She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[FridayYet]

Thanks! I just looked up when and where exactly the tornado hit, having only heard bits and pieces on the news. It hit a mile or so from the intestate that I was travelling on "shortly after 7:30 pm". I sent my hubby a text at 7:39 saying I had just made it off the interstate safely. I had to stop to collect my nerves. 80 mph winds. It was unreal. Our place is west and it hit east, so luckily I was going the right direction. Some trees down our way, and some roads blocked with water, but nothing major. My son's house is closer to where it touched down, but they are ok too, and my birds too!! So we are all fine.

SCARY!!

Glad you are all OK.

 

[WVduckchick]

Final count. 14 shipped eggs from sea level to 5k ft. All fertile. 11 hatched. 1 quit at estimate 12 days. 1 at 16 or 17. 1 fully developed. Pic below.

I ran at 50% humidity to get more oxygen to the developing chicks throughout incubation. 70%-65% during lockdown. I had my vents (I have them now) open the whole time.

I'm very happy with the results and I think Frankenbator is ready for prime time.

The good:

The Bad:

And the ugly:

Wow, that's still a great overall result! Congratulations!!

 

[sideWing]

Nice work!  If I ever/whenever I do shipped eggs again I think I'll up the humidity.  Did your eggs come from West or East?  I'm thinking certain postal hubs might be harder on eggs, but its an unfounded theory based on a few things I've read.

They came from Illinois. To me the biggest difference besides good packaging is that I had them ship them normaly and with no special stickers. No indication they were eggs. I think they throw them on purpose.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I think your project is great! Is your plan to sell eating eggs? I'd love to have a small farm someday when my children get a little older. My current hatching and keeping chicks is me starting that dream. And hopefully with work & dedication I will get there!

I sell eating eggs today, I get about a dozen a day from my 21 hens. Of course when I am setting I have none, but like now, I will have a week or two of eggs to sell. I sell a little of a lot, except my garlic which I have 10,000 of (no typo). This summer has been awesome at growing my clientele. Last year I was a hit with my garlic scape pesto, which I will make anew in a couple of weeks, but I have had many people back already asking if its ready. IMO, the trick is just getting people to turn into the driveway...then they become customers, then they become advertisers...Ruby, once you have one child who can tell anyone where everything is..."and these are our chickens, and ...." you are ready to sell.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Thanks! I just looked up when and where exactly the tornado hit, having only heard bits and pieces on the news. It hit a mile or so from the intestate that I was travelling on "shortly after 7:30 pm". I sent my hubby a text at 7:39 saying I had just made it off the interstate safely. I had to stop to collect my nerves. 80 mph winds. It was unreal. Our place is west and it hit east, so luckily I was going the right direction. Some trees down our way, and some roads blocked with water, but nothing major. My son's house is closer to where it touched down, but they are ok too, and my birds too!! So we are all fine.

I'm glad to hear you are ok, and thank goodness you turned the right way. Sympathy to everyone in its path though...20 years ago I was lucky enough to get to work from home, and home was a feeble apartment...so I picked up and moved to a place I thought would have no natural disasters...so far so good! I can understand you gathering your nerves on the side of the road, I couldn't stand anything like that.

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

Final count. 14 shipped eggs from sea level to 5k ft. All fertile. 11 hatched. 1 quit at estimate 12 days. 1 at 16 or 17. 1 fully developed. Pic below.

I ran at 50% humidity to get more oxygen to the developing chicks throughout incubation. 70%-65% during lockdown. I had my vents (I have them now) open the whole time.

I'm very happy with the results and I think Frankenbator is ready for prime time.

The good:


The Bad:


And the ugly:

That sounds like a really successful hatch! Congrats, they're all adorable(even ugly lol).

I am looking for a no fuss bator for about 100 bucks(give or take a few dimes). I think we have settled on the hovabator something thousand and something. Does that sound like a smart move?

 

[sideWing]

That sounds like a really successful hatch! Congrats, they're all adorable(even ugly lol).

I am looking for a no fuss bator for about 100 bucks(give or take a few dimes).  I think we have settled on the hovabator something thousand and something. Does that sound like a smart move?

I have heard good things about the HOvabator but I would not get one without auto egg turner. And that's over $100. :-(

 

[BlackwoodHollow]

I have heard good things about the HOvabator but I would not get one without auto egg turner. And that's over $100. :-(

Alright, cool. Thanks for the advice. We have two little giants with egg turners. I wonder if those would work in it.

 

[NTBugtraq]

I have heard good things about the HOvabator but I would not get one without auto egg turner. And that's over $100. :-(

That's what I did my 1st 3 hatches in, a 1588 with automatic egg turner. +1 hatch slightly above 50%, #2 was terrible, but it was my fault...#3 is going on now, with a hatch in a Brinsea Octo 40 ADV EX 10 days later...as a comparison. Amy loves Styro, I'm trying to do this comparison as a testimony to Amy and SC's different views...we shall see.

 

[rossfam06]

I have a spradel leg (I think) on one of my chicks. Does this repair look ok?

Looks like a good job to me! Hope it heals quickly.

Final count. 14 shipped eggs from sea level to 5k ft. All fertile. 11 hatched. 1 quit at estimate 12 days. 1 at 16 or 17. 1 fully developed. Pic below.

I ran at 50% humidity to get more oxygen to the developing chicks throughout incubation. 70%-65% during lockdown. I had my vents (I have them now) open the whole time.

I'm very happy with the results and I think Frankenbator is ready for prime time.

The good:


The Bad:


And the ugly:

I like the references. I am sorry you lost three but Great Job on the hatch rate of shipped eggs and in a frankenbator.

They came from Illinois. To me the biggest difference besides good packaging is that I had them ship them normaly and with no special stickers. No indication they were eggs. I think they throw them on purpose.

That's something to think about. I might have to request that next time.