Set eggs today, 2/6/10. Who's with me?

[schmmems]

I hate to say this, but I'm going to. PLEASE, don't yell at me!

I stagger hatch all of the time. I use a still-air incubator. I don't wait until all have hatched to remove the chicks. I have great hatch rates. I don't monitor the humidity.

Not everyone's experiences are the same. I do what works for me. Last time, I had incredible rates, especially for shipped eggs during the blizzard. And my eggs were without power for at least 8 hours with the temp reading 80 degrees. They still hatched. I have 13 chicken chicks and 12 quail chicks in the brooders right now.

This time, I have have two different hatch dates in my incubator, and two in my other incubator. I think the sometimes we get so caught up in the "have to's" that we forget that chickens are capable of hatching eggs, so it can't be that hard! We get all wrapped up in the details that we forget to enjoy the wonder that is the egg.

OK, so for an update on my eggs...
Old English Game (12 Still going/ 16 received and set)
8 Spangle OEGB (7/8)
3 Crele OEGB (0/3)
3 Blue/Black Silver OEGB (4/4)
1 BB Red OEGB (1/1)
Milli Fleur D'Uccle (5/5)
Serama (1/2)

Langshan (don't know, too dark to candle)
Mixes (2/3)
our own Giant Cochin (1/1)

Lock down this week.

 

[allquackedup]

hen we due this the next time ,and there will be a next time LOL I think we will go in groups versus daily. I think we are going to be busy when all these guys start coming.21 duck eggs,20 chickens yikes!!

Quote:

 

[Scoop]

I candled the other night and am a bit perplexed. The only eggs I was pretty sure that I saw something in were the green EE eggs. I am certain all the girls had been laying fertile eggs. We had the rooster in with them for weeks and weeks and then checked a lot of eggs for fertility. They were all fertile, every single one. I just hope I'm missing something. Maybe it's my light.

I won't be disappointed no matter what, hey I love my EE that I have now and people love the green eggs. We did lose one egg that broke and a hen ate but still hopeful for something to hatch.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes, well, you live in Florida, already about as humid as a broody hen's butt LOL

Pat, trying valiantly to wait til day 18 to do a last candling, but extremely curious what's going on

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

I'm getting really antsy - lockdown (day 18) is tomorrow! I still have a few things to figure out - like whether I will hatch them in cartons or not and how I will get the humidity up to 65% (homemade incubator & first time at it). Super excited! So... day 18 is the last day to turn - do we turn 3 times on day 18 and then stop or do we not turn at all on day 18?

 

[Madcap621]

I don't turn on day 18. I transfer my eggs from turner to cardboard carton w/ bottoms of cups and 'peaks' removed, candle one last time - take out clears and undeveloped/half developed & set the carton in the hatcher. Good Luck!

BTW................... I am locking ddown tomorrow too

 

[chipchip]

Wow...I'm glad you posted ArizonaDesertChicks. I wasn't counting the first day when we set the eggs so I was a day off!! Sooooo lock down is tomorrow I'd better get a brooder ready. This is my first time hatching and I feel like an expecting mom. Guess I'll candle again tonight just to make sure all is well.
Good luck all!!!

 

[schmmems]

You don't count the day you set as one. We count the number of 24 hour periods that have passed since we started incubation. That would make lockdown on Wednesday.

 

[chipchip]

Whew...so I have one more day of turning and stressing.
Thanks Schmmens

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Sorry - didn't mean to confuse anyone (I forgot I'm a little ahead). I actually set mine at 8 p.m. on the 5th, so I'm 12-24 hours ahead of some of you, depending on what time of day you set yours.


MadCap - I looked back at your post (#21) - looks like you set yours on the 5th too.