Setting 41 on 6-15, 7-8, 7-31, and 8-23 feel free to join in at any time

[NTBugtraq]

Day 3: Eggs are 99.9F this morning, and humidity is down to 26%. If it drops below 25% I will be adding an ounce of water...just enough to keep it at 25%. Bumped the thermo up 0.3F, aiming for 100.5F.

 

[RubyNala97]

Day 3: Eggs are 99.9F this morning, and humidity is down to 26%. If it drops below 25% I will be adding an ounce of water...just enough to keep it at 25%. Bumped the thermo up 0.3F, aiming for 100.5F.

I forgot, are you forced air in the styro? I'm on day 7 for the peafowl eggs. I saw movement in all the embryos last night! So cool. I've never done peafowl, so I'm not sure how air cells should look on day 7. I'll take a pic tonight and post on a peafowl thread to see what they say. My humidity also dropped to 26% last night. I was going to add water but my gut told me to wait until this morning. Good thing I did because I'm back up to 45%, totally dry. My first incubation, I ran 35% the whole time, and the chicks hatched great. The second time I was at 45-55% dry, and chicks hatched sticky. The ones that did not hatch were extra sticky at eggtopsy. So I'm really not planning on adding water this time. It's been raining here almost everyday. I wonder how a broody controls humidity so well? NB, you are going to love the Brinsea! My first was a Brinsea. Then I picked up a styro as my second incubator. It was totally off and unpredictable. So I returned it and got another Brinsea. I've spot checked them against calibrated thermos and they were both dead on. I don't even regularly check them anymore. They are dependable!

 

[NTBugtraq]

I forgot, are you forced air in the styro? I'm on day 7 for the peafowl eggs. I saw movement in all the embryos last night! So cool. I've never done peafowl, so I'm not sure how air cells should look on day 7. I'll take a pic tonight and post on a peafowl thread to see what they say. My humidity also dropped to 26% last night. I was going to add water but my gut told me to wait until this morning. Good thing I did because I'm back up to 45%, totally dry. My first incubation, I ran 35% the whole time, and the chicks hatched great. The second time I was at 45-55% dry, and chicks hatched sticky. The ones that did not hatch were extra sticky at eggtopsy. So I'm really not planning on adding water this time. It's been raining here almost everyday. I wonder how a broody controls humidity so well? NB, you are going to love the Brinsea! My first was a Brinsea. Then I picked up a styro as my second incubator. It was totally off and unpredictable. So I returned it and got another Brinsea. I've spot checked them against calibrated thermos and they were both dead on. I don't even regularly check them anymore. They are dependable!

I'm forced air.

Congrats on the movement, that's fantastic news. I have no idea how the air cells should look either, but in any event you want them to be getting bigger...that much is sure...;-]

Yeah, I am totally anxious waiting for the Brinsea...but I keep reminding myself I don't have 48 eggs yet to put in it, and my scapes are getting curly, and my wood needs to be cut and split and stored, and my ghost peppers are coming into flower so I will have to pollinate them soon...and...and...

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm forced air.

Congrats on the movement, that's fantastic news. I have no idea how the air cells should look either, but in any event you want them to be getting bigger...that much is sure...;-]

Yeah, I am totally anxious waiting for the Brinsea...but I keep reminding myself I don't have 48 eggs yet to put in it, and my scapes are getting curly, and my wood needs to be cut and split and stored, and my ghost peppers are coming into flower so I will have to pollinate them soon...and...and...e

I know exactly what you mean! It's been one week since my hatch and I've just been in a fog all week and on the Internet way to much! I need to be building my coop & getting my older guys outside already! (Besides the million other daily things i have to do...3 kids, need i say more). Then clean all the dust out of my house! I'll check in for updates on day 7 & see how your doing! I hope your 3 little chicks do okay!

 

[NTBugtraq]

Ok, as OP, I feel its my job to break the ice and admit to utter dumbness from time to time...;-]

I have been moving my set temp in the Styrofoam incubator up and down for the first few days this time, after realizing I basically baked my last hatch. So this evening I was sitting hear, feeling really hot, and I turned on my fan...then it struck me...I have had the incubator up here on the 2nd floor of my raised bungalow while we've been experiencing some really hot weather...DOH!

And, it was beside a southern window...DOH DOH...ok, it doesn't get a ton of sunshine, but still...

So, I just moved everything to the darker part of the basement (which is at ground level) and we'll see what numbers I get tomorrow. I am expecting a far more stable temp, and potentially a little less humidity, so I will be ready with some water.

The problem sitting right there in front of me and I'm chasing ghosts...I hate when the obvious eludes me....;-]

 

[RubyNala97]

Ok, as OP, I feel its my job to break the ice and admit to utter dumbness from time to time...;-]

I have been moving my set temp in the Styrofoam incubator up and down for the first few days this time, after realizing I basically baked my last hatch. So this evening I was sitting hear, feeling really hot, and I turned on my fan...then it struck me...I have had the incubator up here on the 2nd floor of my raised bungalow while we've been experiencing some really hot weather...DOH!

And, it was beside a southern window...DOH DOH...ok, it doesn't get a ton of sunshine, but still...

So, I just moved everything to the darker part of the basement (which is at ground level) and we'll see what numbers I get tomorrow. I am expecting a far more stable temp, and potentially a little less humidity, so I will be ready with some water.

