Learning center - shipped eggs and hand carried eggs incubation

[kyrose]

you still need to calibrate them,or are they already calibrated when you buy them?

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
Just stick them in and go. Some are just a few dollars. If you have a petsmart or petco near you, just check it out. I am sure the store will at least have two different models to choose from... and often a combo pack (thermometer and hygrometer).

 

[kyrose]

thanks.ive got eggs coming in on weds.,so ill stop at petsmart tomorrow.

 

[tnchickenut]

Good deal! I hope you get a great hatch!

 

[kyrose]

me to...thanks.

 

[chkinut]

i've got eggs coming in on thursday! i'm going to petsmart tonight to see if i can find one of those hygrometers!

 

[tnchickenut]

Ok. I got day 15 pictures. I hope everyone who has eggs right now has got them going good! Here is what I have found with mine.

It looks like I won't be getting any Delawares afterall. Most, as you all know, were clear... after cracking them open, they did not have bullseyes. The one that I knew was developing, has become a early death. The other that I left in because I wasn't sure on it never developed further... so no new Delawares this time.

All the sebrights are going great... and the marans are very dark and hard to tell but it looks like I have at least 4 going good... maybe 5.

Here is a picture of a sebright egg... they are white so the picure comes out better. This is what a eggs should be looking like at day 15 or so if you have a positive developement.... (once again, forgive the bad picture. My "no flash" has a delay that causes the blur.)

And here is the early death Delaware.... There isn't always a blood ring.

I'm going to put a few more in the incubator in the next batch... hopefully it was the cold that caused the problems. We will see. I have New Hampshire Red eggs comming and Barnevelder eggs comming... and I'm thinking I'll get some Silver Laced Wyandottes from a breeder in the next town too. (Yes, I keep most of them. I'm chicken crazy!)

 

[lexgold]

Hey, I'm following your posts with interest as I was one of your Delaware buyers this March!
I've now got an incubator full of bantams and they're going great guns. Mine are at 11 days so thanks for the day 15 candling pictures!
Pheasant eggs will be winging their way to me soon so I have to get good at this FAST!!!!

 

[loot4louie]

Initially you have thermometer on egg tray, then on top of eggs. If temp reads higher after being raised to top of eggs do you play with the temp? Or is it ok. Do you lay hygrometer on top of eggs like thermometer or to the side?

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
I lay the thermometer on the tray... and shoot for 101F - when the eggs get put in the thermometer gets put on top of the eggs... it will then read 102F. Your temps can vary by a deg. or two in either direction and you will be fine. It is a difference of 3degF more more that becomes a problem. That is the biggest thing to get through to people. Take a still air... it should be at 102... but if it is at 101 or 103 - it is OK. Don't touch it!! lol.

Think of it this way... when a hen lays on a egg... she moves... the egg(s) may be directly under her then she rotates them and they may be off to the side and get a tad colder... then rotates them again and they are back to being directly against her skin and they go up in temp again. This is all normal and the embryo can and will live through it. She even gets off of the eggs to eat and poo once or twice a day. So, they can get chilled for a few moments and still survive to hatch.

For the hygrometer... I lay mine off to the side. It will read the same anywhere in the incubator. Start by following the instructions that come with your incubator and wait a hour to two to check. That first 24 hours you should be running the incubator without eggs to work all these things out.

Hope that helps!