Mother Clucker's Hatching thread ... first hatched - with pics

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, first time with an incubator.

I have inside -

almost 2 dozen eggs I picked up at a fellow BYCer's house.
14 Standard Cochin eggs shipped from another BYCer (in North Carolina) and some of my own eggs from my chickens.

I figure this way I can get an idea of whether the PO will scramble eggs even from nearby (NC aint that far from KY) or if being driven home 22 miles will harm them, or if home laid is best.

I got the shipped eggs today about 12:30, let them sit and about 13 hours later I put all the eggs in the bator.

I've had the bator running for four days, - obsessively checking temp and humidty (it's an LG still air - no turner). It has held very well - temps between about 99-101 and humidity between 42% - 47 % . Usually when I look at it, it is running 44% humidity and 101 degrees F.

I have most of the eggs in cartons, for faster turning, and a few laying on their side (didn't have room for all of them in cartons). Instead of opening it for too long to turn all those eggs by hand, I have the incubator tilted, and I will tilt it the other way, then back, etc... the eggs that are not in cartons I'll have to open and hand turn. (I saw someone on here was doing it like that, looked good to me

).

I don't plan to candle for at least 10 days.

I'll keep updating here for anyone interested in my adventure.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[Just-Like-Hatching]

Good luck. You know there is no stopping once you start..

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Good luck with your hatch!

::sending good hatching vibes your way::

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Thanks, and yeah, I know there is no going back - heck, I already tried to talk my hubby into getting me a cabinet bator

He said just work with what I've got for now,

Meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, morning update - day one -

I put the thermometer (accurite from Walmart, no probe) on top of a little dish like thing, to raise it up, because I read on here the temps can fluctuate a LOT in just that littlebit of area between the floor fo the bator and the top of the eggs (if they are in cartons).

turned the eggs first time this morning, temps came back up pretty fast, since I only had 8 eggs to turn by hand (opening the bator).

(and no, I won't be doing a daily update, LOL just it is first day and I'm still tweeking.)

Peace -
Meri

 

[austinhart123]

hope they all hatch....congrats on soooo many eggs

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
LOL Thanks, I'm hoping too.

I don't think I'll put THAT many eggs in next time. I figure some of these will be gone way before hatch time, and being a noob at bators, I was excited, LOL.

I have 50 eggs in there

I'll be happy if half hatch. (as long as most of them are those cochins eggs

)

Meri

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, day 12 - candled today.

Of the cochin eggs (had 14 shipped) I am reasonably sure I have 8 growing babies, and 6 that I'm not sure if they are clear or just too hard to see through the shells.

Of Shelley's eggs I went to pick up (almost 2 dozen of those in there) I had two for sure blood rings - I pulled those out and cracked them into a bowl, they were scrambled looking. The rest of Shelley's eggs look like they are growing, a couple might be clear, gonna leave them in as they don't smell at all.

Of my own eggs - Mooney's eggs all seem to be clear, but I'm leaving them in anyway, I have one of Cinnabon's eggs that is growing (she's an easter egger) and some with "?" on them - don't know who laid them - that are either clearish looking or growing. I guess I'll see what I get out of those when they hatch.

So, out of about 50 eggs, I pulled two and trashed them, probably another 10 or 12 are in question as to if they are fertile or not - and the rest seem to be growing good. Not too bad for my first time, I think. I was hoping for at least half of them to hatch, and I'm above half so far.

keeping my fingers crossed.

first hatches should start around the 15th or 16th of Nov.

Meri

 

[cthrash1]

Quote:
Ya know, I really don't see this as a "NO"...It's more like a maybe in my language.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Too bad she couldn't have talked him into it sooner, it was only $300!!

Just remember, I know with the eggs you got from me, some of them are REALLY dark! It would be hard to say if they are clear or not. By day 14 it should be obvious, unless you had some late quitters. Then they would still be questionable. I would also just leave them in there, if they don't stink. It helps keep the temp regular. I am doing that with mine right now.

Good luck!!