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

[sjturner79]

GOOD LORD, do you have a fan in the bator? What's the settings at? So it's happening with the bator and the hens???

Yes I use forced air incubators, and yes I was getting chicks suffocate in shell under Broodies as well as in the incubator.
The setting varies from day to day on the incubator I was using as it had only the roughest of controls, and needed adjust every time the temp changed. My most recent hatch in my new bator ran from 99.9 to 102 at the various temp checks I did, but I'm guess the temp was actually low as the chick pipped at day 24. Will see if I get better results next time. The actual issue in the first couple was that the membrane stayed in place enough to stop air going in when the chick breathes in. Mostly if I pull a touch of membrane off once the break the shell they do the rest.

 

[lazy gardener]

When are you going to candle? I'm on tenterhooks.

Just a teeny tiny bit curious, are you? I candled last night, but didn't mark any thing. There is definitely some life in there, a few with decent veining. Some with wispy veining: those may be destined for early death. Interestingly, one of the Am eggs that I slapped a piece of packing tape over an indent that was about 1/8" x 1/2" is growing! Some of the air cells are showing well now. A lot of saddles, jiggles, sliders. One turkey may be alive.

 

[rossfam06]

Cool. I would love to have some RIR/BCM , ore pure of either/both

I have one of each that are pure. Both hens aND I just love them. Now this one egg was sent to me by "accident". I ordered a dozen BLRW eggs and only got 8. So I think he might have ran out and had to do something else. He was apologetic when I told him. Amd I said well if I need more I know where to get them now and he said that was fine.

Well, I found out that my brother and his wife will be happy to take whatever chicks I want to give them - so I added more eggs today! This could be a problem, I can totally see how it can become addicting.  Started with 20 in there yesterday and added 8 more today - they were nicely shaped and clean and so I just had to!  Lol.  I definitely don't need 28 chicks, if they all hatch, so I'll be gifting quite a few. Plus, I want to buy some more hatching eggs soon (this was a test hatch, remember - like 6 or so, yeah right!).  There are a couple more breeds I wanted to get this year so I need to find room somehow for at least some on my list.  

So far, happy with this bator - Hova Bator with turner and fan kit.  Holding nicely around 100* and about 20% humidity.  I was surprised the humidity was so low since the ambient humidity was in the 60's I think before closing the lid and turning it on.  Let me know if you think I should add a sponge to bump it a bit over 20% (dry/low humidity method).  Thanks!



What are SLP? Either I'm too sleepy or I just have no clue. Enlighten me?

Silver Laced Polish

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So I just set tonight 8 BLRW, 3 SS, 1 BCM/RIR cross, 10 SLP, 2 SLP/EE, and 2 F1 SLP/SLP/EE. Next week I will be getting a 12 eggs from Ruby to give it another try. I hope they arrive the same as yours Amy!!!

. Praying the post office handles them better. I plan to hand turn 5 times a day depending on the air cells with the silkies and up that humidity to 40 to 50 percent.

Good luck!!!

That sounds way to much like those personality tests...

My sister will look at me and say, go easy on me I'm a white. Well no kidding, but what does race have to do with it...

It does too!

Well, I found out that my brother and his wife will be happy to take whatever chicks I want to give them - so I added more eggs today! This could be a problem, I can totally see how it can become addicting. Started with 20 in there yesterday and added 8 more today - they were nicely shaped and clean and so I just had to! Lol. I definitely don't need 28 chicks, if they all hatch, so I'll be gifting quite a few. Plus, I want to buy some more hatching eggs soon (this was a test hatch, remember - like 6 or so, yeah right!). There are a couple more breeds I wanted to get this year so I need to find room somehow for at least some on my list.

So far, happy with this bator - Hova Bator with turner and fan kit. Holding nicely around 100* and about 20% humidity. I was surprised the humidity was so low since the ambient humidity was in the 60's I think before closing the lid and turning it on. Let me know if you think I should add a sponge to bump it a bit over 20% (dry/low humidity method). Thanks!


What are SLP? Either I'm too sleepy or I just have no clue. Enlighten me?

I don't like running dry unless my bator stays above 25% If it doesn't stay above 25% I add a sponge which holds it at about 30% ish which is my comfort zone. If you keep an eye on your air cells it will let you know if you need to adjust.

I have one of each that are pure. Both hens aND I just love them. Now this one egg was sent to me by "accident". I ordered a dozen BLRW eggs and only got 8. So I think he might have ran out and had to do something else. He was apologetic when I told him. Amd I said well if I need more I know where to get them now and he said that was fine.
Silver Laced Polish

If you order an x number of one breed of eggs and the seller can't fullfill it, thy should notify you and not just throw whatever in there without telling you. That would make me not use that person again. I'd feel like you were ttrying to pull something over on me.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I sat the eggs last night. 18 shipped silkies, 6nn/ee/?? and 9 Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben, (at least I am pretty sure they are her's....lol) The oldest Spitz egg is 10 days at set. Hoping they are all Spitz like I think and I can add 3 or 4 girls to the flock to increase my availability of pure Spitz eggs. Bator held good temps all night. This is going to be a long 21 days!! Already exhausted....lol

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes but I never color coded my hatchlings. Lol. what do u mean I'm not qualified for BLUE. WHANNNNN. I LOVE BLUE. LOL

Quote:

Trust me, you don't wanna be blue. IMO, that takes a lot of the fun out of it. (I wonder if SC is lurking???)

