Incubators Anonymous

[LizardKing]

and I agree about not letting them set too long before incubating. especially this time of year when temps may have already started incubation.

I fail to see how it can be beneficial to let them sit longer than the time it takes to reach normal temp and
settle down and surely does lower the hatch rate waiting a few days.

To the poster who has 100% fertile shipped eggs, that is GREAT!
Wish I was so lucky...

Tomorrow is lock down day for me with these 30 button quail eggs and my refurbed incubator w/ computer fan.
Had some temp swings but not too severe except the few days in the beginning with the Little Giant sort of a electronic temp controller.
I am hoping for at least SOME quail, my past experience with them is they love humidity but are pretty strong eggs and birds.

 

[Lenka]

so are the chicks really fine in the incubator/ hatcher for 3 days? if i don't really risk lowering the humidity a ton getting them out, should I move them, or add water or something? I was fine and stress free for about 4 hours, now seeing the babies in there is making me stress out...

 

[ladycat]

They will be fine. Resist the temptation to open the bator to remove them.

 

[ki4got]

so are the chicks really fine in the incubator/ hatcher for 3 days? if i don't really risk lowering the humidity a ton getting them out, should I move them, or add water or something? I was fine and stress free for about 4 hours, now seeing the babies in there is making me stress out...

I would say it depends on the eggs remaining in the incubator. usually everything hatches within 36 hours for me, after that it's unlikely.

 

[DMRippy]

I must have blacked out too..... I am not going to set anymore BIG hatches. I have even sold about 8 doz eggs to ship on Monday but I still managed to set 150 eggs today

I know some are clear just really checking fertility, some are shipped eggs so not all will develop..... I will be down to 90 after the first candleing so that is ok..... I think.

 

[Runawaylobster]

I wish ya'll would've blacked out and bought duck eggs on eBay. I just had an auction for purebred Magpie duck eggs (a critically endangered breed of excellent egg layers) that went for $0.99...plus shipping. I actually lost money on that one after the cost of packaging and eBay fees.

Now I'm going to list them for higher. If they don't sell, then they go into the fridge. No skin off of my nose, but at least I actually make a few bucks off the auction.

i hear you.... i recently sold a dozen of my best BCM eggs for $3.00.. i have pretty much given up on ebay for the moment..

 

[Runawaylobster]

I would say it depends on the eggs remaining in the incubator. usually everything hatches within 36 hours for me, after that it's unlikely.

yep... i just candled after 36 hours, took the chicks out and just left one in there in case as it was doing no harm.. i removed two as duds...

 

[ladycat]

i hear you.... i recently sold a dozen of my best BCM eggs for $3.00.. i have pretty much given up on ebay for the moment..

I stopped ebay a long time ago. I don't sell there and I don't buy there.

 

[gander007]

They're hatching!! First one out is an EE , hope to come home to a few more out of the eggs!!

Just trying to catch up here so how is the hatch going ????????

 

[Tuhmu]

The thing is, I was actually expecting more than one bidder. Normally if I list eggs for $0.99, there is some nice action on the auction! Especially with Araucana hatching eggs. Afterwards, I saw that most duck egg auctions were selling for ridiculously low prices. Nice looking pekins or anconas for less than $5.00 for a dozen. Must be a bad time for duck eggs, just no demand?

I just keep my little calls ducks, though I am expanding into geese, have 4 developing in the bator now, they are on day 13. If I had more room and didn't live in the arctic I would probably have more waterfowl but they are just so much more work then chickens when it's freezing out.