My first hatch in my home made incubator.

[leirob007]

The official hatch date is not till tomorrow.
Just coming in from the chicken auction. I have 11 of 14 hatched already.
See if I can figure out how to post a picture.

 

[thomaschickens]

AWWW Congrats!!!

I think next year I'm going to try my hand at hatching again. I tried once a few years ago with only 25% success rate. Needless to say after that, my heart was broken for the ones that didn't make it and I haven't tried again. Any tips?

 

[leirob007]

Hatch date is tomorrow in my LG Incubator also.
Notice my popsickle stick pointer for the thermostat.
and my temps and humidity going into the hatch. You can see my answer to the humidity problem with the sponges. You'll see that better in a min.



The sponges come 6 to a pack from a dollar type store..
I see one of Earl's chicks just hatched so I go back to my notes.


ALWAYS!! Document your hatches so you can figure out why some hatches are better then others.

 

[leirob007]

My Hovabator running it's usual role. poor thing never gets turned off.

 

[leirob007]

Thats why I am here. up until this hatch and The Good Lord only knows how it will turn out.
My hatches have been rather high. My lowest hatch rate of the season has been in the 87% range.
Last hatch went perfect. 20 for 20.
19 for 20 before that same thing the time before that and 14 of 16 my first one.
tip 1 don't drown your chicks. your hatch rates will double.
tip 2 don't dehydrate your chicks. Wait till after they are grown to shrink wrap them.

AWWW Congrats!!!

I think next year I'm going to try my hand at hatching again. I tried once a few years ago with only 25% success rate. Needless to say after that, my heart was broken for the ones that didn't make it and I haven't tried again. Any tips?

 

[leirob007]

Notice the Temp and humidity on both the LG and the Home made Incubator with the hatch starting.
Don;t pay the rest of the mess around it any attention.

 

[leirob007]

The first 18 days is another story. I add cold water when the humidity drops into the teens. It will climb back up into the 50 - 60 % range and I let it fall again. pouring 8 to 12 ounces of water in at a time. All my incubators have fans, it's the only way I can make the whole incubator the same temp.
And I open my incubators at least twice a day when they are in "lockdown". To me I think I'm simulating the mother getting up to stretch a leg or to look at them. A breath of fresh air never killed a soul.
I add water when " lockdown " starts and it never gets another drop
So I do a lot of things " wrong " but, it works for me.

 

[leirob007]

Sorry I might have gotten a bit carried away with the pictures. I was just happy I figured out how to post them.

 

[Lacrystol]

WOW Congradulations. GOOD JOB...

 

[rahul2299]

congrats