Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[LadyBehir]

LMP, I waved as I drove by on 120 today. Had to go up Summerson Mt Rd.

 

[chiques chicks]

What is happening, where in the process are you losing the chicks? I had a lot of damaged eggs from the bitter cold Feb, about a third just never developed. At least I got good at candling. Hopefully moving past that now, but some breeds are still having fertility issues. May be time to switch out some roos.

Do you "dry hatch" ? What are your humidity targets?

Slightly lower than normal developing, most not even pipping, about half that do never get out.

Dry hatch most everything, boost to about 60% @ lockdown. Not shrink wrapping, may be drowning. My humidity meters are probably off. Last year I just judged by moisture on windows and it went great.

I've tried open vents, closed vents, half and half. Same results.

Time to pull out the cooler bator and toss the meters, I just fill and let them go.

 

[dheltzel]

Haha! I DO have a second bator, right next to the first lol. BUT it's a little giant still air and I'm not ready to risk trying to hatch upright in it. I was comfortable hatching all my other eggs in it but these ones, the air cells were so bad that I'm hatching them upright in a carton and since it's forced air, I know the temps will be right all around them. So, I'm making it harder on myself.

BTW, I do have permission to buy another incubator. A GQF sportsman

but I have to save all the money I make from selling chicks to get it lol. I'm up to $160 so far lol

Keep a close eye on the online classifieds (CL, Pennswoods, etc) for a used Sportsman (or Dickey). I got mine used for $450 and it has really paid for itself. I've seen them even cheaper. If you find one and want a second opinion, PM the link and I can tell you want to look out for or negotiate over.

As for hatching shipped eggs, by lockdown the air cell is really just whatever space is still left around the chick, it won't budge just because you lay the egg on it's side. Still air incubators can be great hatchers because the lack of air flow prevents some shrink wrap issues. I'm still working on the "perfect hatcher". I like what I have now, but I have some ideas for improvements.

Definitely plan on keeping your styro ones for hatchers, you will not want to hatch in the bottom of a cabinet incubator -- at least you won't want to do it a second time! As a side effect, that nicely solves the staggered hatching problems. I still try to leave a week between settings to give me a day or so between uses of the hatcher.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Haha! I DO have a second bator, right next to the first lol. BUT it's a little giant still air and I'm not ready to risk trying to hatch upright in it. I was comfortable hatching all my other eggs in it but these ones, the air cells were so bad that I'm hatching them upright in a carton and since it's forced air, I know the temps will be right all around them. So, I'm making it harder on myself.


BTW, I do have permission to buy another incubator. A GQF sportsman but I have to save all the money I make from selling chicks to get it lol. I'm up to $160 so far lol

Keep a close eye on the online classifieds (CL, Pennswoods, etc) for a used Sportsman (or Dickey). I got mine used for $450 and it has really paid for itself. I've seen them even cheaper. If you find one and want a second opinion, PM the link and I can tell you want to look out for or negotiate over.

As for hatching shipped eggs, by lockdown the air cell is really just whatever space is still left around the chick, it won't budge just because you lay the egg on it's side. Still air incubators can be great hatchers because the lack of air flow prevents some shrink wrap issues. I'm still working on the "perfect hatcher". I like what I have now, but I have some ideas for improvements.

Definitely plan on keeping your styro ones for hatchers, you will not want to hatch in the bottom of a cabinet incubator -- at least you won't want to do it a second time! As a side effect, that nicely solves the staggered hatching problems. I still try to leave a week between settings to give me a day or so between uses of the hatcher.

I just found a Leahy Redwood cabinet on here in the BST section. I drove 2.5 hours each way to get it...only $200!!! Love this thing...but it's huge!!! Now I need eggs to fill it...lol
I'm letting the quail hatch in the cabinet because there is practically no mess from their hatch, but everything else will go in the sryro bators for hatch.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I'm not sure why, but this year is perhaps my worst year ever hatching. Just having horrible luck, same incubator, same method, just bad results.

I wonder if it's these colder than usual days we've been having... I just saw this posted on facebook yesterday, not sure how accurate it is, but seems to make sense:

That should work too as long as you are home to catch the pip before the first 1 hatches. I've never used a turner. Even my cabinet is hand turned.

hatch day is supposed to be tomorrow. I've been watching them very closely all day today. I think I'm going to kill the turner tonight before bed just to be safe.
It's driving me nuts! I'm trying in vain, putting my ear up next to the bator to try to hear if any are peeping but all I can hear are all the noisy babies in the brooder below lol

Your chicks have a stalker. Lol. Sorry, but I can Sooooo picture you doing this. I've got the cutest little chicks ever on my counter, one is like a silvery blue....such sweetness.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I'm not sure why, but this year is perhaps my worst year ever hatching. Just having horrible luck, same incubator, same method, just bad results.

do you think it could have anything to do with there being more humidity in the air..with this weather and such?...just throwing that out there for conversation sake..

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

LMP, I waved as I drove by on 120 today. Had to go up Summerson Mt Rd.

..well geesh..we the heck didn't you stop by??? ...i have biscotti and coffee..tea...seriously..next time..just drop by...i am usually dressed

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I wonder if it's these colder than usual days we've been having... I just saw this posted on facebook yesterday, not sure how accurate it is, but seems to make sense:

Your chicks have a stalker. Lol. Sorry, but I can Sooooo picture you doing this. I've got the cutest little chicks ever on my counter, one is like a silvery blue....such sweetness.

just wait until they hatch! I'll be photo bombing the thread lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

ND I stopped paying attention for a couple hours to go do some spring cleaning in the coops and I come back to 4 pips lol

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

AND I stopped paying attention for a couple hours to go do some spring cleaning in the coops and I come back to 4 pips lol

A watched pot never boils! (But I'd be the same way!)