Ooooops..It's not day 18 its day 20! Updated Pics page 4

[MBLayfield]

Interesting that you posted this. In December I had a staggered hatch. I forgot about the last dozen eggs still being in the turner due to an emergency. All 12 hatched and were perfect. I had never had a hatch so great. The hatch before it I had 18% hatch rate and the eggs were from the same person and were shipped. I'll be following this, you may be on to something.

March 3rd is my day 18, I'm tempted to transfer the eggs from the turner into a carton in the hatcher....

 

[ZuniBee]

Final Results: 34 healthy chicks out of the 36 eggs that made it to hatch! That is an incredible 94.4% hatch rate!

Here is a picture of how I put the cartons and what they looked like after the hatch. I removed some of the shells but pretty much this is how it looks. Much easier to clean the bator as well!

Eggs are sitting here ready to go in as soon as I clean the incubator…. The experiment continues…

 

[BamaChicken]

Jay, thanks for the pictures. I am trying this in two weeks when I have a hatch coming off. Everyone I have had hatch in the turner always did great and I agree, a clean hatch. Your chicks are very pretty. 34 out of 36 is great. I have got to wash one of my bators out this morning and load it with eggs Sun.

 

[halo]

This is remarkable, it really is. I have eggs in the bator right now, some EE's, brahmas, blue orps, and black orps (how did I get so many eggs????). Im going to do exactly as you did. My humidity is staying a bit low just because the humidity is low right now. I have some cardboard egg cartons; Im going to save them and put them in the hatcher. Ill follow a lot of what you did and see what happens. This could change a lot of hatching rules.

 

[chickenranchwife]

Very nice job hatching. I have thought about leaving an egg carton in there, but didn't know if one could.

 

[MissPrissy]

Great job, Jay! Look at those little fuzz balls!

 

[skeeter9]

This is great info, Jay. I've been doing some experimenting of my own with humidity and have had much better hatch rates with lower humidities. I haven't tried lowering the temp at the end yet. I think I'll try that next!

I like your idea of the egg cartons. I agree that the newly hatched chicks rolling the unhatched ones around has an effect on them. I think it not only might drown them, but makes it hard for them to stay oriented for pipping and zipping.

Great jog, Jay!!!

Lori

 

[SamG347]

They are beautiful! Are those your own sexlink creations? And did you have them in the carton through the whole incubation period?

 

[mergmet]

Jay, I tried the egg carton idea with my eggs hatching today, so far 3/3 hatched quickly and cleanly

great going!

also, you'd better put some RIR eggs in that next set, we have sales already!

M

 

[ZuniBee]

Are those your own sexlink creations? And did you have them in the carton through the whole incubation period?

No, on day 19 I stopped turning and moved them from the turner to the egg cartons. These are a mixed breed. I have two top hat roosters that appear to be mixed. The hens top hat hens that came with them are smaller hens with a poof on top of their heads. They have laid a large egg every day all winter. So, I put these roosters in with RIR, RIW and the white egg layers. I have not been able to get them to laying age because I have sold every one. I have some 4 week olds that I am going to keep so I can see what they are like as adults. They make very good looking pullets and I'm sure they will be great egg layers.

I tried the egg carton idea with my eggs hatching today, so far 3/3 hatched quickly and cleanly

Very good. I am interested in documenting results others are getting with the egg carton method. I put another set of eggs in yesterday.... but still no RIR's .... have to wait 3 more weeks since I only separated them a week ago.

M - we are working on the coops and pens. I'll be in touch.​