MAY HATCH-A-LONG come join in

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I am in as well. Set 39 eggs on the 22 of April Due to hatch May 13. I am incubating 17 blue/splash jersey giants, 8 orpingtons,7 leghorns,3 cochins and 4 silkies. I am testing the leghorns and silkies for fertility. These are from my own flock It is only the 3rd time we have hatched giant eggs as the hens are still very young, their eggs are not all large yet. I use the dry method as living here in Florida its very humid even with the air conditioner on. I do not candle until I take the turner out. I try to leave the incubator alone as much as I can. Micki

 

[chickintexas]

Update:
"Temperature Perfection" or"Ignorance is Bliss"

I thought I had my temps perfect. They may have been. I was using a meat thermometer that was showing steady temps up until Wednesday. I suddenly had swings from 97 to 102. Panicking, I searched at the local feed stores for a wafer thermometer but, of course, no one carries them. I ordered one online and decided that my only course of action for the time being was just to keep a close eye on those temp swings. Out of curiosity, I placed an alcohol thermometer into the incubator. Steady temps of about 97.

I ran to the local hardware store and picked up a Taylor thermometer. When I was picking out which "analog" thermometer to buy, I noticed something pretty significant about those Taylor thermometers. They all showed the same temp in the store. Brought the thermometer back home. Put in the bator next to the other thermometer. They both showed the same temp of 97. Chunked the digital thermometer.
My only worry now is how long the eggs have been at 97. One batch of eggs may have been at that temp for 2 1/2 days. The second batch for 12 hours. Or it could have been for only 12 hours when the wacky swings started to happen. The Taylor is showing a steady temp of 101. I think I'll stick to the road of ignorance. Less stressful.

I'm considering candling tonight. That will make it day 4 for the first batch of eggs.

 

[mayberrygirl]

Just added my dozen EE to the bator with the silkies from yesterday, 12 more to go in later. I got a dozen EEs from Mill River Farm (local to me and a BYC member) she had 4 that are half EE and half Black Americauna she put in as part of my dozen!! I cannot wait for these to hatch!!

 

[featherbaby]

I'm on the second day of lockdown (day 19) and I can't get the humidity above 65%. Is that high enough? I even slipped in two rolled up paper towels soaked in warm water. It's still at 65. I covered both large holes in the still air incubator to try and keep it up. Any suggestions? Oh, and all water trays are filled, of course. I put a waffle looking non-skid drawer liner in there to keep the chicks/eggs from disturbing each other too much. Do you think this is keeping the water trays from evaporating? It has holes in it.

 

[kupi99]

chichintexas- I'm no expert, so take this for what it's worth, but some of your eggs may still be good, just late. My bator had alot low swings last year too, and I still got some chicks, but late.

 

[Peep_Show]

chickintexas --

I feel your thermometer woes. I purchased a digital one at BigBox and was thrilled it had indoor/outdoor (probe in water wiggler) hi/lo temps AND humidity. Well, turns out the temps were off close to 5 degrees and I fried my first bator full of eggs.

P.O.S.!!!! I now have two liquid thermometers -- one on top of eggs and one near the bottom screen -- which I feel are far more accurate. They read a steady 102 and 99.4 respectively for the still-air LG I've got... The digital one is reading 95. Yes, I still have it in the bator, but do I really trust the humidity reader on it? I only use it as a reference point when it registers "LO" as opposed to a percentage and I'm reading A LOT on dry incubation.

In the meantime, the eggs set on 4/19 are enjoying their joy ride on the auto-turner awaiting Monday's candling......

 

[Nu Chix To Cash]

Mine are set to hatch May 4th.

I put 40 eggs in the incubator the same day my two broodies decided to set on 14 eggs of their own.

I'm taking 36 into lockdown tomorrow and the broodies are taking 13.

This is my first hatch (still air LG w/turner) so I'm getting excited. My son (9) just loves chickens and we have both enjoyed the candeling process.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Today I put in 1 doz White Rocks and 2 doz meatX(like Red Rangers) and later tonite I'll set 16 Cuckoo Marans. Now the meaties are in with the 15 turkeys they will all hatch 5/20 wow 67 well I'll be on cloud nine if I get 50 the way my luck has been lately. Just checked my cornish eggs only 6 good from 12 and from shipping and I had a batch of egg soup and maybe I have 6 good ones from that those are due the 14th and my silkies went into lock down 13 out of 15 so that was good...they are due the 3rd or 4th....

 

[western edge]

i am on day 7 with 88 eggs in 2 bators. rhode island red, rhode island white,doms, ee and some crosses. due to hatch 14th 15th.

 

[chickintexas]

Kupi99-I'm too hardheaded to give up just like that

I'm also not too worried about the eggs that had been in there for only 12 hours.

Peep_Show-I give up on digital thermometers. One of the digital ones that I purchased was way too expensive and for what? So I could get inaccurate temps? *insert nose picking smilie here* LOL!

I did candle the original 6 this evening which were set Monday. I got super excited on egg #2 but then I realized that it might be a blood ring that I saw. There is an obvious red line on one side of the egg-almost looks like the egg is smiling at me. But if I look really close, I can see offshoots of finer blood lines. Does that sound like it could still be a dead one? Oh, and one side of the "smile" has a very small blob. I tried to take a picture but I didn't want to jack around with my camera too much while I still had the egg out. I didn't notice anything in the other 5 eggs but I'm keeping them in the bator for a bit longer.