October-hatch-along 2019

[Compost King]

I found this thread an interesting read. I've opened my incubator while eggs were pipped and didn't have issues. I've also marked eggs that were more porous than others and made notes about the chicks that hatched. Eggs with different levels of porosity require different levels of humidity during incubation and lockdown in my experience.

"Shrink wrap" vs. "Sticky chick"?

I noticed some people can get away with opening during lock down and some can not. I don't know all the details of others hatches to compare them to mine but I am one who creates problems when I open up even briefly after the first pip. I actually opened up on hatch day to move my thermometer because none had pipped and put it at a better location to find my Incubator was 4 degrees too cold... which is why no one had pipped I assumed. I am concerned because some have not pipped at all and maybe those internally pipped and were shrink wrapped from my opening. Who knows, I am still learning. If I had a larger bathroom I would incubate in there so if I had to open during lock down I would crank up the hot shower and get it nice and steamy then open it up. When I move I am getting a larger bathroom.

 

[flgardengirl]

So far

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

I noticed some people can get away with opening during lock down and some can not. I don't know all the details of others hatches to compare them to mine but I am one who creates problems when I open up even briefly after the first pip. I actually opened up on hatch day to move my thermometer because none had pipped and put it at a better location to find my Incubator was 4 degrees too cold... which is why no one had pipped I assumed. I am concerned because some have not pipped at all and maybe those internally pipped and were shrink wrapped from my opening. Who knows, I am still learning. If I had a larger bathroom I would incubate in there so if I had to open during lock down I would crank up the hot shower and get it nice and steamy then open it up. When I move I am getting a larger bathroom.

for the chickens? I'd be shot at dawn if I kept chickens in the bathroom! Opening in lockdown here is bad because our outside humidity is minus. I didn't think it possible but the humidity reader goes 0, and then --. So there you go.

 

[flgardengirl]

I wonder if opening the incubator is less damaging if you are in a high humidity area. In FL it an be 50 or 60 % humidity in the house sometimes. In my incubator room the room humidity is 61 % right now.

 

[FortCluck]

There are no set rules for incubating other than temp. Some eggs need more or less humidity depending. You'll get the hang of it as you go along.

So far they look really good. We looked in the twin egg tonight and we could see both of them. It's now a family affair to check the twin egg, even the dogs come to look

My temp has stayed at 99.5 to 100 unless I open the incubator really quick. Then it sometimes drops to 98, but that's the reading of the incubator. My other thermometer has stayed steady at 99.5

 

[FortCluck]

I wonder if opening the incubator is less damaging if you are in a high humidity area. In FL it an be 50 or 60 % humidity in the house sometimes. In my incubator room the room humidity is 61 % right now.

My room humidity was 65% today. It's been super humid lately, but maybe that'll help in the long run... I don't know

 

[flgardengirl]

Well he's out now. All black with a white cuckoo spot on his head lol. I hate when there's just one alone in the incubator and they are sad and cry until they get a friend lol.

 

[FortCluck]

Well he's out now. All black with a white cuckoo spot on his head lol. I hate when there's just one alone in the incubator and they are sad and cry until they get a friend lol.
View attachment 1936057

His crying might entice others to come out sooner. He will have a friend soon!

 

[FortCluck]

View attachment 1936047 So far

I like how you wrote the breeds on the eggs. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time.

 

[flgardengirl]

His crying might entice others to come out sooner. He will have a friend soon!

I hope so but most the other eggs were in the normal incubator that was running at the proper temperature lol. If I have to get him out in a day or so i will. I usually just open the bator real quick do what I have to, and have a little cup of warm water ready, and dump it on the sponges. Then I close the bator and close up all the holes/plugs for a minute or two then open the holes/plugs back up again.