Mahonri's 3rd Annual, BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[CayuseRanch]

Wow a third of the egg? I don't think very many were that big. Could that be because I am using the dry incubation. Method?

I am using a led flashlight that Incubator warehouse sells as a candler. If you hold the egg with the pointy side down and put the flashlight on top of the large end, you will be able to see into the air cell. That's where you look at the veins. You also want to check the air cell to make sure the egg is evaporating correctly. The air sack should be 1/3 of the egg at day 18.

Ron

 

[Razadia]

did you find a pup yet?? and how are your eggs in the bator doing??

Still no pup. We're looking, but we can't seem to find one.

I don't know how I did it, but I forgot all about giving an update on the eggs. When I woke up this morning to turn them they were ice cold. Turns out my brother's cat unplugged it on accident. I was going to throw the eggs out after lunch, but I decided to check them one more time (I'm glad I didn't unplug the incubator after the got cord plugged back in) and they were all warm and moving around in their eggs. I had to toss one of my RIR eggs the other day as it had stopped developing, but the 2 I'm worried about the most are doing fine.

Oh and, I mentioned a while back that I had a broody sitting on 6 eggs. It dwindled down to 2 because she's on everyone's favorite nest. I figured it was about time for them to hatch and I have 2 cute little game chicks that'll I'll post pics of tomorrow. (someone please remind me after my first post of the day tomorrow. I have terrible memory for a 22 year old.)

 

[SunnyDawn]

Can anyone explain how a wafer thermostat works? I really like to understand things so if there is a problem, I can better figure out how to correct it.

The wafer on a wafer thermostat is filled with a gas that is very sensitive to heat. As the gas heats up it expands, forcing the wafer to also expand til a small button on the wafer presses on a switch that breaks the connection. Of course once the electrical connection is broken the heater shuts off and as the incubator cools down so does the the gas filled wafer. Once it cools down and shrinks again the electricity can flow through the connection again powering the heating element once again. This heating and cooling cycle repeats itself over and over again, hopefully keeping your incubator within the correct limits for optimum hatching.

Wow a third of the egg? I don't think very many were that big. Could that be because I am using the dry incubation. Method?


Quote:

The dry hatching method should increase the size of the air cell not decrease it. Well if you live in a very humid climate you may have less evaporation even without adding humidity to the bator.

Marans eggs are less porous than other breeds eggs and therefore may lose less moisture than most eggs. The shells are also very thick. Since the shell is thicker and less porous they stay fresh longer (they were the preferred egg for seaman in days past for this reason). I have never had a marans egg go bad in my bator and I often leave them in when I'm not sure if they are still ok or not. I do check for smell/weeping just in case though. I do not sand the shells. I feel like if a chick is not strong enough to crack that thick shell on it's own I don't want those genetics passed down to the next generation anyway. You should be fine leaving any in that you are not sure of.

Razadia congrats on the Guineas! That is fantastic!!!


Welcome to all the new folks!!!

Loving all the pics! We need more!

 

[AK Michelle]

MY DAD IS HOME!!!!

Congrats Girlie

 

[AK Michelle]

And dang, your avatar is a Poor Pitiful Pearl doll!!! I remember when they first came out in the 50's (dang I'm old). My Mom's name was Pearl, so we always looked at them, but never got one.

Deb

Edited so that grammatically I don't sound like a moron.

Wow, my mom used to refer to people or pets as "Poor Pitiful Pearl" I had no idea it was a doll

I learn something new every day! Thanks!!

 

[AK Michelle]

Sweet! Can't wait to get something in my brooder. I even ordered one of those Ecoglow units (backordered, though)

I wonder how much of that is because of us

 

[AK Michelle]

Nothing more entertaining than chicks!

Oh yes there is..............

MAHONRI hatching chicks ! ! !

 

[AK Michelle]

My ticker says there are 2 guests on here with me right now. Join the fun, don't be shy. If you're worried about not having eggs to hatch I'll send you a dozen from my layer flock. They are a mix of large fowl, pretty birds, a rainbow in the egg basket every day!

Come on! You know you wanna be part of the madness

 

[java girl 2]

Hey michelle, what are your icelands like??? I hope I spelled right

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Good morning hatchers. We got another inch+ of snow last night.

I woke up to my sick hen dead. I brought her inside yesterday evening into the basement into a cage. At least I know she died comfortably and warm - and I'm not too upset, she was a tyrant, but a very young one. Had an egg break inside her. Nothing I could do.

Hope everyone has a good Monday.