charmedbychickens: Hello, my "lockdown sister." I'm sitting here & was going to post to you also, thanks for yours first; haven't forgotten you either. Yes, mine spiked to 101 for a few hours on a day last week, but I finally stopped worrying. The egg is such an amazing thing & can survive quite a bit. So, my incubator started late night on Dec 3rd, I read last year to start the count on the next day if incubator started late night; sorry but, I'm now going to start the count late night on the 3rd for Sunday Dec. 20th late night as the 18th day for "lockdown" (when I was using the next day Dec 4th count it would have been "lockdown" on Dec. 21st as the day 18). Wouldn't your lockdown be Monday Dec, 21st & due to hatch on the 24th? Ours are still be planning to hatch very close. I know the holidays can get busy closer to Christmas, but I will surely be sneaking in to the computer to check for your posts & add mine. Best wishes to "O Christmas Tree"!
Have got 7 eggs (1 is iffy with less development showing larger area of egg white at the pointed end than the other 6, but there is no bad smell from it so it stays in). Have been using the "dry incubation" method for the first time (as mentioned before) which I hope corrects prior incubation problems of possible drowning due to too high of humidity. So, the air cells look good for this stage of days. For day 1-17 had humidity at 40ish (& down ocassionally to nearly 25% then right back up to 40ish%----Lockdown will be 55% humidity with NO OPENING THE BATOR TILL ALL ARE HATCHED--that's my vow, I promissed myself). This is the most I've had in the bator with high fertility & will be greatful for any live hatches. They would be Bantam Blue Salmon or Salmon Faverolles (with a possible Silkie cross or a possible Dominique cross egg slipped in, which would identify easily as chicks).
technodoll: I believe your Silkie gal is doing her own "natural version of lockdown in the nest" too.
Glad to have joined this topic to read everyones comments, excitement, anticipation & support for the worries. There's a lot of possitive thoughts directed to us all, I'm grateful. Can't wait to hear about all of the hatches & see pictures. I'm waiting for the "S" names, as that the only one's I've come up with so far.
Have got 7 eggs (1 is iffy with less development showing larger area of egg white at the pointed end than the other 6, but there is no bad smell from it so it stays in). Have been using the "dry incubation" method for the first time (as mentioned before) which I hope corrects prior incubation problems of possible drowning due to too high of humidity. So, the air cells look good for this stage of days. For day 1-17 had humidity at 40ish (& down ocassionally to nearly 25% then right back up to 40ish%----Lockdown will be 55% humidity with NO OPENING THE BATOR TILL ALL ARE HATCHED--that's my vow, I promissed myself). This is the most I've had in the bator with high fertility & will be greatful for any live hatches. They would be Bantam Blue Salmon or Salmon Faverolles (with a possible Silkie cross or a possible Dominique cross egg slipped in, which would identify easily as chicks).
technodoll: I believe your Silkie gal is doing her own "natural version of lockdown in the nest" too.
Glad to have joined this topic to read everyones comments, excitement, anticipation & support for the worries. There's a lot of possitive thoughts directed to us all, I'm grateful. Can't wait to hear about all of the hatches & see pictures. I'm waiting for the "S" names, as that the only one's I've come up with so far.
