setting eggs tomorrow.... 3-21-12 who wants to join?

[ryechickens]

Well, just joined BYC but it turns out I am right on pace with you guys, I am going to join in as well. This is our 3rd try at incubating using a home-made cooler incubator. We had been using a thermostat that wasn't completely cycling and would cause my temp/hydrgometer to fluxuate wildly. (Think the light not going all the way on or off was causing the gauge to be off, not overly fluxuating the actual temperature) This time, I changed out the thermostat and replaced with a dimmer switch, and have been able to maintain a lot better temperature control so far. I am hopeful that we will have much better success this time. On our first attempt we were 1 for 20... (Was a black sex link hen we named lone star), and then on the second attempt we ended up 5 for 28. Am hoping that we can at least get a dozen or more out of 27 to hatch this time. Would love to hear any further tips or advice... This thread has been very helpful this time!

 

[ryechickens]

Did some candeling and am down to 17 eggs now... They are headed for lockdown on Sunday...

 

[DirtCreature]

Well, just joined BYC but it turns out I am right on pace with you guys, I am going to join in as well. This is our 3rd try at incubating using a home-made cooler incubator. We had been using a thermostat that wasn't completely cycling and would cause my temp/hydrgometer to fluxuate wildly. (Think the light not going all the way on or off was causing the gauge to be off, not overly fluxuating the actual temperature) This time, I changed out the thermostat and replaced with a dimmer switch, and have been able to maintain a lot better temperature control so far. I am hopeful that we will have much better success this time. On our first attempt we were 1 for 20... (Was a black sex link hen we named lone star), and then on the second attempt we ended up 5 for 28. Am hoping that we can at least get a dozen or more out of 27 to hatch this time. Would love to hear any further tips or advice... This thread has been very helpful this time!

AND welcome to our thread! I am so excitited to see eveyones babys hatching!

What temp and humidity are you using....? what do you do at lockdown? how offten do you candle? are they shipped eggs?

 

[DirtCreature]

SO! I candled my eggs from batch "A" as promised, and found that eggs: Lavender orpington 7,3, 6, & BLRW A-1 are all dead. I cracked them open for the sake of seeing at what point they passed away.... 2 where early, one a little later, and the other was pretty big.

Im looking for an "in egg growth chart" right now, but cant seem to find one.

i JUST saw one yesterday i think.... ahhh!

Melissa~

 

[deserthotwings]

There are some pretty good charts and articles at chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/deve and enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/info/chicken/e HOPE THIS HELPS

SO! I candled my eggs from batch "A" as promised, and found that eggs: Lavender orpington 7,3, 6, & BLRW A-1 are all dead. I cracked them open for the sake of seeing at what point they passed away.... 2 where early, one a little later, and the other was pretty big.

Im looking for an "in egg growth chart" right now, but cant seem to find one.

i JUST saw one yesterday i think.... ahhh!

Melissa~

 

[DirtCreature]

Thank you, i think 2 died at day 4-5 one maybe 2-3 and one day 10-11... boooooooooo.

I still have all my high quality BLRW and that is what im going for anyways, and my lone blue cochin, and my LO.... I think i might only get 4-8 chicks out of 28 eggs. they where all shipped though.

 

[ryechickens]

Thanks for the response! Been trying to keep my eggs right at 99.5, but there have been a couple times including this morning where it has run up to 105 degrees... Humidity has been right at 40-50% for most of the time. Have been going on lockdown on day 18 and raising the humidity to 80-90%. Last time I had 14 pip, 8 that actually hatched, and 5 that survived the first week. Ironically, most of my eggs should be purebread New Hampshires, all of the ones that have survived have been black sex links/black stars.

Eggs, are ones that cam from my chickens... Have a New Hampshire Red Rooster, 5 NHR hens, one white rock hen, a black star, and two barred rock hens...

I know that the temperature has been a big issue... have been trying to keep it constant with my dimmer switch, but it is very sensitive, and the slightest bump will cause it to go up or down. I think for the next round I am going to move the dimmer switch to the back or side of the incubator where my curious 5 year old boys, yellow lab, my knee, etc, cant bump it anymore. Am also considering building a bigger, cabinet type incubator...

Thanks,

TJ

 

[rgvchicks]

nope.....got 3 homemade bators.....2 icechest bators and one fridgebator........one icechest bator is with the hatchalong marathon (got 20 chicks already) due on easter sunday.......another with the 3/21 we set due on wed.....and the fridgebator i just set 3 days ago with 150 eggs...........

are these all in the same bator?!

 

[crazyhen]

I have the new hovabator. The temp has ranged from 99.8 to 100.5. It seems pretty stable. Right now I am trying to get the humidity beyond 60%. I want about 65 to 70 %. I have heard that is good. This is my first try. Wish me lots of luck and lots of luck to you all. I also have a hen setting on the same age eggs. It will be interesting to see how all this works out. Gloria Jean

 

[solanaskyes]

I guess I should jump in here, I set a bunch on March 21, it's a mixed batch of BLR Wyandottes, purebred Aracuana, Ameracauanas, 1 Spitzhauben, and 1 Light Brahma.