Please Hold My Hand

[Parson's Wife]

Forgot to ask....I set my eggs in the incubator on the evening of the 6th...@ 5:00 pm....do I count that day (the 6th as 1) or does day 1 begin on the 7th?

 

[RepoBob]

I count every secound haha.

Seriously. 20 days would be tecnically be 5PM on the 27th of Feb.
I think you should expect chicks From AM on the 27th thru th 28. I have read though it could take up to 24 days, but thats not the norm.

Bob

 

[tberggren]

Quote:
Could someone post a picture of their eggs in the carton in the incubator, I am having a hard time visualizing how that works.

Thanks so much.
Theresa

 

[Parson's Wife]

Mine are flat in the incubator...I think Repobob's are in a carton...someones is...

And thank you repobob.... I am excited...my little son (he's 4) comes thru every coupla hours and hollers "their cracked!" meaning he wants them to hurry up and crack! lol (that line is long!)
(me, Daryl, Hailey, Jamson, 2 dogs lol)

 

[RepoBob]

Don't have a camera at the moment, sorry mine broke. I may have one tomorrow, we'll see.
Anyway, just take an egg carton, I used the 18 egg size. I took a large bread knife and cut off the very bottom or each of the areas the eggs sit in ( take off as little as possible, just so there is about a quarter sized hole in the 18 bottoms ). Now, cut the top off the carton. Instant egg holder. The reason, this may help you visualize, you cut the bottoms off is so each egg can get air flow around it. I use the pressed paper kind of cartoons. Others had said the styrofoam ones are not as good. By using the carton to hold your eggs you can tip the whole incubator instead of turning each egg. You do have to use a sponge or paper towel for humidity or your water will spill when you tip the bator.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but I hope this helps.


Bob

 

[okiechick57]

Set my eggs last night.....temp holding good so far............gonna be a long few weeks.......... can't wait !

 

[Eryn]

YAY I set my eggs today!!! Now I have a question for everyone?!?! Do you guys turn 1 or 3 times a day? Looking around online I'm seeing both and I'm wondering is you really need to turn them 3 times?

 

[RepoBob]

I've believe I have read minimum 3 and it should be an odd number. Remember the guidelines people talk about here are the ideal to maximise hatch rate. I have a friend who is not all that miticulous. When I asked him how many times he turned, he laughed and said some days once, somedays three, some days not at all. Now I'm not recommending his method but he get a 40 to 50 % hatch rate with his set em and kinda forget 'em system. His chicks are beautiful. I have some of his birds in my flock and they are very healthy pullets and cockrels.
So to answer your question I'd do 3 to 5 turns a day.

Hi Okichick, seen you had a good teacher. Purple Chicken gave some very detailed instructions

Now we can all hold hands and wait

Bob

 

[Parson's Wife]

I turn mine 3 times a day...I want the optimal hatch ratio....(hope thats 100%...LOL)
I read the important thing is odd number so they don't spend the night, since that's the longest still time, on the same side every night. Maybe it was my imagination...but my eggs felt heavier tonight...just turned them..

 

[Eryn]

ok so I guess 3 times it is!!! SO when do you the first turn? like every 8 hours from the time you set?? I'm keeping a really detailed log of everything so when they get done I will put it up!