July Hatch-A-Long

[Raiquee]

Hey guys, so I am 5 days into setting eggs, and i'm having humidity issues. They are staying around 60%. I know I am suppossed to aim for 30-40%. I have no water in the incubator, and I have a hovabator and have removed the two red plugs to help with airflow. What else can I do?

 

[Tazbeaux]

Hey guys, so I am 5 days into setting eggs, and i'm having humidity issues. They are staying around 60%. I know I am suppossed to aim for 30-40%. I have no water in the incubator, and I have a hovabator and have removed the two red plugs to help with airflow. What else can I do?

Are you sure that your hygrometer is accurate? I also have a hovabator and I live in ultra humid southern Louisiana. To achieve 60% humidity I have to have compartments 1 and 2 full of water and the red plugs in. There are ways to test a hygrometer using damp salt and a ziplock bag that you can find online. Just do a search for "salt hygrometer" and you should get several results.

 

[Raiquee]

Are you sure that your hygrometer is accurate? I also have a hovabator and I live in ultra humid southern Louisiana.  To achieve 60% humidity I have to have compartments 1 and 2 full of water and the red plugs in.  There are ways to test a hygrometer using damp salt and a ziplock bag that you can find online. Just do a search for "salt hygrometer" and you should get several results.

Thank you I will try that!

 

[salsan20]

Am a bit late for this but have some due July 22nd. Ordered 6 magpie and 12 khaki duck eggs, all turned up with detatched or loose air cells so almost wrote them off but incubated upright anyway and sealed the crack on one with nail varnish. Lost heart a bit and picked up 6 fresh eggs for 1.50 from our local farm shop with the intention of cooking, then realised when looking at dates on eggs they were only layed the day before so bunged them in.
Fished out a lot of quitters or non starters but have 5 magpies and 6 khakis developing, possibly twins on my sealed egg as when candling there are two moving indistinct blobs on each side of the same side of the egg when you candle and saw a webbed foot kick the egg in the middle so either I have a bendy baby or two are trying in there!

4 mystery chicks are developing, 2 white and two brown no idea what they are as the farm has a mixed flock freeranging round a petting zoo including polish, silkies, sussex, pekins, brahmas and some larger ones I have no idea about so could be anything! All due 22nd July so very excited!

 

[salsan20]

In the uk my rh of the room could be 70, I put a tray of rice in the incubator and pots of it around the room when its really wet!

 

[KendyF]

Am a bit late for this but have some due July 22nd. Ordered 6 magpie and 12 khaki duck eggs, all turned up with detatched or loose air cells so almost wrote them off but incubated upright anyway and sealed the crack on one with nail varnish. Lost heart a bit and picked up 6 fresh eggs for 1.50 from our local farm shop with the intention of cooking, then realised when looking at dates on eggs they were only layed the day before so bunged them in.
Fished out a lot of quitters or non starters but have 5 magpies and 6 khakis developing, possibly twins on my sealed egg as when candling there are two moving indistinct blobs on each side of the same side of the egg when you candle and saw a webbed foot kick the egg in the middle so either I have a bendy baby or two are trying in there!

4 mystery chicks are developing, 2 white and two brown no idea what they are as the farm has a mixed flock freeranging round a petting zoo including polish, silkies, sussex, pekins, brahmas and some larger ones I have no idea about so could be anything! All due 22nd July so very excited!

I have 6 broody eggs and 12 incubated eggs due on July 22nd as well.

 

[salsan20]

Oh exciting, what are you expecting?

 

[Amykins]

Phew! Ok, so Wobbles is asleep in the brooder. His sibling still has yet to pip, although I can see it wiggling in the shell, so...I have no idea what to expect from it anymore. Third egg unfortunately didn't make it. L.

Wobbles still can't get up on his feet or hold his head straight, either. Poor lil' guy.

P.S. I really, really never knew how projectile duckling poop could be. Holy cow. That thing got AIR.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Two hatched out on the second. My next batch is in and not due until the 28th. Boy is waiting hard. Especially on these pure RIR! But this time I am not touching that lid at all. Opening to turn and constantly adjusting water, taking out for too long trying to candle and opening to remove the two as soon as they hatched caused the others to die and shrink wrapped them. Lost quite a few fully formed chicks. That lid is staying on this time. Ones in there now will be important to my breeding to standard project.

That lid is staying on this time unless I smell something. Only my second time hatching for myself. Ones in there now will be important to my breeding standard project. All 12 are Nelson RIR heritage eggs.

I hope your little one makes it Sweetappleacres. I know the thought of culling is a tough one for determined little things but might be the best thing for it, and your nerves.

Good luck to the rest of you!

 

[KendyF]

Oh exciting, what are you expecting?

Well, I am using my own mixed eggs for this experiment. There is a chance for colored egg layers, but I guess I have to say I expect some mixed hardy layers. One of my goals in Chicken Raising is sustainable food. So, the broody really makes me happy. These are not going to be show chickens! But some of them are likely to be beautiful, and all will be hardy egg layers. I am working on some pure breed chickens as well as a colored egg project, but this is my first summer of hatching. Have always just added a few chickens before this year. Oh my gosh, and how fun and exciting it has been!