The problem sitting right there in front of me and I'm chasing ghosts...I hate when the obvious eludes me....;-]

You live & learn! Lol. When you set up "shop", location is important. You need to pick the most stable spot in the house. Not near drafts/windows or rooms that have higher/lower temp fluctuations. I'm wondering if your basement will be cooler but more humid? Do you already have eggs in it? Once you get all these kinks ironed out, your going to have smooth sailing!! I'm happy to see a man admit a mistake. We all make them!

 

[NTBugtraq]

You live & learn! Lol. When you set up "shop", location is important. You need to pick the most stable spot in the house. Not near drafts/windows or rooms that have higher/lower temp fluctuations. I'm wondering if your basement will be cooler but more humid? Do you already have eggs in it? Once you get all these kinks ironed out, your going to have smooth sailing!! I'm happy to see a man admit a mistake. We all make them!

Yeah, I have eggs in the bator now. Today is Day 4. Both the temperature and humidity are good downstairs, my basement is above ground and is made out of wood walls, so its cool and stable.

 

[NTBugtraq]

So, I meant to update yesterday, but I got wrapped up in garlic scaping.

Update Day 8: Temps have been reasonably steady between 101.5F and 99.5F, which is good. Humidity is fluctuating around 26=27%, which is also good. However, doing a weigh-in on Day 7 gave me an average egg weight loss of 5.39%, which is higher than the ideal 4.33%. My highest is 8.6%, and lowest is 3.66%. The shells of my eggs do vary, so that probably explains the range, although the average is higher than I want so I am going to add a bit of water to try and get my average humidity to 30% or so, and see if that makes a reducing in weight loss.

I found 3 eggs definitely clear, 2 iffy, and one I think might be a red ring in. I left the potential red ring in, and will check again on day 10.

My Brinsea 40 arrived today, with the humidity pump and all the bangles. I've got it together and am reading the instructions, but I'm going to ask scflock over in the "He Said, She Said" thread exactly how he suggests I start my first batch. He's the Brinsea pro....;-] So, hopefully I will set another 48 eggs tonight in that Brinsea...I have like 56 eggs to go in so I will pick the best.

Hope your hatch is doing great!

 

[RubyNala97]

So, I meant to update yesterday, but I got wrapped up in garlic scaping.

Update Day 8: Temps have been reasonably steady between 101.5F and 99.5F, which is good. Humidity is fluctuating around 26=27%, which is also good. However, doing a weigh-in on Day 7 gave me an average egg weight loss of 5.39%, which is higher than the ideal 4.33%. My highest is 8.6%, and lowest is 3.66%. The shells of my eggs do vary, so that probably explains the range, although the average is higher than I want so I am going to add a bit of water to try and get my average humidity to 30% or so, and see if that makes a reducing in weight loss.

I found 3 eggs definitely clear, 2 iffy, and one I think might be a red ring in. I left the potential red ring in, and will check again on day 10.

My Brinsea 40 arrived today, with the humidity pump and all the bangles. I've got it together and am reading the instructions, but I'm going to ask scflock over in the "He Said, She Said" thread exactly how he suggests I start my first batch. He's the Brinsea pro....;-] So, hopefully I will set another 48 eggs tonight in that Brinsea...I have like 56 eggs to go in so I will pick the best.

Hope your hatch is doing great!

That's awesome...you are going to love the Brinsea! How do your air cells look? I think if you add water and run 30%, 35% even, you'll balance out. My first batch, I ran 30-35% and the chicks hatched great. I ran higher this last hatch because I was losing to much weight (you helped me with my numbers ) and I had a lot of sticky chicks. I have no water in the incubator now and I can't get it below 50%! I even have a cup of rice in there. But peafowls like a little extra humidity from what I've read so I'm hoping its okay. I candled last night (day 11) and I thought I had a blood ring too. But the eggs are getting really hard to candle and I'm not sure. I left it in for now. I wanted to ask you about the ovascope, do you recommend it?? I'm seriously considering getting it but its like $70. Is it worth it?? I'm glad things are looking up for ya! Last question, is 101.5 too high for forced air?? I get nervous as soon as I go over 100.0. With the Brinsea you won't deviate more then .5 in either direction. I love mine!

 

[NTBugtraq]

That's awesome...you are going to love the Brinsea! How do your air cells look? I think if you add water and run 30%, 35% even, you'll balance out. My first batch, I ran 30-35% and the chicks hatched great. I ran higher this last hatch because I was losing to much weight (you helped me with my numbers

) and I had a lot of sticky chicks. I have no water in the incubator now and I can't get it below 50%! I even have a cup of rice in there. But peafowls like a little extra humidity from what I've read so I'm hoping its okay. I candled last night (day 11) and I thought I had a blood ring too. But the eggs are getting really hard to candle and I'm not sure. I left it in for now. I wanted to ask you about the ovascope, do you recommend it?? I'm seriously considering getting it but its like $70. Is it worth it?? I'm glad things are looking up for ya! Last question, is 101.5 too high for forced air?? I get nervous as soon as I go over 100.0. With the Brinsea you won't deviate more then .5 in either direction. I love mine!

My review of the OvaScope is here, hopefully it helps. I would buy one again, but I wish it did better. I have only used LED flashlights and they are good, and way cheaper, but I haven't bought one that's specific for candling (as in one that has a rubber ring to cup the egg...and having to walk with an egg into a nearby bathroom only introduces more opportunity for the egg to drop. I wouldn't buy the ovascope, only the ovascope HI...the more LEDs the better whether you got white eggs or brown.

Have you thought about a closet as a space where you can better control the humidity? 50% isn't terrible, but its higher than you'd like I think.

101.5 is 1F higher than desired. Amy is the Styrobator queen, I'm pretty sure she said 100.5, so that's what I have been aiming for.