November Hatch-A-Longs 2017

[kyeschicks]

well they aren't that far along 6 days... and it has been below freezing here and I do not want to chill them any more than I have to.. sitting in a semi warm nest is better than a cold coop and me w/ a candler LOL if it warms up next week I may try to candle when she is off the nest.

Haha alright! in my opinion, it's better for the eggs to be cold than to be overheated lol I have had chickens hatch at the worst times of winter! I have also had chicks hatch when my temp in the 'bator spiked for a couple hours hehe Actually, my incubator right now has been going up to 102 for who knows how many hours (my thermometer tells me what's the highest and lowest) but every time I check it and it's at 100 or 99 (with fan) and I know they are fine. Some people get a little paranoid and scold other learners that if the temp goes that high that they killed them, but no! It's okay (not ideal) for them get a spike in temp for a short time or go cold for a short time. I have hatched many times and they all hatch okay lol

 

[Molpet]

Haha alright! in my opinion, it's better for the eggs to be cold than to be overheated lol I have had chickens hatch at the worst times of winter! I have also had chicks hatch when my temp in the 'bator spiked for a couple hours hehe Actually, my incubator right now has been going up to 102 for who knows how many hours (my thermometer tells me what's the highest and lowest) but every time I check it and it's at 100 or 99 (with fan) and I know they are fine. Some people get a little paranoid and scold other learners that if the temp goes that high that they killed them, but no! It's okay (not ideal) for them get a spike in temp for a short time or go cold for a short time. I have hatched many times and they all hatch okay lol

yes I think cold is better than overheated too... I have had better hatches w/a hen than a incubator, so I figure they know more than me LOL.. this hen is a newbie and I figured this was as good of a time as any for her to learn

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Today is the 14th day of incubation. I candled the 12 eggs, weighed and marked air cells. I tossed 2 that were not fertile. I have one EE egg that I can't see inside well enough to know if it's developing, so leaving it in for now. The other 9 are progressing and active - a possible mix of RIR x RIR, RIR x Buff Orpington and RIR x Barred Rock. My hatch date is 10/21.

I did notice the air cells are slightly small, so have decreased the humidity just a little.

 

[Firstturkey]

Well 33 of the 36 that made it to lock-down hatched.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Well 33 of the 36 that made it to lock-down hatched.

Wow, that’s super! Send some of that hatching dust my way!

 

[Firstturkey]

Set 25 more eggs last night. 19 BLRW, 2 black Marans, 1 Wheaten Maran, and 3 barnyard mix. Hatching on Dec. 2.

 

[Dimples_vixi]

So excited!!!!!! I just had to share with someone to stop me looking at the incubator!!!

 

[Doc McCluckins]

I'm late to the party. I just fired up my new GQF sportsman in Oct and have had a total of 13 eggs in it full term and just added 6 more on the 9th. Out of the 13 I had 6 hatch and have struggled with the humidity. I also completely let lockdown slip my mind and one chick even almost hatched completely on the turner, so I knew my error there. I today ordered some humidity pads to help keep the % up so hoping out of the 6 new eggs I will have a better hatch rate. I am taking what few eggs I am getting in the slow season to learn how to use this machine and hopefully by spring I will have it mastered and can fill it up (it can hold 288)! ETA for the 6 is 29th. Plan to candle this evening to see how things are cooking.

 

[venymae]

Day 19 and I have 3 7 pips! Haha, guess I was running my 'bator a little hot.

 

[venymae]

Haha alright! in my opinion, it's better for the eggs to be cold than to be overheated lol I have had chickens hatch at the worst times of winter! I have also had chicks hatch when my temp in the 'bator spiked for a couple hours hehe Actually, my incubator right now has been going up to 102 for who knows how many hours (my thermometer tells me what's the highest and lowest) but every time I check it and it's at 100 or 99 (with fan) and I know they are fine. Some people get a little paranoid and scold other learners that if the temp goes that high that they killed them, but no! It's okay (not ideal) for them get a spike in temp for a short time or go cold for a short time. I have hatched many times and they all hatch okay lol

As long as the eggs don't get over 104 you're usually ok. THough long periods of super high isn't good.

So excited!!!!!! I just had to share with someone to stop me looking at the incubator!!!

Me too!!! COngrats!!!

I'm late to the party. I just fired up my new GQF sportsman in Oct and have had a total of 13 eggs in it full term and just added 6 more on the 9th. Out of the 13 I had 6 hatch and have struggled with the humidity. I also completely let lockdown slip my mind and one chick even almost hatched completely on the turner, so I knew my error there. I today ordered some humidity pads to help keep the % up so hoping out of the 6 new eggs I will have a better hatch rate. I am taking what few eggs I am getting in the slow season to learn how to use this machine and hopefully by spring I will have it mastered and can fill it up (it can hold 288)! ETA for the 6 is 29th. Plan to candle this evening to see how things are cooking.

I use sponges and large shallow pans to pop my humidity. Surface area is key!