Mahonri's First Annual New Year's Day Hatch/Jan 2010

[frenchblackcopper]

At 5:45 P.M. today these went into the low and slow bake mode.Two of the french Black copper eggs were test advocates of the X-mas shipping rush and arrived cracked on arrival(COA) but was promptly waxed over and allowed to sit. Forty eight total,,

 

[Mahonri]

You may have the first chicks of 2010!

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Where did you get your BLRW's, if I might ask?

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Right here on BYC,auction ended yesterday morning,,here is her e-mail addy,,[email protected] the sale listing is deleted now,she is from New York,,great looking birds,,some of the best I have seen,and I was referenced from another buyer to get her stock,,hope they get here tomorrow,,,will be a New Years day bunch,,here is their website URL,,http://www.sterlingcenterfarm.com/ not hatchery stock here!!

 

[Lop333]

Ok so I'm new to this and I have a couple questions ....
So first off i have a LG 9200 and the red caps are missing , can i just tape the holes off? Second when do I open either of those holes? Third what should the humidity be at through out and when do i change it? Also what is lock down and how do I do that ?
I have had the LG going for a couple days ad the humidity has bee from 44 to 50 and i cant quite get the temp to stay right 100 or 9.5 any hints ???
Thanks for any help in advance. My eggs will be here saturday I need to get it together I'm going nuts I don't wan to completely mess up my first run!!!!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

This is a styrofoam bator? Much discussion has been made on humidity levels throughout the entire hatch cycle,,my eggs went in this afternoon,and I have the humidity set on 45%,,it will stay this way until the last 5 days or so,then it will go up to 60% The true method is to weigh each egg before it goes into the bator,then re-weigh it several times while being incubated,,ideal scenerio,is the egg should lose between 10-12% of it's starting weight,,4% every 7 days.I have used these styrofoam incubators just as a stand by for when the eggs start to pip,but will never trust them to eggs costing $75 a dozen,,less shipping.or more such as with Coronation Sussex going for over $200 The temp flucuations are endless,especially when your room temprature changes such as when a door is opened and it's cold outside,or you turn the central air conditioning on in the summertime.You should get a temp-humidity probe with the sensor on the end of a cord and put inside the incubator about the top of the eggs level,to get a very accurate measurement of both readings. You can vary the humidity levels by adding sponges to the water depression,more or less water,and using a small fan,and adjusting the holes,open or closed more.Tape will work fine,so will and old carved cork from a wine bottle.If your temps are only fluctuating .5 of a degree,,leave the setting where it is,,and lockdown is a term used for the last 3 days eggs are due to hatch,,keep the lid closed,,so the humidity levels stays high,,constantly opening the lid will let this level drop off very fast.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
The red caps are missing .... YES, you can cover the holes with tape. You will need to open these holes (vents) for the hatch. It is very important to open all vents for the hatch, as they need the oxygen.

Humidity level ... controversial subject, and varies according to altitude/location. I incubate at 30 - 35 %, and hatch at 60 - 65%.

Lockdown ... term used the last 3 days, when you increase the humidity, and don't open the bator.

Temp at 99.5 to 100.5? Is that what you have? That should be fine.

Do you have still air or forced air?

 

[Mahonri]

I don't have any experience with LGs

I suppose you could put duct tape over the holes... you should be able to find a manual for the bator on-line somewhere... I'd google it.

Still air, 100 to 100.5 degrees, Forced air 99.5 degrees

I do 35% for first 17 days then 65% during lockdown.

So glad you found BYC and this thread!

Good luck with your first hatch and your New Year's Chicks!!

 

[Lop333]

mine is still , no fan thanks for the help ....as far as the temp it goes from 98 to 104 i have got it to stay at about 101.0 thats the closest i have been able to get so far .I do have two digital temp and humidity thermometers in there now so im tryin with those and the holes uncovered as i had both covered before is that ok? or should i get it at the right temp with them covered?

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
I have no experience with the still air ... but I think they do require a higher temp (higher than the 99.5 of the forced air).
You can leave the vents open if ya want. I leave mine open most all the time.

Good luck!