Nursing Home hatch-a-long, set 4-14

[what did I do]

Well I tried to hatch call ducks on this hatch (first duck hatch) and none of those hatched. The 2 that hatched were mixed breeds from my ducks. I LOVE them SO much. I'm going to probably order more call duck eggs soon and try to incubate them. Here are a few changes I want to make (maybe---if recommended):
1. Bump the temperature up from 97-99 to 101* (still air)
2. Use my egg turner
3. Not candle every single day (I think maybe bacteria got into dome eggs?)
4. The humidity was 45% the whole time until lockdown. Is this okay?
5. What else?

I'd bump the temp
I'd use the turner
I'm not going to candle the egg as much either
I'd try to lower the humidity to 30ish
fresh air?

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I'm going to make some changes in my next hatch too. Well, I'm going to try to do things the way they should be done. LOL

 

[drlcb]

I would NOT candle everyday! Once at 7 days and 14 days is plenty. If you pick them up everyday you'll definitely run the risk of contaminating them with your bare hands. I use the latex surgical gloves (50 pair for 5.99 at harbor freight)
They just help keep the finger oils off the eggs. And definitely sanitize everything. You can never get to sterility conditions since the eggs themselves are already little bacteria bombs just from the fact they come out of a chicken... That being said the embryos have a certain level of protection from the internal membranes and from the parents.
I've never hatched ducks but I would do some research on the humidity levels for them.
http://www.duckhealth.com/hatcduck.html shows promising information...
And make sure they get oxygen and ventilation because they are alive and breathe even in their embryonic state.
Good luck

 

[what did I do]

We went into town today and picked up the chicks from the nursing home. I thought I had homes for all the chicks but one girl back out. We ended up bringing home 6 chicks. That is the smallest number of chicks I have ever brooded.

When I went in today the water was empty and the brooder was a mess. It was time to end it.

Over the duration of our project we cover not only the things mentioned above but also feather sexing, I identifying different types of feathers and combs, and the development of chicken eggs.

On our way home today the kids and I brainstormed about how to raise money for a better incubator to do this better. We are going to sell the chicks at the 4-h sale, if they let us, but spread the word that we would use the money for a new incubator. We are going to makeup a flyer with the picture of the new incubator and the chicks we hatched and pass it out at businesses that buy from 4-h'ers. Maybe we could make some money that way. My kids sold a pen of 3 for @ $100 per chicken last year so we will see what we can do this year.

 

[drlcb]

You can make a fantastic incubator for 300.00. I would put mine up next to a commercial small incubator any day!
I'm putting a few together in the next couple of weeks to sell on eBay. Ill pm some pictures and specs to you and provide one at cost if it would help the cause. I get at 85% from shipped eggs on a regular basis.
The new design I have in mind will have an "airlock" to take out hatchlings and egg shells without opening the bator. I got the idea from my last hatch when I ended up helping the last ten "stickies" because I got impatient and opened the darn thing several times (against all advice!) and it will also have a super bright LCD candler included. I use the little giant egg turners because they are dishwasher safe and perform well.
Good luck on your future hatches.

Scratch that- I just went to candle 60 bresse eggs this morning and my incubator was sitting at 150 degrees :-(
$300 worth of eggs killed overnight. Back to the drawing board. So sad and such a waste.

 

[minihorse927]

Well I tried to hatch call ducks on this hatch (first duck hatch) and none of those hatched. The 2 that hatched were mixed breeds from my ducks. I LOVE them SO much. I'm going to probably order more call duck eggs soon and try to incubate them. Here are a few changes I want to make (maybe---if recommended):
1. Bump the temperature up from 97-99 to 101* (still air)
2. Use my egg turner
3. Not candle every single day (I think maybe bacteria got into dome eggs?)
4. The humidity was 45% the whole time until lockdown. Is this okay?
5. What else?

1.still air should be 101 at the top of the eggs.
2.DO NOT USE AN EGG TURNER FOR CALL EGGS! trust me on that one. I've had calls since 2010 and I've got two internal pips right now that are suppose to hatch today. Hand turned 2X's a day.
3.candle days 10 and lockdown. Lockdown should be day 23. Mine hatch at 25-26 days.
4.humidity runs 50-55% during days 1-23. Up to 65% for hatch.
5.always remember calls are hard to hatch and even harder when shipped. Don't get discouraged trying to hatch them but also don't run yourself broke trying to hatch them! Sometimes it's easier and cheaper to buy a juvenile pair and wait for your own eggs. This way you can learn how to hatch them without spending tons of money. Good luck.

Edited for typos.

 

[minihorse927]

Wanted to add also, call eggs need to be incubated on their sides, not in an egg carton. I only use an egg carton for call eggs if they are shipped with damaged air cells.

Edited for typos.

 

[what did I do]

d'I thought I'd let you all know that we are hatching at the nursing home again. We are hatching this weekend, Yea!! We got a grant to buy a new incubator and a Heat Plate. We got an R-com 20 and it is wonderful. The residents can wheel right up to it and look right into it. They no longer have to lift the lid to see into it. It sits low enough that they can just see right into it. That makes me happy. The R-com incubator is a dream come true.

and the Heat Plate

The brooder box ready to be setup.

It brings me so much joy to see these elderly people smile.

 

[chiklee]

Ahh that's a wonderful thing to do with the nursing home residents The nursing home I work at won't allow it . I thought it would be fun to it with them too . You are so lucky wish I was there to see their faces when they pip. Have fun with this project . Nothing like seeing a smile on the residents face and they will not forget this either . I just love my job and the good we do for all of them .
Like gram use to say our reward will be in heaven some day. That thought gets me through rough times at work .
Thank you .