I set my newly purchased shipped eggs on a Saturday, thinking a weekend hatch would be good since I work during the week. Last time, the babies started coming Monday morning and I had to be gone all day. But I think I jinxed myself, I already set them Saturday, looked at the calendar today... 13th of November!
Bought an auto turner to keep the lid shut. I remove them from the turner before lockdown, or do I just unplug the turner on the morning of lockdown?
I have had great success with Bantam incubation ever since I was a kid. Ducks and Quail too. Shipped as well. 90% on shipped quail eggs! But every time I set standard eggs.. no one would pip. They would develop, and not come out. Ever. Now, I never had more than a couple standard sized eggs to try... always been a Bantam person.
My most recent hatch... 100% on the bantam Cochins. Not a word from the Spitzhauben or Astralorp. So I did some research, bought a turner, and jumped on Ebay. Selected from Gabbard Farms (they've always had tons of listings... I figured if nothing ever hatched, it would be mentioned all over this board) and won 2 of 3 auctions, for a grand total of 24 eggs, all standard sized. Light Brahmas and Wheaten Penedesenca (spelling??) with 4 Golden Lakenvelder as the + eggs.
They arrived safe and sound, I gave them time to settle, and set them yesterday.
I want to say my previous issue was opening and shutting the incubator getting early Bantam arrivals out, screwing up the humidity, and unknowingly doing in the standard sized eggs. Perhaps that's why it never failed to have the very last Bantam chick to hatch all sticky or with splay leg.
So... I know I can develop a standard sized egg. This time, something WILL hatch! I will keep my hands out of the incubator. I will candle on day 7 and 14. I will add water to the tray as needed. NOTHING ELSE. Once lockdown comes, I will not remove a chick. I will remind myself that it is fine for 24 hours. I will watch from the little provided windows. I will not touch it! I will not open the lid and listen to the eggs. I will only talk to them from outside of the window. I Will not open the incubator under any circumstances when lock down starts!
And something WILL hatch. And it will be a big standard sized chicken. Not a duck. Not a quail. Not a Bantam. If I play by the hatching rules, something will come out!
And if not, I'll simply try again with local eggs that haven't been shipped.
It's gonna be a long 3 weeks.
Bought an auto turner to keep the lid shut. I remove them from the turner before lockdown, or do I just unplug the turner on the morning of lockdown?
I have had great success with Bantam incubation ever since I was a kid. Ducks and Quail too. Shipped as well. 90% on shipped quail eggs! But every time I set standard eggs.. no one would pip. They would develop, and not come out. Ever. Now, I never had more than a couple standard sized eggs to try... always been a Bantam person.
My most recent hatch... 100% on the bantam Cochins. Not a word from the Spitzhauben or Astralorp. So I did some research, bought a turner, and jumped on Ebay. Selected from Gabbard Farms (they've always had tons of listings... I figured if nothing ever hatched, it would be mentioned all over this board) and won 2 of 3 auctions, for a grand total of 24 eggs, all standard sized. Light Brahmas and Wheaten Penedesenca (spelling??) with 4 Golden Lakenvelder as the + eggs.
They arrived safe and sound, I gave them time to settle, and set them yesterday.
I want to say my previous issue was opening and shutting the incubator getting early Bantam arrivals out, screwing up the humidity, and unknowingly doing in the standard sized eggs. Perhaps that's why it never failed to have the very last Bantam chick to hatch all sticky or with splay leg.
So... I know I can develop a standard sized egg. This time, something WILL hatch! I will keep my hands out of the incubator. I will candle on day 7 and 14. I will add water to the tray as needed. NOTHING ELSE. Once lockdown comes, I will not remove a chick. I will remind myself that it is fine for 24 hours. I will watch from the little provided windows. I will not touch it! I will not open the lid and listen to the eggs. I will only talk to them from outside of the window. I Will not open the incubator under any circumstances when lock down starts!
And something WILL hatch. And it will be a big standard sized chicken. Not a duck. Not a quail. Not a Bantam. If I play by the hatching rules, something will come out!
And if not, I'll simply try again with local eggs that haven't been shipped.
It's gonna be a long 3 weeks.
