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

[chick-among-us]

wow the kids have already been swimming twice this past week here in Texas!

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[Mahonri]

I am so lost....

I can't remember but were we supposed to post a pic of the eggs in the incubator? I did remember to fill out the form.

Post them right here in the thread and keep track of the post #... If you were to win the best hatch rate, you'd need to show us you posted it and where!

 

[AK Michelle]

I am trying the dry hatch with the styrobator. I have not put any water in the channels at all and mine has a fan. Reading Renee's cheat sheet, I am not sure if I am supposed to add water now to try to keep a little moisture in there or if I am supposed to wait until lockdown? Anyone else doing this method with a forced air incubator?

I am. But I added water because our relative humidity is only in the teens and the cheat sheet says not below 20%. Now the humidity is around 40% so each time I turn I'll be leaving it open for a couple minutes to let some moisture out. In the meantime I will try and figure out how to have less surface area than the smallest water chamber offers.

I am going to candle the evening of the 26th or morning of the 27th....

Then I won't candle again until April 4th when they come off the turners.

That's all I ever do... just the two.

You check the temp and humidity every 13 seconds but only candle twice? Really? Hmmm...

Temp is holding at 99.9 Im not touching anything. I am nervous about the temp because I dont have my incubator full this time. Temp holds better with a full incubator.

18 eggs. IF they are all fertile, and when I candle IF I dont have to take any out, then it should be okay. But if some quit or are infertile, I am worried my temps will drop.

I should add more eggs...

Spoken like a true addict.

Down, boy. REMEMBER: The momma doesn't have her breast set to a certain temp and she gets up and wanders off occasionally. Your incubator can fluctuate between 98 and 102 as long as none of the swings lasts HOURS. It's mimicking nature, despite our psychological need for unwavering stability. Breathe. It's GOOD.

How the hork did I get on the Sanity Commission here? Where are this guy's handlers??

Today is the day that construction begins on my breeding pens!

Woo Hoo

I'm freaking out, I think I ruined this hatch already!!

Last night the humidity rocketed up to 70 degrees (

) and the temp was fluctuating between 98.1-99.0 but I was worried about touching the thermostat because ChooksChick said to leave it and walk away. I removed the water and the humidity is a steady 25%. This morning, however, I checked on it again and the temp was 98.5 so I bumped up the thermostat and it went up to 102!!! I put it down again and now it is staying between 99 - 100, so I am not going to touch it. I had my incubator rock steady for 4 days, how did I mess this up so bad?? I'm sorry for venting but I tried to talk to my mom about it and she said "Why don't you just try and hatch them in the toaster oven?"

She was serious too... lol

Read Chookschick's post to Mahonri quoted above. a hens breast can get up to 102 without hurting the eggs. You will be just fine. Relax, ask questions when you have them and enjoy the ride.

I candle every one of my eggs on a daily basis.

It's an addiction all it's own. I candle daily too but I've got flashlights that allow me to candle without lifting the eggs to reduce the chance of damaging them.

Thanks so much SCG, that really helps, I think I just needed some reassurance haha. I'm just hoping a few of them hatch, this is my first attempt so I would be happy with one! But that would mean I would have to go buy some more chicks to keep that one company... oh dear it goes full circle doesn't it?? Lol

Why yes, yes it does!

oh, what happened to Laree -- wasn't her last post about a major war wound, and then poof, nothing? Her avatar is a bit ominous -- makes me wonder if she pushed the hens for too many eggs and there was a major uprising. Hope she is ok.

And now I'm only 20 pages behind. I'm catching up.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Me? Remember which post number?

Ok, writing it down then.
I set 10 eggs yesterday. Seven German New Hampshires and three Black austrolorps.

 

[countrygirl911]

You must do plenty of canning. What type of goats did your kids get?


That's awful, I hope the make it.

You can start cantaloupe in starting cells ? I always waited until it was hot enough to direct sow.

You're a lucky man!

hi yes we do can alot we stew the tomatoes and put them up the cucumbers are made into pickles and the squash we blanch cup up and freeze so that when we to squash casserole all i have to do is take a pack out of freezer and defrost over night for the next day. we have a female pygmy and a male nubian who has been fixed

 

[Mahonri]

It's been a COLD day today. First rain we have gotten in like 5 months.

But the forecast looks good...


Currently

43.5 °F
Overcast

Today

53° | 46°



Monday

59° | 41°



Tuesday

66° | 45°



Wednsday

77° | 52°



Thursday

84° | 54°

​

 

[SunnyDawn]

I've got leeks and tomatoes in starting cells rght now. Will put in cantaloupe and egg plant tomorrow.

You can start cantaloupe in starting cells ? I always waited until it was hot enough to direct sow.

Direct sowing is always the best way but we have no choice here. Last year it snowed on June 6th and the last hard freeze was June 26th! Not every year is like that of course but around here I start everything but the root crops indoors and if I can find pots big and deep enough I may just start them inside too! lol Well corn isn't started indoors. But I even tried that one year. It just grows way too fast to be much help started indoors. I mean I gain maybe a week and a half with corn?

And yes, this does mean we are carrying heavy pots in and out til the weather cooperates. OK, OK! It means DH is carrying heavy pots...

I've been eating peas, lettuce, peppers, beets and broccoli out of the garden for the past few weeks. I'm LOVING IT!


Quote:

I think something is terribly wrong. I put eggs into lockdown and temps and humidity are perfect. Makes me really uneasy. It's like a tease.

 

[Mahonri]

Yup... it will be unbearable for a few months.. JUNE, JULY & AUGUST.

Thank the good Lord for AC and a swimming pool.

 

[chick-among-us]

ok mahonri! send somene,somewhere to fetch you a bator! that works!!

Temp in the bator now is 96.0. hasn't been above 97.6 in over 13 hours.

All I can do now is sit back and watch the inevitable.

At least I'l have a few in the Brinsea hatch... I'll be moving the sulmtalers to be stacked in the Brinsea.

Sad because from Thursday until about 6PM last night, the bator stayed around 99.5 except for a couple of hours after I added the eggs.

 

[BHep]

Since 100s are watching this........... I am looking for Golden Lakenvelders. Does anyone have them or know someone, Please let me know. Thanks