Join me on my Classroom Hatch-A-Long, support and advice appreciated!

[DavidReaves]

I think I am going to cut the shelf liner and take out the tray tomorrow night so at least that is set.

I had the shelf liner in for the entire incubation? The only thing I read about it was that it 'might' cause lower humidity. The benefit was that some people thought that having the liner in all the time helped the eggs to turn more efficiently. In my case, the humidity was high anyway, so it didn't hurt for that. When it was time for lockdown, all I had to do was lift the turner out and the eggs stayed in place.

 

[MochaLatte]

I’m going to have to probably set lockdown on day 17 instead of day 18, and really hoping it doesn’t screw anything up!

I dont think 1 day should make any difference for your eggs. No worries! Heck, I ended up having the cayugas in lockdown 3 days early and they were fine

 

[DavidReaves]

I’m actually going to be able to get in on Sat! So regular lockdown on Day 18! Will still probably candle & draw final air cells tomorrow so they are ready for Sat. I don’t want to take too long setting them up since it is a weekend and someone will just be waiting for me to do it so they can lock back up. Lol

Very excited!

Don't be surprised if there is a chick or two waiting for you on Monday morning. It's not officially day 21 for me until tonight and I have 5 of 19 already hatched!

 

[junior67]

Don't be surprised if there is a chick or two waiting for you on Monday morning. It's not officially day 21 for me until tonight and I have 5 of 19 already hatched!

that is cool! what did your temperature run for you? you had 1 hatch on day 19 right? was it later into day 19? then the other 4 on day 20? I just hope I am home to catch my incubator baby hatching!

 

[HappyClucker7]

Don't be surprised if there is a chick or two waiting for you on Monday morning. It's not officially day 21 for me until tonight and I have 5 of 19 already hatched!

One of mine, in my last hatch, hatched a day early too.

 

[3KillerBs]

In my first batch I had one hatch a day early and one hatch a day late.

On advice, I shuffled my eggs around several times during incubation for the second hatch and they all arrived within about 18 hours of each other.

 

[DavidReaves]

that is cool! what did your temperature run for you? you had 1 hatch on day 19 right? was it later into day 19? then the other 4 on day 20? I just hope I am home to catch my incubator baby hatching!

Average temp while it was rotating was 99.7, according to the Govee. At about 3:00 pm CDT I have 9 hatched, one more that is just about zipped out and three more pipped (that I can see for sure). So far, the hatch is going pretty strong. I hope they all hatch. Of course, there was nothing to damage them in transit, since it's only about 1/4 mile down the road to the source for my eggs and I hand carried them home.

This is the most recent hatch, #9. She had a little trouble getting the small piece of shell off her head. It was like a little helmet. Finally, she cleared it away.

 

[Iluveggers]

Did a quick candle and drew air cells myself before leaving today. I wanted a clear line so I know how to set them for lockdown. I removed the turner and added shelf liner also. Will wait til tomorrow (day 18) to bump humidity, and water to second cell, and open the vent for the weekend.

The eggs all looked very dark, I could only see veins in a couple of them. All of them lost weight although I didn’t check individual percentages yet, will do that tonight. I really don’t want to open the incubator tomorrow.

I separated the colors with a homemade divider. If it works well, I might write an artile on how I made it!

After I took the pic, I pointed all the pointy ends toward the middle. The widest part of the air cell should be up, correct?

 

[DavidReaves]

Did a quick candle and drew air cells myself before leaving today. I wanted a clear line so I know how to set them for lockdown. I removed the turner and added shelf liner also. Will wait til tomorrow (day 18) to bump humidity, and water to second cell, and open the vent for the weekend.

View attachment 3095675
The eggs all looked very dark, I could only see veins in a couple of them. All of them lost weight although I didn’t check individual percentages yet, will do that tonight. I really don’t want to open the incubator tomorrow.

I separated the colors with a homemade divider. If it works well, I might write an artile on how I made it!


View attachment 3095683View attachment 3095678
After I took the pic, I pointed all the pointy ends toward the middle. The widest part of the air cell should be up, correct?

Once your first chick hatches, it won't matter how you left the other eggs-- in your case, within the dividers. The eggs get pushed every which way, all higgledy-piggley from where they started.

 

[Iluveggers]

Once your first chick hatches, it won't matter how you left the other eggs-- in your case, within the dividers. The eggs get pushed every which way, all higgledy-piggley from where they started.

Hoping at least it will help them get in position correctly! Did you take weights before and at lockdown @DavidReaves ?