Incubators Anonymous

Last night I locked down 50 assorted chicken. I sure hope this hatch end better than the last.
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Good Luck! Farmers only worry during the growing season, but towns people worry all the time.
 
the eggs are due to hatch in 2 days but 2 of them are moving vigorously! and i heard a pip but i have a problem it a hovabator 1602 humidity at 75 and temp at 99 to 100 perfect. So the egg turner i left in because i mistimed the chicken egg hatching day and added duck eggs wich are due to hatch 2 weeks later. now i couldnt leave the duck eggs without turning while the chickens lied flat and i count lay the chickens flat while the duck eggs turned. So the rods that carry the eggs are able to be taken off and i took off 3 rows but under them was a plastic lining so i didnt know what to do i put the eggs in between these plastic lines and it seems movement for them would be hawhat should i do take out the egg turner their on their second day of lockdown i will lose valubale humidity and temp but how will the move to get to their air sacs what will i do i need an answer by today please!
I have the same bator I think...genesis 1588? Anyway, I had the same problem, too. My daughter had sent us a surprise of chicken and duck eggs at the same time! So here is what I did. I had to put them all in at the same time because the chicken eggs had come early anyway and I didn't want them to die. So at lockdown, I went ahead and took the turner out. I figured the hatching chicks would move the duck eggs around, which they did. When I took the turner out, I laid some shelf liner on the grate thingy....the shelf liner was that plastic holy looking stuff. That was to help with the easy cleaning. Anyway, after the chicks hatched, I took the liner out and the turner, but I made the fatal mistake not to take the time to clean everything! I should have taken the duck eggs out for those 10 minutes (wrap them in a warm dry towel...like straight from the dryer) and totally clean the bator. Take the old water out of everywhere and wipe down the sides. I had left pieces of chick shell that had fallen to the bottom. So over the course of the next week, bacteria grew so bad that I could almost not see thru the lid! A day before hatch day for the ducks, I couldn't stand it anymore. I took the duck eggs out and cleaned it very good. Also added some copper pennies to the new water to prohibit any further bacteria growth. But, I think I was too late. 2 of the 4 ducks had died in shell. (Probably from the bacteria growth) I did hatch 2 thankfully.....but you really need to be careful. I had wished I would have taken the time to clean it at chick hatch than wait until later. I think all 4 ducks would have made it.

What are you going to do when the chicks start hatching? You will need to turn off the turner while they hatch so the chicks feet don't get caught. It may work that way, but you will still need to do clean up. May be easier with the turner so you can just lift the whole tray out and clean after the chicks hatch. Whatever you do...please take time to clean it....just a quick 10 minutes or less. Good luck
 
Well i read a lot of people on here saying that the ducks would probably be fine if you removed the turner and that the humidity would easily come back up, I learned a trick that if you put really hot water in the water dish when your done the moisture level raises again within minutes. But if you decide to leave them the turner needs to be turned off.
 
Ok, Here is my thoughts on incubating and what I have learned this year. I was new at this and made lots of mistakes. My last hatch was great as far as the chickens go. So maybe these statements will help newcomers. Remember, these are just things that have worked for me!

1. Start by sterilizing your incubator and parts. There are a number of things out there that people use. Just do this before and after each hatch!

2. Set up your incubator a few days ahead of time to make sure everything is working right. I use two separate thermometers/hygrometers PLUS the one that is built in. Don't trust just one.

3. When setting humidity you hear a lot about adding water or not. I was confused on this for a while and finally decided that I needed to keep the humidity between 30 - 40% for the first 18 days. Where I put my incubator in my house makes a difference. In some areas of my house, I needed to add water to get the humidity up to that. In other areas of my house, there was more natural humidity and I didn't have to add any water. Many things effect humidity....the weather, the time of year, your wash machine! Anyway, If I find I need to add water to keep it in my range, I have some small baby food containers (those nice rectangle ones) I put water in them with the lid on. I have cut a 1 x 1 inch hole in the lid. If I need less water I put a tape over part of the hole. I can adjust it very adequately that way. Just aim for 30 -40% and add water or not to maintain.

4. I keep the vent hole plugged until day 10, then I unplug it. This made a huge difference.

5. At lockdown, take the turner out and increase the humidity to 60 - 65% (not over 70%)

6. Candle on day 18 and mark the upward side of the egg (the air sac will be tilted) If you are going to hatch upright in egg cartons, cut down the sides and bottoms so they don't impede the chicks. Candle to see low side of the air sac and turn the eggs all in the same direction so they will all pip on the side facing you.

7. At lockdown, I add a cloth or that foam drawer liner to protect the chicks navels and to help with clean up.

8. At lockdown, you may want to lower temperature just a tad.... it is better to have lower humidity and temperature that higher.

9. In regards to opening/closing the bator to remove hatched chicks, chicks can go 3 days without food/water. It is better to wait for remaining chicks to hatch to insure reducing the impact to unhatched pipping eggs. HOWEVER. If you are having a hard time with humidity it is ok to open quickly and add water. I have discovered a method to add water without lifting the top. I put a folded up paper towel in the corner of my bator where the cord for the turner comes out. There is a little notch there for the cord. If I need to add water, I use a straw and fill it with water and put it in the hole and get the paper towel wet. I also have a folded paper towel under the open vent plug. I don't put eggs under it....so then I do the same thing with the straw and wet the paper towel. This is if the wells of water I have run dry or it's just not enough to keep me around 65%.

10. I keep track of my eggs. I number them and pencil in what kinds of chickens they are. I put them in the bator in order at the beginning. Then, whenever I candle them, I rotate them around to different spots in the bator. That way if there are any cold or hot spots, one egg isn't there the whole time. I also keep track of where they are in lockdown. I kind of have a diagram of where they are so I know which ones hatched, what is left, etc.

11. As they hatch, I try to find some distinguishing markings to let me know that chick came from that egg.

12. I have fun and enjoy every minute of watching new life be born. I have helped several out of the shells on those first learning hatches. They are alive, but they go thru a period where they don't grow very much and are runts for a while. After weeks, they are growing normally.

13. Take these statement or leave them. Just thought I would share my experiences with you.

Good Hatching to all!
 
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those little lines on the floor the eggs are between those trying to find better pics.
Serma i have a friend thats alwats removing turner and placing eggs in eg carton with a Stick under them in the same direction of turning so al he has to do is Move the Stick from one side to the other . Key board neds blown out Later al
 

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