My Hatching Journey: the Adventures of a Complete Newbie

[WVduckchick]

Guess that's my answer ...... Now I'm gonna start putting the prettiest eggs I can get into storage!

Never too early, I think.....

Yep, might as well collect them. Keep the best ones. Then when it comes time to set, remove the oldest as necessary.

I got another little egg from my banty cochin today. I'm already on day 2 with the chicks, and setting the quail tomorrow, but I'm putting that egg in there too. I want to at least see if it will develop. Higher humidity for a couple extra days on the end shouldn't hurt it, cause its really small. If nothing else, its worth the experiment.

 

[FridayYet]

I'm trying to make myself wait until Wednesday. So far, so good.

 

[BantyChooks]

I'm trying to make myself wait until Wednesday. So far, so good.

So hard.... If it wasn't for the lack of viable eggs, I don't think I'd be able to wait for the 5th.

 

[BantyChooks]

Just finished cleaning the bator.... I was able to clean it much better this time, so maybe that'll help hatch rates.

 

[BYC910]

Just finished cleaning the bator.... I was able to clean it much better this time, so maybe that'l help hatch rates.

-Banti

You get one hatched and you will be out of control . And like us chickens everywhere . still haven't started working on mine hope today . and the urge to set is so strong .I may do a staggered hatch . Plus I have eggs every where . Didn't get to work on my bator yesterday hope tonight. what was your cleaning solution ? most of the time I us a one to three part bleach to water spray works good on the Styrofoam .

 

[BantyChooks]

You get one hatched and you will be out of control .
If there is anything good about my failed hatch, it is that I didnt become as addicted yet. I'm gonna have such a hard time cracking fertile eggs.....
And like us chickens everywhere .still haven't started working on mine hope today .
My ideal flock size is 25 chickens, that provides eggs for me and I can still sell some. Now, I doubt I'll stop there, but wishful thinking, y'know?
and the urge to set is so strong .I may do a staggered hatch . Plus I have eggs every where. Didn't get to work on my bator yesterday hope tonight. what was your cleaning solution ? most of the time I us a one to three part bleach to water spray works good on the Styrofoam .

1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, it is the "household use" recipe listed on the bottle.

 

[LocalYokel]

1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, it is the "household use" recipe listed on the bottle.
-Banti

Whoah!
Should be clean then I hope!
No wonder you was able to get it cleaner!

 

[BantyChooks]

Whoah!
Should be clean then I hope!
No wonder you was able to get it cleaner!

Believe me, it needed it.

 

[BantyChooks]

Egg yolk from broken quail eggs all over the bottom

A thick layer of dust

Some brown crud I'm really not interested in finding out what it was

Little worm skins in the thing I assume is the thermostat

Cobwebs from the heating element to the sides

Built up stuff from many hands lifting the lid

Smudged noseprints all over the viewing windows

That was just the tip of the iceberg. When I got it, it had 6 month old shells from an unsucsessful quail hatch. See why I went CDO on cleaning?

 

[LocalYokel]

Egg yolk from broken quail eggs all over the bottom

A thick layer of dust

Some brown crud I'm really not interested in finding out what it was

Little worm skins IN the thing I assume is the thermostat

Cobwebs from the heating element to the sides

Built up shtuff from many hands lifting the lid

Smudged noseprints all over the viewing windows

It was gross!
-Banti

Edit: when I got it, it had 6 MONTH old shells from an unsucsessful quail hatch. Yes, 6 MONTH. See why I went CDO on cleaning?

Oh wow.

I bet the next hatch is better!!