Setting up the bator and setting shipped eggs this week....anyone else wanna join?

[fishermans wife]

Thanks Vicki!

So, if I am reading this right, you would leave them in the egg carton, shifting end to end, until day 18, then lay them down for hatching. I did last hatch - in carton for 5 days, no turning , then laid them down until day 18, then put them in cartons, fat end up for lockdown. I had one that pipped wrong end, but caught it in time to turn over and it hatched fine.

How much do I need to lift the end of the carton? I like that idea as it would be less touching of egg - however I do always wash and sanitize my hands before turning the eggs.

Thanks again!

Becky

 

[delisha]

Thanks Vicki!

So, if I am reading this right, you would leave them in the egg carton, shifting end to end, until day 18, then lay them down for hatching. I did last hatch - in carton for 5 days, no turning , then laid them down until day 18, then put them in cartons, fat end up for lockdown. I had one that pipped wrong end, but caught it in time to turn over and it hatched fine.

How much do I need to lift the end of the carton? I like that idea as it would be less touching of egg - however I do always wash and sanitize my hands before turning the eggs.

Thanks again!

Becky

Smart decision about washing hands..I believe that is the number one killer of chicks.

Most use just a sanitized lid or square short bowl. It does not need to be lifted much at all. Some go to the lengths of swapping interior eggs for exterior eggs at candle times. All the professional incubators use the tilt method and they tilt about two inches for the biggest I think. Mine tilts an inch as do most auto turners.

 

[fishermans wife]

Smart decision about washing hands..I believe that is the number one killer of chicks.

Most use just a sanitized lid or square short bowl. It does not need to be lifted much at all. Some go to the lengths of swapping interior eggs for exterior eggs at candle times. All the professional incubators use the tilt method and they tilt about two inches for the biggest I think. Mine tilts an inch as do most auto turners.

Sorry for so many questions! I have hatched 3 times now, but only 1 time with silkies, and I would love to have a better hatch rate on these Catdance eggs! Do you not touch the eggs at all then? You just shift the object you are using to tilt the eggs from one end to the other? So technically the eggs are never "rotated" or touched?

 

[delisha]

Quote: I touch eggs during candling and weigh ins. I wash and sanitize like you do or ware gloves if I have been out to the feed store. I personally have a theory about feed stores. Everyone with chickens enters a feed store, and so does every avarian disease there is. I have one set of cloths and shoes for the feed store.

 

[Gallina Sarda]

Wow someone is going to be busy with chicks,
I have never grown quail.  If I thought I could kill the cute little things I might would grow some but otherwise I would not. Just to much trouble. Would they be hard to sell?? I wonder? 

Hey Gloria! You might change your mind after eating quail braised in white wine - yum!

 

[chickenlickin8]

I touch eggs during candling and weigh ins. I wash and sanitize like you do or ware gloves if I have been out to the feed store. I personally have a theory about feed stores. Everyone with chickens enters a feed store, and so does every avarian disease there is. I have one set of cloths and shoes for the feed store.

Interesting theory about feed stores. I hadn't thought of that. I'm thinking of which shoes I usually wear when I go for supplies. Typically sandals....I'll have to be sure to wear the same pair and not wear those into the coop.

I've never hatched out silkie eggs but sounds like I might want to tttry it just for the challenge. I really like having an egg turner to minimize the touching of the eggs except for candling and lockdown. Thanks for all of the great info Vicki! You are like a hatching scientist!

 

[delisha]

Quote: I am good at hatching my own eggs..I am learning on shipping eggs by experimentation, trial and error, and reading reading, and reading.

 

[chickenlickin8]

Good morning All! How is incubating going? Any trouble with regulating your temp and/or humidity? I'm thinking about firing up the bator again...see what good influence my BYC friends have on me...lol! Maybe order some Silkie (gasp), BCM or Bantam Ameraucana eggs. My chicks are 3 weeks old this week...wow...already! They don't stay babies for long...that's for sure! I'm sexing the chicks now and weeding out all the little roos, keeping some layers for summer production as my older girls slow down.

Christy, have your pips turned into zips on those ameraucana eggs?

 

[Gallina Sarda]

Good morning All! How is incubating going? Any trouble with regulating your temp and/or humidity? I'm thinking about firing up the bator again...see what good influence my BYC friends have on me...lol! Maybe order some Silkie (gasp), BCM or Bantam Ameraucana eggs. My chicks are 3 weeks old this week...wow...already! They don't stay babies for long...that's for sure! I'm sexing the chicks now and weeding out all the little roos, keeping some layers for summer production as my older girls slow down. 

Christy, have your pips turned into zips on those ameraucana eggs?

Good morning Justine, I have been reading up on sexing chickens - there seems to be a lot of debate on it! How do you sex yours? Feathers, vent, patterning?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. My BSLs are easy, it's the RIR that I've no clue on...

 

[adjllee]

IT'S LOCKDOWN DAY!! Will be doing it this evening when my daughters get home from school and get the other animals taken care of. So eggciting!!