Nov1- set 5 eggs -Skillet-bator... 3 live embryos

[swtangel321]

Maybe you should move the skillet out of the bathroom if you get better readings that way !!! What day are the eggs on ??

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

I hope these hatch!

It would be cool, lol

 

[alalele]

Quote:
Oh yes I did! Thanks

I guess since I'm trying the skillet-bator 'dry' method, it still leaves me a little in the dark since he talks about using foam ice chest and his 'real' bators, but everyones input is helping me understand how it works.

the skillet doesn't have a vent in the glass lid... but I've been haveing the glass lid sitting askew..... sort of catty corner, if that makes since.... so it has two vented corners exposed. the domed lid must hold in some heat is what I'm thinking. And the temp is staying consistant now that I've stopped fiddling with it and know what temp is needed for the wiggler.

The de-humidifier is a great idea! I see them at 2nd hand stores all the time for cheap!

The eggs just went in at 11pm last night... but with time change... that was 16 hours ago... I dated the eggs when layed (26th, 27th, 28th, 29th & 29th) and have collected them sitting in a basket.. our house stays 70F with a/c.

Now I have a cheap window therm inside the skillet and the AIR temp is reading about 100F.... the internal temp on the wiggler is 99.7F and 40% humid.

 

[willowcol]

Well I used a cooler with a heating pad, had a rack 4 inches above the heating pad that layed in the bottom of the cooler. Like I said I was lucky.

 

[swtangel321]

It really sounds good !!! Temps and hum sound perfect !! Now we hope it stays like that for 20ish days

Just remember on day 18 to up the hum to about 65%ish !!


Also you are turning the eggs by hand 3 times a day ??

 

[alalele]

Quote:
Hey... if they DO hatch maybe you can send some of those buff orp fertilized eggs my way!!!

I've been coveting the fluffy BO hens since the spring... and was SO close to making a Fall order from Ideal that would have been sent out on Halloween day of day old pullet chicks, but had already gotten the bug to try incubating.. though ."....ONE day..." I keep telling myself...

 

[alalele]

Quote:
Yep... hand turning. I have a chart to keep me on track. The date of lay is written in pencil on the wide top of each egg (pointy side down)... and X and O on alternate sides.

Temp and hum has been stable now for awhile.... Now that I know what 'good' is! Thanks to you... and all who've helped

When I wrote about it earlier, I think a question I had wasn't clear... AIR temp vs. wiggler temp.

Mine is wiggler temp. And looking at my records show 3 entries ...about a 5 hour stretch where the internal temp was at 101 -102F.... because I was TRYING to get it that high... it was intentional. Now I realize my own mistake... but Does anyone know if that was too damaging for too long?

I hate to give up now..... maybe I should just keep going for a few days and then try to candle on day 4 (although they are grayish-celadon green EE eggs that I heard are hard to see anything besides air cell). At least I can see if there is anything viable, and continue to monitor the stability of the skillet-bator...?

What would you do? I'm still hopeful... but don't know if I should be in reality given the stats.

Edit: I just re=read some of my earlier posts and saw where I'd written about 104 temp (but it's not in my records because I quickly corrected those temps by removing the lid &/or the eggs)... those would have been brief and in the same 5 hour period where it hovered at 102... I also did readings off the shell with a infrared temp gadget I posted about earlier... and saw the shell temp in that 104 range in that period.. I was acting to cool them off though... so wouldn't have stayed there too long. Goal at the time was 102F, not knowing better.

 

[willowcol]

I would just keep going with it, you never know it could work out. At least til you try candling then if they are bad toss them. Never hurts to try.

 

[swtangel321]

How long do you think the temp was the high for ?? At this point I dont think it did any harm, How long were they in there for at that temp spike ??

I would keep them in till day 7 and candle (dont toss any in till day 12-14 unless smelly)

 

[swtangel321]

Just read you ETA, if the temps wernt that high for to long everything should be ok !! A short time of a high temp isent all that bad. Alot of people have had much worse temp spikes and still had ok hatch rates !!