I am new to hatching eggs and thought I would just keep track of how I do on here through this thread. I have a home made incubator made from a cooler from walmart and I have a Styrofoam incubator borrowed from a friend. The home made incubator is our hatcher. Since I have more than 1 batch going at once.
I have done 2 batches of my own flocks eggs. The first batch had 5/6 make it to lock down. Then I figured out my thermostat wasn't calibrated So I was actually incubating them at 106*F. Needless to say none of them made it past a few hours.
My second batch (hatched 9/21) I had 7/10 eggs make it to Lock down. Well I made 2 mistakes. I didn't realize I had the 60 watt light in my incubator instead of the 25 or the 15 watt. And I didn't have my thermostat plugged in, working. (forgot about thermostat, actually) Had 1 early hatcher. It was cold on morning of day 21. It was ready 95* So i turned it up a little, I use dimmer to regulate how much power the light gives off, keeps form the thermostat turning it on and off all the time. I was up until 7am with the chick that just hatched out the night before and decided to put her in the brooder since she was dried off. Before I went back to bed, checked on the eggs and saw one was half way zipped and peeping away. Temp was at 100* so thought it was okay for me to catch a few hours of sleep. Woke up around 11ish expecting to have another baby. The incubator was reading 116* no idea how long it was light that. All remaining chicks had died. So for now on I use the 25 or 15 watt light and make sure the thermostat is plugged in and working.
I ordered 6 Silkie eggs from E-bay about 3 weeks ago. The seller sent my 8 eggs, had them bubble wrapped and just throws in the box. I was worried since there was no padding and nothign to keep them in place, I knew the air cells were going to be terrible. And I was right. only 2 still had attached air sacs. Let them stand fat end up for 48 hrs before putting them in incubator on their sides.Idon't have a turner. Fast forward and I had 3 clears, 3 blood lines and 2 that made it. Of curse it was the 2 with attached air cells. I decided to take my chance and order more Silkie eggs from another buyer last week. These eggs were in an egg carton, wrapped in toilet paper, placed in the plastic eater eggs. only 1 had detached air cell so I was very happy with this seller. In fact, If all goes well will be purchasing more from this buyer. We are on day 3 for these eggs and all the lighter eggs show development. I have hopes for the darker eggs but wont be able to tell until later on. So I have 4/7 eggs developing.
I have the 2 silkie eggs in egg carton for hatching. I have the 7 silkie eggs in egg carton so hopefully increase my hatch rate.
Here are the 2 going into lock down in the home made incubator. Incubator holding steady at 100* and 28% humidity. I do the dry hatch method. Will keep everyone updated
Lucky, the loner chick who made it from the last hatch:
And egg from the current egg Silkie batch in the incubator:
I have done 2 batches of my own flocks eggs. The first batch had 5/6 make it to lock down. Then I figured out my thermostat wasn't calibrated So I was actually incubating them at 106*F. Needless to say none of them made it past a few hours.
My second batch (hatched 9/21) I had 7/10 eggs make it to Lock down. Well I made 2 mistakes. I didn't realize I had the 60 watt light in my incubator instead of the 25 or the 15 watt. And I didn't have my thermostat plugged in, working. (forgot about thermostat, actually) Had 1 early hatcher. It was cold on morning of day 21. It was ready 95* So i turned it up a little, I use dimmer to regulate how much power the light gives off, keeps form the thermostat turning it on and off all the time. I was up until 7am with the chick that just hatched out the night before and decided to put her in the brooder since she was dried off. Before I went back to bed, checked on the eggs and saw one was half way zipped and peeping away. Temp was at 100* so thought it was okay for me to catch a few hours of sleep. Woke up around 11ish expecting to have another baby. The incubator was reading 116* no idea how long it was light that. All remaining chicks had died. So for now on I use the 25 or 15 watt light and make sure the thermostat is plugged in and working.
I ordered 6 Silkie eggs from E-bay about 3 weeks ago. The seller sent my 8 eggs, had them bubble wrapped and just throws in the box. I was worried since there was no padding and nothign to keep them in place, I knew the air cells were going to be terrible. And I was right. only 2 still had attached air sacs. Let them stand fat end up for 48 hrs before putting them in incubator on their sides.Idon't have a turner. Fast forward and I had 3 clears, 3 blood lines and 2 that made it. Of curse it was the 2 with attached air cells. I decided to take my chance and order more Silkie eggs from another buyer last week. These eggs were in an egg carton, wrapped in toilet paper, placed in the plastic eater eggs. only 1 had detached air cell so I was very happy with this seller. In fact, If all goes well will be purchasing more from this buyer. We are on day 3 for these eggs and all the lighter eggs show development. I have hopes for the darker eggs but wont be able to tell until later on. So I have 4/7 eggs developing.
I have the 2 silkie eggs in egg carton for hatching. I have the 7 silkie eggs in egg carton so hopefully increase my hatch rate.
Here are the 2 going into lock down in the home made incubator. Incubator holding steady at 100* and 28% humidity. I do the dry hatch method. Will keep everyone updated
Lucky, the loner chick who made it from the last hatch:
And egg from the current egg Silkie batch in the incubator:
