June Hatch a Long

[Madpolak]

I haven't had a problem with mine. I just reach under, and feel around and take them. If you don't need her to lay (so are OK with her taking a break) put one or two fake eggs under her, that will keep her happy.

I put one hand over her head, and push her head gently to the side, and hold my hand in such a way so she can't see, and then she is fine with me feeling around under her.

The problem I had is that sometimes an egg would be hiding somehow, maybe under her wing. And if every single real egg isn't gathered every day..... well, it isn't a nice surprise when you start to make your omelet!

She got up for breakfast today when I opened the coop and I quickly grabbed the eggs. Hope I have no extra protein in my omelet tomorrow. She's back in there now sitting on nothing(I guess) and the other 3 birds are out roaming so I assume this will be an ongoing battle. I need to move the coop/chicken tractor out of my back yard this weekend to so I can give the yard back to my dogs. Guess we'll see what happens when I do that.

 

[jnjmanning]

OK, I have been WAY babysitting my incubator..........

I had it set up right (except that I hadn't checked for cold spots) but then I noticed that the turner wasn't turning.....so I took it out and put the eggs back in. I don't mind hand turning, so no problem......

BUT, then the temp never came back up, I kept watching, and cranking up the heat, but it would NOT get up high enough.

So, I realized that the eggs had to be up higher (in the egg turner they had been maybe 6 inches higher up), but then, because of all my messing about, the higher up area was way too hot.


So..... After a couple of hours STARING at the incubator, I think everything is OK, and the temp will hold where I want it.

Whoaaaaaaaaaa hun settle down....LOL First of all for still air you will always have temp variances. So you shoot for 99.5 at bottom of egg and 101 at top, that should give you 100 at mid egg level. And when you make even the slightest adjustment to your temp either up or down, set an alarm and dont readjust again for 1 hr. It takes that long for the temp in there to level out. If you have a probe like I do, they say the best way to tell temp is get a small jar like a baby food jar, fill with water and put the probe in the jar. Place the jar close to an egg. They say its the best way to figure internal egg temp. Just make sure you put tepid or only lukewarm water in the jar before placing the probe in there.

 

[Breella]

I cracked open one of the quitters, it was a day 1 or 2 quitter (I'm on day 7). I could see a clear embryo but no veins had formed.

 

[ChickidyChick]

Candled on day 7. Ten out of twelve look good. 2 are questionable. Will candle again in a few days. I have 3 Banty's - I can't wait to see them when they hatch!

 

[Evanowski]

I candle tomorrow night.... but everyone keeps posting about how exciting it was to candle theirs... I hope I can hold off until tomorrow! ~sitting on hands~

 

[Alaskan]

you can do it! (I know just how you feel)

But sit on those hands!

Remind yourself, the longer you wait the more you will be able to see anyway.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Day 4.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Alaskan- lol - I think my post about temperature mapping got to you! Haha. Sorry!

 

[Alaskan]

I like to worry.......what can I tell you

 

[BearSpringsFarm]

Okay - really excited now - I went to pick up my guinea eggs to put in the bator - I get there and this sweet lady shows me her flock - she has some beautiful LF Cochins.

I walked around and talked with her for a bit about the cochins and then she took me to the next coop over from the cochins - THERE she had these gorgeous, GORGEOUS French Birchen Marans (from Wade Jeane's bloodline!!)

I could not believe what I was hearing (or seeing) - so I asked about buying some only to find out that she had placed an add to sell some of the eggs but didn't get any takers - so she refrigerated them. As we walked through her coops she collected all the eggs the hens had laid this morning - 4 LF Cochin, 2 Birchen Marans, and one Dominique. We went inside to get the guinea eggs that I had gone to pick up and she showed me all the info on the bloodlines of her Marans - we talked a bit longer AND THEN - when I got ready to leave - she handed me the eggs that she collected while we were walking through the coop. She asked me to let her know how the hatch comes out and if I would like to purchase more eggs! I couldn't believe that I only paid $15 for ALL of these eggs (guinea and chicken).

WOW - now I am super excited about this hatch!!!

Hatch day for chicken eggs: June 14th
Hatch day for guinea eggs: June 21st