Ms. Pepperpots and Trader Joe's: hatch complete

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

They went in Friday, so they're due 3/20.

My SO and I traded a couple of our cockerels for a dozen Ms. Pepperpot (Black Sex Link) eggs and then went to Trader Joe's and got some 7-day-old fertile eggs.

My three previous hatches have been less than stellar due to humidity issues, so this time I'm going on the advice of a knowledgeable BYC member and using sort of a "modified dry" method...

Days 1-17: RH at 35-40%, allow to drop to 25% before adding water.
Days 18+: RH at 55-60%, targeting 58%.
Vent plugs removed.

The TJ's eggs were seven days old when they went into the 'bator.

The two cockerels we traded...Mango (BR) and Drumstick (BO)...

I still feel bad about Mango and Drumstick and miss them, but that's life on the farm, eh?

 

[gabrielle1976]

GOod luck on those keep us posted on what happens with all the eggs.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Update, Day 8...

11 Miss Pepperpots (Black Sex Links) eggs fertile/developing and...

GET THIS....

9 TRADER JOE'S developing!!!!!!!!! w00t! w00t!

Average Ms. Pepperpot egg weight at Day 1: 58.3 g.

Day 8 average: 55.7 g. (-4.4%)

Average Trader Joe's weight a Day 1: 59.8 g.

Day 8 average: 56.6 g. (-5.4%)

I only figured the currently developing eggs into these averages.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Day 18 update...

One Ms. Pepperpot quit on me, so I've got 10 of 12 local, farm fresh Ms. Pepperpots and 9 of 12 processed, packed, shipped, refrigerated Trader Joe's still in the game. heh.

Average Ms. Pepperpot weight on day 19: 52.7 g (-9.6%)

Average Trader Joe's weight: 53 g (-11.4%)

In retrospect, and with the benefit of the weights and calculations, it seems that I was a bit too conservative in my execution of the dry method. Next time, I'll flirt with the "drop to 25%" part a bit more before adding water.

It's interesting to note the difference in weight loss between the paper-thin shelled TJ's eggs and the thicker-shelled Ms. Pepperpots.

So here we go...humidity is bumped up to 55-60% and I'm trying to keep it pegged at 58% as much as possible.

I'm using the carton hatch method for the first time this time.

Note to self: DON'T OPEN THE 'BATOR!

 

[gabrielle1976]

Go go babies lets go Go go babies lets go

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

PIP!

23 hours early...Ms. Pepperpot.

w00t!

 

[Bock_Bock]

congrats i will be watching your thread good luck all a great hatch

 

[cackle]

Not to highjack your thread but I looked at my Trader Joe's and can not find fertile eggs. Does it say on the carton they are fertile? If so maybe they don't sell the fertile one in NC.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Four pips on the Ms. Pepperpots, one of which has zipped about a half inch. Nothing on the TJ's yet.



Quote:
Yes, it's visible in the first two photos.

 

[Bil]

How cool!!! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out!!

Bil