My Peachicks Of 2014 *** Will Have Lots Of Pictures ***

[zazouse]

M
Mine has an automatic heat and humidity control on it does that make any difference. I am making a test Bach with some guinia eggs.

 

[casportpony]

Just saying it might be a good idea to practice with eggs that have a reputation of being difficult. This link has some good hatching tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs

-Kathy

 

[zazouse]

how does one practice with eggs my i ask, she has guines starting to lay so that is a good start, i think she has hatched before can't rember, guess i grew some more gray hairs sence then LOL
i just pulg mine in press a button and keep the resivor filled threw a hose in the side so i never have to open it and my hatch rates are pretty good IMO

 

[Yoda]

I do not have a big incubator right now cause everything I hatch doesn't seem to leave the "nest" Once I learn how to "let go" of them then I will upgrade to a bigger one LOL

 

[casportpony]

No reason not to do a test run with guineas, but like you said, they're easy. Not sure how my RCOM 20 Max compares to other bators, but like many bators and experiences mentioned here, I had 100% hatch rate on fertile chickens eggs, but only 40% on pea eggs and similar percentages on Muscovy eggs, so I am "practicing" with them until I get some pea eggs and hopefully it will help me sort out the idiosyncrasies of it. Yes, I know the eggs are different, but I still think I will learn something from it.

 

[DylansMom]

We used a little Hovabator genesis last summer, and it worked great. Really a Set it & Forget it type Bator. I will say forget the auto-turner, it broke at 9 pea eggs, the arms just started snapping off. So I hand turned 22 eggs 2-4 x daily, I was also trying to educate myself on candling so I would do it almost everyday. Some say that's a NoNo, but we had about a 90% hatch rate, a little higher early and a little lower later due to shipped eggs and a sick hen, so it didn't seem to hurt. I learned a lot doing that. DH thought I had lost my mind, but as soon as I could see movement I started talking to them when I got them out to candle. As soon as they would make the internal pip they would start answering me, then I knew it was very close. I don't remember where I saw it, but for some reason I was under the impression that during the actual Pip to Hatch humidity should be Very high. I haven't seen that anywhere on here, so now I'm wondering? As soon as the first ex.t pip was made I would jack the humidity up to 90% or higher, seemed to be okay and no shrink wrapped chicks, thoughts?

 

[casportpony]

I think many people here do set the humidity higher at lock-down.

-Kathy

 

[margaret8]

I think many people here do set the humidity higher at lock-down.

-Kathy

My book that came with the incubator said to and the last 3 days do not open it up until all that are going to have hatched.

 

[MinxFox]

We used a little Hovabator genesis last summer, and it worked great. Really a Set it & Forget it type Bator. I will say forget the auto-turner, it broke at 9 pea eggs, the arms just started snapping off. So I hand turned 22 eggs 2-4 x daily, I was also trying to educate myself on candling so I would do it almost everyday. Some say that's a NoNo, but we had about a 90% hatch rate, a little higher early and a little lower later due to shipped eggs and a sick hen, so it didn't seem to hurt. I learned a lot doing that. DH thought I had lost my mind, but as soon as I could see movement I started talking to them when I got them out to candle. As soon as they would make the internal pip they would start answering me, then I knew it was very close. I don't remember where I saw it, but for some reason I was under the impression that during the actual Pip to Hatch humidity should be Very high. I haven't seen that anywhere on here, so now I'm wondering? As soon as the first ex.t pip was made I would jack the humidity up to 90% or higher, seemed to be okay and no shrink wrapped chicks, thoughts?

I noticed that turning them 4 + times a day works better than turning them less. I also candle mine a whole lot because I like watching them develop. I don't see the harm in candling. I always wash my hands before I do it, and the candler bulb is warm so it is not like the egg will chill a lot. Peahens get off the eggs for a bit to eat and drink, so it is just like what a peahen does.

My book that came with the incubator said to and the last 3 days do not open it up until all that are going to have hatched.

My styrofoam incubator manual says that too.

 

[margaret8]

So far the auto egg turner works fine!