the power was out
· The planned sad eggtopsy of the cotournix quail that started to pip on day 16 but then got hit with a 105 temp spike and all life stopped.
· 20 Muscovy ducklings hatched 4 days ago under a broody with the second one hatching her ducklings any day.
The power was out for an hour and twenty minutes when she arrived. Ten minutes later the power came on, fans and lights in the bator came on and the temperature inside the bator was restored. The temp only had dropped to 95. That beast is well insulated and retained its heat well.

The Cotournix are trying to hatch – the spike in temps did some damage – it killed the initial early pippers but now we are on day 20 and we have eggs chirping. Two assisted hatchlings are in the bator warming and eggs are rocking. We have a drawn out hatch on our hands but may end up with Cotournix yet.

Mrs Oz went over to the bator house and found the brooder light on. Low and behold, there were 20 ducklings pooping in the brooder. We actually bought the trio of adult Muscovies off the family of one of our nannies. It appears that Azun had said that at her place, ants attack the ducklings and he needs to look after them for the first 6 weeks. Bernie, the gardener, so keen to get every bird to adulthood, heeded her advice. Now, my perfectly clean brooder, needed for the anticipated onslaught of chicks, is now home to poopers that could be free ranging with their mother.

On top of all that – I just got a text from Mrs Oz. Two chickens have hatched! Its going to be a crazy day on the farm. The text finished with Yippy Kay Yay Mutha Hen

I guess mrs Oz is happy

What a wild and adventurous life you lead! At times like this, think of all the boring lives some people have. All this adventure keeps your heart pumping and your brain active! I love hearing about your exciting times! Keep the news coming. I am sorry you lost some of your eggs. But thinking only about all the hundreds/thousands? you've hatched into this world! Enjoy every day! Best wishes going to you.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
The Marans are the real test... lets see how many get stuck this time

I lost my entire last batch--

NEver had that happen before. Nervous about the next 2 dozen due late this week.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

I lost my entire last batch--

NEver had that happen before. Nervous about the next 2 dozen due late this week.

Oh wow! I'm so sorry. That stinks.

 

[SRHartley]

everyone is scaring me with the talk of losing their maran eggs. I have a dozen in the bator now. Is there something special i should be doing?

 

[Flowerbh]

ok, I just candled my eggs at day 15. Had to take some out from early death. (All the bad ones out of 40 all came from the same vendor!) Anyway, some of the eggs have unusual shape air sacs. What is going on? The are not regular....they have dips and valleys. Are they bad, too?