NY chicken lover!!!!

[Sweetpea3829]

Lockdown day!!!! I candled last night and some of them have some crazy air cells. A couple of them, the air cells are saddled so badly, it looks like part of the chick is already breached it. I don't have high hopes for the majority of this group. Here's hoping they do well.

So refresh my memory...on lockdown, I take out the racks, lay them on their side (does it matter which side is up?) and add water to the second well in the incubator? Do I change the vent? I have the Brinsea, and I have the vent half open. Seems like its the only way air is going to get in, so should I leave it half way open?

And I don't open the incubator again until they all hatch? Or can I open again to add more water?

Also, I have three eggs in there that are set to hatch two days later than the rest...I set them a bit late. Is it ok to stop turning them at this point?

 

[AbiLuv]

I have a question too- um, I'm going to try incubating next year, but I get confused about the turning. You do it while they're setting too, right? But then why does it matter which way they go in if your just going to turn them anyway? And do you actually turn them "upside down" for a whole day? And how do you turn the eggs in the bator?

 

[JLaw]

Lockdown day!!!! I candled last night and some of them have some crazy air cells. A couple of them, the air cells are saddled so badly, it looks like part of the chick is already breached it. I don't have high hopes for the majority of this group. Here's hoping they do well.

So refresh my memory...on lockdown, I take out the racks, lay them on their side (does it matter which side is up?) and add water to the second well in the incubator? Do I change the vent? I have the Brinsea, and I have the vent half open. Seems like its the only way air is going to get in, so should I leave it half way open?

And I don't open the incubator again until they all hatch? Or can I open again to add more water?

Also, I have three eggs in there that are set to hatch two days later than the rest...I set them a bit late. Is it ok to stop turning them at this point?

If setting on side don't mater what way you put them in, they will roll around in there. I hatch them in egg cartons and keep big end up. If doing on side I'd put something on bottom to help keep them from kicking around so much.

No need to change vent settings if you can hold your humidity high enough.

You can open to add water but generally you don't want to open if you don't have to. Each time you open you let out humidity and heat. Personaly I run an fish tank air line into my bator through a vent hole and add water that way. But that is a Styrofoam incubator.

I would say they should be fine not being turned for an extra two days. I have done it a day or was it two early before because I got my days mixed up on when I set the chicks. I was confused when they didn't start hatching on time till I noticed I figured the days wrong.

I have a question too- um, I'm going to try incubating next year, but I get confused about the turning. You do it while they're setting too, right? But then why does it matter which way they go in if your just going to turn them anyway? And do you actually turn them "upside down" for a whole day? And how do you turn the eggs in the bator?

Ok are you turning them on their side or using an egg carton or egg turner? if on side mark one side with X one with O rotate them at least 3 times a day. If using an egg carton or egg turner big end has to be up. That is the air cell side. You want them to rotate 45 deg side to side if I remember correctly. Some people use a piece of pvc pipe, I think about 1 inch round and put it in middle of egg carton long ways to turn the eggs.

Some one with more experience with hand turning can give you more pointers I've always used an egg turner.

 

[JLaw]

Well building new nest boxes tomorrow. I have 2 birds thinking they are going to go broody. They keep jumping different nest boxes though so I keep taking eggs. My gold laced cochin and my black Japanese bantam. So funny watching the jap bantam sit on eggs she has to push herself out to cover the full size eggs. But they are tieing up 2/4 nest boxes which is making others un happy.

Going to make corner boxes 1.75ft x 1.75ft x 2.5ft triangles. Figure that will let others nest two at a time maybe in some of them. I have had them do it in these ones you buy at tsc that are hung on wall and they break/kick eggs out trying to squeeze in there.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

sleep walking

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Well building new nest boxes tomorrow. I have 2 birds thinking they are going to go broody. They keep jumping different nest boxes though so I keep taking eggs. My gold laced cochin and my black Japanese bantam. So funny watching the jap bantam sit on eggs she has to push herself out to cover the full size eggs. But they are tieing up 2/4 nest boxes which is making others un happy.

Going to make corner boxes 1.75ft x 1.75ft x 2.5ft triangles. Figure that will let others nest two at a time maybe in some of them. I have had them do it in these ones you buy at tsc that are hung on wall and they break/kick eggs out trying to squeeze in there.

Can you post pics of your corner nest boxes ? Please. what a good idea !

 

[WillowWispFarm]

Quote:
We have 9 aches, and where i'm getting them from I cant get them till june 23rd, so we have time to build something, but we have plenty of room, just need to figure out where we want to put them. I'm keeping them away from my egg hens.

 

[Lynzi777]

Aria has sent me an email and wanted me to upload a picture for you all. Her blue hen went broody and on April 26th she hatched out 5 beautiful silkie babies:

 

[featherz]

My chickens love the mini woodpile - they are enjoying the fairly nice weather..

 

[rancher hicks]

We tried these headbands from the dollar store but they fall off. Someone really needs to invent better hair ties for silkie grooming! Back to the dollar store in search of a better solution! Oh what does Barbie use? She's a little hot chick too! Thanks for all the info!

Barrets might work better. they have some that are velcro .