Quote:

LOL, I have never read or seen this color codes before, I guess I'm in the COOP now. LOL

Its just a thing we started to say that some are more hands-on when hatching, some are hands-off, and some are in between. Both sides have points to be considered, but neither is right or wrong!
Me saying you couldn't be BLUE is because blue is hands-off, and we know you are not hands-off! LOL (Blue ducks and chicks are fine though! I love blues, when it comes to that!)

I sat the eggs last night. 18 shipped silkies, 6nn/ee/?? and 9 Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben, (at least I am pretty sure they are her's....lol) The oldest Spitz egg is 10 days at set. Hoping they are all Spitz like I think and I can add 3 or 4 girls to the flock to increase my availability of pure Spitz eggs. Bator held good temps all night. This is going to be a long 21 days!! Already exhausted....lol

Ok, now breathe....

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm so excited because I have 4 call duck eggs showing development despite the detached air cells! This is my first time having eggs develop with detached air cells and it's a great learning experience to add. They are already proving to be amazing eggs to candle! And no, I'm not handling them, but I do shine the light on them when I open to tilt. I can see the little hearts beating. I've never seen such detail when candling an egg of any other species! Duck eggs are amazing to see!

So I just set tonight 8 BLRW, 3 SS, 1 BCM/RIR cross, 10 SLP, 2 SLP/EE, and 2 F1 SLP/SLP/EE. Next week I will be getting a 12 eggs from Ruby to give it another try. I hope they arrive the same as yours Amy!!! . Praying the post office handles them better. I plan to hand turn 5 times a day depending on the air cells with the silkies and up that humidity to 40 to 50 percent.

Sounds great, Ross! I've been storing my eggs in my basement. It's a constant 60 degrees and humid down there. With Amy's eggs, I could not tell a difference in air cells from the ones that were fresh and the ones that were a couple days old. So I'm hoping that makes a big difference in this batch!

It's a day earlier than the tracking info said, but we expected it today since they were only coming from 5 hours away and she mailed them Monday afternoon. They hit Syracuse at 5 last night and that's 2 hours from me.

So Ruby did an awesome job at packing! Not a single crack. I walk into the post office and there it sits on the counter on it's side. WIth big ole arrows saying this side up. I wanted to smack the clerk and ask her if they could read. But, I didn't. I figure if I did and ever had eggs shipped again they'd be scrambled next time.

Anyway, I unpacked and candled. On many I had a hard time making out the air cells, she did an awesome job on humidity control during storage. Some I could make out the outline of the cell, but not the actual "air". A new experience for me. There were a few "wobbly" cells I could make out. 3 or 4 already show saddling, but they were all in the same corner of the box so I'm guessing that corner got nailed. BUT  I did not see any that were totally detached and moving around. So I am very hopeful. I am quite pleased with the package. They are sitting and resting. I plan on setting them tonight at midnight, that gives them 14 hours of rest. I'm going to put them in a cut down carton at midnight and not turn them tomorrow. Friday I will start tilting and this weekend I will candle to see if all air cells are firmed up and if there is any development and if so I will lay them down for the rest of the incubation. Depending on what the saddled look like I might leave then upright.

Thank you @RubyNala97
 !!!!!!

I missed this quote before!! You're going to do great, Amy!!

 

[JulesChicks]

I have one of each that are pure. Both hens aND I just love them. Now this one egg was sent to me by "accident". I ordered a dozen BLRW eggs and only got 8. So I think he might have ran out and had to do something else. He was apologetic when I told him. Amd I said well if I need more I know where to get them now and he said that was fine.
Silver Laced Polish

Ah, yes, thank you!

 

[JulesChicks]

I don't like running dry unless my bator stays above 25% If it doesn't stay above 25% I add a sponge which holds it at about 30% ish which is my comfort zone. If you keep an eye on your air cells it will let you know if you need to adjust. What am I looking for in the air cells? I did not candle them before setting, was planning on candling on day 3 (I think that's when I read to do it) and then a couple more times to see if I have any not developing or early quitters. This is my first time and I tend to get bogged down researching things (and we just moved so I can't take too much time right now) - do you have a favorite link you can point me to with this method? I heard there is an old timer with a thread about dry hatching but I haven't found it yet. Thanks! BTW, 10 of the eggs I set are pure Marans (black copper), so they will be difficult to candle. A few are Welsummer and they are a little lighter than the Marans eggs, so may see something more.

If you order an x number of one breed of eggs and the seller can't fullfill it, thy should notify you and not just throw whatever in there without telling you. That would make me not use that person again. I'd feel like you were ttrying to pull something over on me. X2 on this. Shady or just don't keep close enough track of what they have, then I would be suspect of their breeding operations.

 

[Pipe Dreaming]

Hey guys - I need some help! We recently caved in and agreed to let our daughter adopt a cat. Well this cat is an indoor/outdoor cat. (We are finding out more and more we do not like this cat in the house)
Anyway - He keeps going after my chickens! I'm afraid he's going to kill them. We could get rid of the cat, but my daughter busts out in tears if we even mention it. She's been waiting 3 years for a cat. I hate to think I can't free-range my chickens, they just enjoy it so much and I can't stand the cat in the house...

Anyone have any ideas for me? I wish my big roosters would put him in his place, but I don't want to risk their life. Stupid cat...