JUNE HATCH-A-LONG come join in

[SportChick]

FAVS, thanks for the response. I don't see even a hint of an air cell. I hope that doesn't mean every thing will be ruined. I did candle in a dark room and I think my flashlight is bright enough (110 lumens was the best I could find). Now I am more freaked out by my temp variations. I am relying on the thermometer that came with my incubator which says I am right on target (~100 degrees). My digital thermometer says I am way too low. I mostly don't want to cook the eggs. I am going to have to trust that it will be Ok. I had to pick a thermometer to follow since all 3 read vastly different (from 95-104). Oh, I hope it works out. This our first venture into chickens and hatching, and I've got those dark BCM eggs! I may be in over my head.

 

[chickenmeadow]

mammawolf544: Oh boy, pheasants! Looking forward to pics on those, haven't seen babies before.

SportChick: You'll see the air cells someday; then in no time, you'll be an air cell expert. In the early stage of an egg, the cell is barely seen & sometimes looks like a dark circle at the top edge. So, the things to look for when the egg is laying sideways is the air cell at the wide end on the left, the egg yoke &/or chick starting with a dark dot & veins then later a blob or dark mass in the middle area around day 10, & clear egg white at the pointed end on the right. Keep looking, it'll become easier; but be gentle & slow & quick to keep the eggs in the bator where they belong with warmth & moisture.

I had become very frustrated with what temp guage to trust, so tried the glass thermometer in a wiggler this time (very happy so far, glass is trustworthy); so far it's given me great peace of mind for accuracy. See the homemade instructions for the wiggler with a ziplock bag & water in my post #1 of this thread & maybe just get a non-mercury glass thermometer from a pharmacy. Let me know how it works for you if you do try it.

 

[buffbeauty]

welcome aboard mammawolf544!! havent we seen each other somewhere else??

 

[Noncentzter]

I'm in. I have 12 EE eggs from KatyTheChickenLady and 12 Wheaton Ameraucana eggs from Tailfeathers to go in the incubator tomorrow morning, 5/28. This will be my third hatch this year. The first two I had dismal results on, so I'm hoping for better results this time!!!

 

[SportChick]

Quote:
Thanks for all the help. If the air cell is the dark area, then most of my eggs do have that and although it was not well defined it definitely didn't move. My plan is not to candle until Day 8 or 9 (I leave town for a week after that & have someone else looking after my incubator who won't mess with that part). Then I will candle again on Day 18 before I lock down. Hope that will be good enough. I don't see myself trusting what I see enough to throw and egg out anyway, but I would like to learn what to look for.

I may give the wiggler thing a try but will have to find a source of glass thermometers.

 

[wolftracks]

I have my first hatch due on the 1st with eggs from my Games and my EE over BR.

The next hatch is also from these same birds due on the 6th.

Setting 15 WELSUMMER eggs from okiehen today

These eggs got send to a different part of the state and tracing info said they were ready for pickup???

I better get some great results with these eggs. The whole ordeal the PO put me through did get me moving to try out and idea I had had, so started the Egg Train.

I'm sure I'll be adding to this list as my Sportsman is running great! Just need turner shelves, so I'm going to find the post Thread I started to ask for pics and see if I can actually get one or teo this time. All I need it the pics and hubby can make them for me (I hope) and I'll be a hatching fool!

 

[buffbeauty]

Sammy fav eggs came!! Rest now, bator later! Heehee!!!

 

[yoker]

I have 65 eggs due the 7th of june and then 53 the 16th of jue. I hope these go better then my last two batches.

 

[Peep Talk]

I have a question for all of the experts. I am new to having broodies and have two bantam girls sharing the same nest and sitting on 14 eggs. I think my problem is this, will there be a problem between the two hens when the chicks hatch or will they be alright? Should I separate them? I don't want to lose any chicks or have any damage done to my hens. I'm such a newbie

 

[SportChick]

So I am finishing my first day and I think it's going well. All day my temp was right around 100-100.5 (still air LG) and due to A LOT of advise about correct temps I increased it a little to between 101 and 102. I hope they don't cook! So far the temperature seems to hold pretty steady without a lot of ups and downs. I should try making a wiggler but haven't found the right kind of glass thermometer to use.

My humidity seems to be about 35% and I am working to keep it up, but not too high. The water dries out fast, but if I add a lot, the humidity jumps up to the 60%.

How is everyone else doing? Yoker, what happened with your last 2 hatches?