Set it and forget it hatch trial

[Susan Skylark]

With our summer trip schedule this year I’ve got to plan hatches around when we are gone, not just for incubation but I don’t want my bird sitter to have to mess with brooder chicks either. But can you hatch eggs if you are gone for a week but have a stable incubator? Yes, things can happen and I’m realistic about the possible results (complete disaster) but how cool would it be to leave eggs in the incubator and come home and be 3 days until lockdown! I’ve got two little incubators, both seem reliable as far as turning and temp, one has a water bottle (70% humidity) and the other does not (25% humidity), I’ve had very successful hatches at both extremes so won’t worry about that. I’ve divided 21 quail eggs semi evenly between the incubators and will run them for three days before we go just to make sure both are working consistently, after that they are on their own for a week, I’ll candle day 12 when we get back and go into lockdown day 14 for an average hatch day of 16/17. One thing I’m really curious about is the effect of daily opening the lid and handling eggs (for candling) on hatch rates, mostly as far as fresh air and ‘extra’ turning goes and if that might be a factor in good hatch rates? I also rotate my eggs within the incubator to nullify hot or cold spots so I get a pretty short hatch window, I’m expecting this hatch to be much more spread out, to say nothing of a possible failed auto turner, power outage, heat fluctuation, aberrant humidity…I’ll keep you posted!

 

[cavemanrich]

Here is my opinion.
I would NEVER, run anything as such while not at home. Risk of loosing your house to fire, are SLIM,,, but still there.
Now, if you will have someone in the home during your vacation trip,,, of course that is different. Even if that person has no hatching knowledge,, still can see a dangerous situation, should one arise.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve got two little incubators, both seem reliable as far as turning and temp, one has a water bottle (70% humidity) and the other does not (25% humidity), I’ve had very successful hatches at both extremes so won’t worry about that.

Oh, but I do worry about you Susan, worry that you have too much fun. What an adventurous spirit.

I could not do that as I have to top off my water reservoirs more often than that. How confidant are you that your water bottles will be OK?

One thing I’m really curious about is the effect of daily opening the lid and handling eggs (for candling) on hatch rates, mostly as far as fresh air

If you stabilize it with your vent(s) open you should get enough fresh air. The way that works the embryos do not need much if any oxygen as they start to develop but the more they develop the more oxygen they need. One possible cause of death just before or as they hatch is a lack of oxygen. Do your incubator instructions tell you how to manage vents for hatch? A lot do not. I leave my vent open (forced air, only one vent) for the entire incubation and manage humidities with the vent open.

and ‘extra’ turning goes and if that might be a factor in good hatch rates?

Nor sure what you mean by "extra" turning? Do you have an auto turner or are you only turning by hand? To me that would be important. Sometimes the effect on hatch rate is not huge if they are not turned early during incubation but there is usually an effect. It can be huge.

Unless you are consistent with "extra" turning and you have one that got extra turning and one that did not how can you draw conclusions?

 

[Susan Skylark]

We have been home for 24 hours, house still standing, we’re day 12, temp steady, humidity 20% for both as water bottle didn’t supply water to the equipped incubator. Candled eggs, 1 cracked and dried out but had developed, 10 infertile (half out of a very young male so no surprise there!) and 2 marked suspect and pulled later (1 day 2 and 1 day 5 embryonic death), 14 seemingly developing normally, lockdown in 48 hours, hatching anticipated day 16/17, we’ll see what happens!

 

[yakitori]

I do this all the time(kind of) with quail eggs, pointy side down with shipped eggs. Dry hatch it from beginning to end. ofcourae my curious butt will still candle them. Hatch rates are usually pretty high

 

[Susan Skylark]

I candle excessively as well, also like to hand turn, just had a disastrous hatch with a broken autoturner, I know I don’t actually do anything but it makes me feel involved and theoretically more patient, you’d think this would get old but it never does!

 

[yakitori]

I candle excessively as well, also like to hand turn, just had a disastrous hatch with a broken autoturner, I know I don’t actually do anything but it makes me feel involved and theoretically more patient, you’d think this would get old but it never does!

if the auto turner fails you can actually “turn” by propping one side of the incubator higher for a tilt effect. alternate sides several times a day. should work with most incubators