MARCH HATCH-A-LONG come join in

[loopy119]

I have been thinking about setting up my incubator again. Maybe I'll join in too. I have a home made bator that I've done a few successful hatches in, my last hatch being in December. I was inspired to build it from looking at the home built ones on this site. It's made out of an ice chest and I have to manually turn the eggs in a tray on a handle from the outside. I'll be putting some Silkies in and maybe some Easter Eggers. Not fancy birds, but I love them just the same.

 

[marlin]

Well I am warming up the bator And patiently waiting for my 24 light sussex eggs to get here from BYC member tgcole (who is a super nice guy with some beautiful light sussex). So Good Luck to everyone. I tried the eggs carton hatch method last time still not sure if I liked it. Does anyone have any comments on the egg carton hatch?

 

[ptig78d]

Joining in on this thread, since my eggs will be hatching the first week of March, instead of end of Feb like I'd planned. OH well...."the best laid plans of mice and men...", right?
So, I have a homemade incubator made out of a styrofoam container I got from the local Veterinarian's office (she was glad to give them away, versus tossing them like usual!) I started the bator with all of the usual, made a baggie water wiggler, made a (deluxe) addition of a water input valve (fish tank tubing run through a hole in the side and down into the water reservior) and was tilting the entire bator with a wooden box. One definite drawback with this method is spilling water out of the water reservoir.
As of last night, however, I installed the hand-turner I'd worked on yesterday. I'll take pics and post of the finished product...working on the "build" pics right now and the camera battery's on the charger ATT.

I have 8 BO hatching eggs I won in an auction from greenfamilyfarms, and two mutts from my own flock. I set them at 0130 on the 13th, so by my calculations, they should be hatching on March 6th. This is my first hatch, if you couldn't guess?!

I've also had some fluctuations in my temps, but I think a lot of that had to do with tiliting the entire incubator. I've been keeping notes of temps/humidity for every waking hour (I'm not working ATT b/c I'm a F/T college student and my P/T job as a school bus driver is on hold right now,since we're on Winter Break this week), as well as when I turn them. I drew a star on one end, and have been keeping track of when I turn them, and it seems to me that the every time I turned them from star down to star up (with the light off), putting the thermostat lower, the switch would trip and the light would come on. My hypothesis is that keeping the incubator level and turning them with my manual turner which eliminates opening the lid, the temperature and humidity will stabilize better than the method of tilting the entire incubator. I'll let you know how it goes.
Good luck to everyone!! Happy Hatching!
- Dave

 

[The Sheriff]

I just plugged in the Brinsea with 3 Salmon Favorelle and 4 Golden Cuckoo Marans eggs aboard.

 

[brendapa]

I'm joining in for the MARCH MADNESS. I'm a 1st time hatcher, with a Brinsea and I think I know how to use it.

I set 24 eggs 2/13 at 9 AM .

They are shipped eggs. I've used shipped eggs before but always under a hen. In 9 years I've had 100% hatches, 50% hatches and 0% hatches.
Of course, that's the hatch you want the most but I had 2 greedy broody's and this was before I learned to seperate them.
I'm looking forward to reading everyone's posts and seeing some more of the great photo's everyone's been taking.
If anyone does have an insight on the Brinsea, please, send me a note.

Good Luck to all my hatching buddies.

Brenda


http://www.7is7.com/otto/countdown....FFFF&fgcolor=#000000&title=Countdown To Hatch

 

[cook_kaka_ook]

I'm in. Set the eggs on Early Valentine's day. Hatch date will be March 7.
Good luck to all.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
WOW..Thanks for all of these wonderful links...lots of interesting info. there

 

[Terri O]

OK I am joining....kinda. I took a bunch of eggs from my flock over to a fellow BYCer today. She has hatched 3 eggs out of her home made bator and offered to hatch some of mine. So I took mine there and she will set them when her new thermostat comes in the mail (maybe tomorrow) We also set 11 of my eggs under her broody banty this afternoon. I am so excited! I havent had chicks to play with for a long time because I have just let my hens hatch them if they wanted to. This year I am going for some pure bred poultry so I will be doing things a bit differently. Wish me (us) luck! Terri O in WI

 

[chickenmeadow]

The Warden: Glad to see you on this thread! You always have great pictures & smart/fun/funny stuff to say. I'm still showing off your "wax egg repair", it cracks me up & it worked to boot, smart.

Terry O: Luck!

I'm seeing lots of new people here starting eggs. Can hardly wait to hear their pipping, zipping & hatching!

 

[ptig78d]

Just wanted to update....we candled tonight (DW begged me), on Day 4....most are questions, but we have #1 and #3 have definite veining! #4 is just too dark to see. I'm using an LED headlamp under a box with a hole in it. It's not bright enough to see the veins in my hands or brighten my palm like some I've seen...but I'll be getting one soon. I can't spend that much on it, but I might be able to pull it off

saying I'll use it in my future profession of Law Enforcement! I'm currently going to school F/T for an A.S. in Criminal Justice.
So, we're off to a start! Being that this is my first hatching experience, with a homemade bator....I'll be happy to get one chickie to hatch....but I'm still optimistic for more!
Time for bed. Good night all!