Incubators Anonymous

[Arielle]

cb-- I think Oz is right.

Myself, I have delayed lockdown in a batch when the air cell was not big enough. THe extra 2 days( they were late) made all the difference in success. THe air cellw as big enough by hatch time. So your lovely buffs are likely to be ok as you have a few days between sets to help them hit the mark going into lockdown.

( PS. I don't trust a new incubator until I have seen it hold steady for several days. IMO don't set up the new one and immediately plunk your precious beauties in-- make sure it is stable first.)

 

[ozexpat]

cb-- I think Oz is right.

Myself, I have delayed lockdown in a batch when the air cell was not big enough. THe extra 2 days( they were late) made all the difference in success. THe air cellw as big enough by hatch time. So your lovely buffs are likely to be ok as you have a few days between sets to help them hit the mark going into lockdown.

( PS. I don't trust a new incubator until I have seen it hold steady for several days. IMO don't set up the new one and immediately plunk your precious beauties in-- make sure it is stable first.)

indeed

 

[cbnovick]

THANK YOU!!!

I will let you all know how it goes and post pics too!!!

 

[Zootopia]

Ok how about the urban legend of dark maran eggs? I have read everything down to sanding thru the color, which sounds a little crazy. What does a broody use for sand paper? Is there really not a way to hatch these dark eggs without jumping thru hoops?
By the way I received an egg that is partly plummed. I figure it would take a small miracle for that one to hatch. I could understand sanding thru that extra coating, just to allow the egg to evaporate the extra fluid, not to mention how the heck a chick is supposed to pip thru that.

 

[AvianEgo]

Ok how about the urban legend of dark maran eggs? I have read everything down to sanding thru the color, which sounds a little crazy. What does a broody use for sand paper? Is there really not a way to hatch these dark eggs without jumping thru hoops?
By the way I received an egg that is partly plummed. I figure it would take a small miracle for that one to hatch. I could understand sanding thru that extra coating, just to allow the egg to evaporate the extra fluid, not to mention how the heck a chick is supposed to pip thru that.

i have never heard of any of that. Sanding through the first layer on the eggis asking for trouble. Making it much easier for bacteria to get in. I wouldn't do anything different with them. the chicks will hatch, mother nature usually pulls through

 

[ChickNmamma]

Ok how about the urban legend of dark maran eggs? I have read everything down to sanding thru the color, which sounds a little crazy. What does a broody use for sand paper? Is there really not a way to hatch these dark eggs without jumping thru hoops?
By the way I received an egg that is partly plummed. I figure it would take a small miracle for that one to hatch. I could understand sanding thru that extra coating, just to allow the egg to evaporate the extra fluid, not to mention how the heck a chick is supposed to pip thru that.

I haven't hatched Marans eggs yet (please note the S - some people have that as their pet peeve). However I do hatch the EE eggs - and some of those have extremely thick shells. If the egg looses the water at the correct rate - it will be fine. Keep humidity low - do not mix with bantams or thin shelled eggs (they loose it too fast then) and by the time it is ready to hatch it is surprisingly brittle. Somewhere I read that the chick - in the last stages - actually removes some of the calcium from the inside of the eggs to build its bones? I just know that egg shells that have been hatched are much more brittle than fresh eggs I cracked.

 

[Zootopia]

i have never heard of any of that. Sanding through the first layer on the eggis asking for trouble. Making it much easier for bacteria to get in. I wouldn't do anything different with them. the chicks will hatch, mother nature usually pulls through

Haha, I have had 2 stints of way too much time on my hands "BYC" time. (Almost a year off work and minimal activity after surgery, then 2 mo off w/ my DH) I know how crazy it sounds. Doesn't change the things you read on here that people swear by, LoL. Most of us cringe at the thought of "having" to wash eggs. There are persons who claim to wash Every egg that they get from Any outside source. So crazy is a relative term. (Hey Oz has a de humidifier hooked up to his bator. Crazy in West Texas but might be an idea for someone in Louisiana)
As for the "mother nature" thing, no offense but anytime you put the "domestic" in front of an animals name, Mother Nature gets the boot.
I dry incubate unless I see air cells shrinking too fast, too soon. In a Hovabator. I hatch in the ReptiPro and incubate some duck eggs in there.
So ok, yes I know that sanding sounds crazy, but from people who hatch Marans on a regular basis, what's up? Dry in the Hova or at <45> in the Reptipro?

 

[AvianEgo]

Yes that's true, domestication does skrew things up doesn't it. Anyways, id still go with a dry hatch but not monkey with any of the sand paper. You may loose some weaker chicks but i think overall they should hatch ok.

 

[ozexpat]

here is an article by one of the most experienced hatchers here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-dark-eggs


get your sandpaper out fellas

 

[Zootopia]

here is an article by one of the most experienced hatchers here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-dark-eggs


get your sandpaper out fellas

Ok, so that was 400 grit and betadine, got it.