"Springing in the Chicks" 2016 April Hatch-a-Long Hosted by Mike & Sally

[Coreenelane]

Ok, I am new and ready to learn. My incubator made by grandson and class mate will be free to set more eggs around April 10th. Right now eggs are being incubated for a science project that both boys are working on. The second clutch is in a large dog crate in the class mates garage. The hen was given 6 eggs from other chickens and showed signs of broodiness before the science project started. The next day she laid an egg and pushed out 3 of the original eggs. Next day she laid another and is sitting on them. Hope to learn a lot and incubate more eggs. Grandkids showing chickens in 4-H and selling eggs. Hens are paying for the feed and I want to breed and sell chickens. Candled some Sultun eggs today and so far so good. Trying to separate silkis and Sultuns so I don't have any cross breading. I think my silkis are starting to lay but not sure. I am finding very light cream small eggs but I thought I read somewhere that they laid peewee size eggs. Once I get them separated I'll know for sure. I find these forums so educational.

 

[Brittsplace]

ummmm okay so I ended up going ahead and setting some eggs tonight. SO I set 8 welsummer crosses and 2 EE

 

[speney]

Thanks to those who responded.  I candled all of them today and removed 7 (upon egtopsy they were all infertile).  

I thought it would feel like it was going to take these eggs forever to hatch.  Now, after a week, I feel kinda rushed.  This is going way faster than I expected.  

don't worry it will slow way down on day 20 good luck!

 

[hEEather]

Good morning! I have a quick question. Is there a way to help hold the humidity level for a longer period of time(more than a few hours) ? Im having trouble. This is only our 2nd try. The first time I had to keep opening the bator to refil the water channels,not Durning lockdown though. Anyway one one egg did pip on day 22 but never hatched and I'm guessing the others drowned because of poor knowledge on our part(I'm guessing?!?). This time I have a humidifier in the room and a sponge on a plate beneath a vent hole which allows for adding water with a dropper. I'm staying 35-55%. Thats good right? It is a farm innovators pro 4200 model. Oh in my intro post I didnt even mention the eggs. We have 7 oegb eggs and 6 standard size barnyard mix game eggs. Still fairly new to everything so please feel free to give pointers. I was going to try "dry" and NOT worry about the level but my brain can not. On a good note all of the 20 other baby chicks we have are growing up so lovely! I guess you could say beside the Phoenix and OEGB we have a bunch of muts lol. We have a bunch of mixes and the "EE's"(kind of muts too i guess) But it's okay we love them all

 

[campingshaws]

Good morning! I have a quick question. Is there a way to help hold the humidity level for a longer period of time(more than a few hours) ? Im having trouble. This is only our 2nd try. The first time I had to keep opening the bator to refil the water channels,not Durning lockdown though. Anyway one one egg did pip on day 22 but never hatched and I'm guessing the others drowned because of poor knowledge on our part(I'm guessing?!?). This time I have a humidifier in the room and a sponge on a plate beneath a vent hole which allows for adding water with a dropper. I'm staying 35-55%. Thats good right? It is a farm innovators pro 4200 model. Oh in my intro post I didnt even mention the eggs. We have 7 oegb eggs and 6 standard size barnyard mix game eggs. Still fairly new to everything so please feel free to give pointers. I was going to try "dry" and NOT worry about the level but my brain can not. On a good note all of the 20 other baby chicks we have are growing up so lovely! I guess you could say beside the Phoenix and OEGB we have a bunch of muts lol. We have a bunch of mixes and the "EE's"(kind of muts too i guess) But it's okay we love them all

Good morning! I have some handy humidity info for you.

[quote url="[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1074649/the-7th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long/7060#post_16650962[/URL]"]
[COLOR=000000]HUMIDITY[/COLOR][COLOR=000000] [/COLOR] [COLOR=FF0000]Humidity is NOT a set number![/COLOR]

[COLOR=FF0000]Its a tool to get the correct weight loss in the egg![/COLOR] post #7068 [COLOR=008080]see[/COLOR] [COLOR=0000FF]Hatching Eggs 101[/COLOR]

[COLOR=000000]WHY do we need less humidity to get the best weight loss for colored hatching eggs during incubation?[/COLOR][COLOR=008080] [/COLOR] post #36320 [COLOR=008080]KEEPING MOLD and BACTERIAL from growing in water WELLS during incubation[/COLOR] post #1644 [COLOR=008080]USING a aquarium pump to humidify incubator Begin post[/COLOR] post #42512 [COLOR=008080]TIPS n TRICKS to raising humidity in incubators[/COLOR] post #4251

[quote url="[URL]https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/7256474/[/URL]"]

[COLOR=FF0000]HUMIDITY[/COLOR]​

[COLOR=FF0000]The Air Bubble in the Egg[/COLOR]​

DRY HATCH incubation DOES NOT MEAN RUN DRY! It is not only the final size of the air cell that matters, but also the time it takes to form. In the first ten days of incubation, the embryo is small and floats in the amniotic fluid. Weight loss during this phase is mainly the effect of water evaporating from albumen and internal liquids. After this stage, changes occur quickly: the growing embryo gradually fills the egg, excepting the air cell. Low RH set points at days 14-18 of incubation increase evaporation from the allantois – and once the allantois is emptied of fluid, moisture will be drawn from the embryo, causing its dehydration.

The average chicken egg has thousands of pores running through the shell allowing the embryo to exchange oxygen, carbon dioxide. and water. Soon after an egg is laid, a small air bubble or “air cell” forms in the large end of the egg from this water loss. Humidity levels in the incubator determine moisture evaporation during the 21 days of incubation and hatching. The air cell is crucial for the chick to break out of the egg shell at the end of the incubation period. The chick can drown if the air cell is too small or the chick may be retarded in growth if the air cell is too large. This is why maintaining the proper humidity is crucial. [COLOR=FF0000]Slightly lower humidity levels are more likely to be less disastrous than slightly higher humidity levels.[/COLOR] There are quite a few opinions on Humidity, but it is no set number.​

Humidity is [COLOR=FF0000]NOT A SET NUMBER, you need it YES![/COLOR]​

However, you use it as a tool to "adjust" egg weight loss during incubation. [COLOR=FF0000]We candle on days 7,10,14,18 To WATCH WEIGHT LOSS IN EVERY EGG! [COLOR=FF0000] An EGG MUST[/COLOR] lose approximately 13-14% of its weight[/COLOR] during the incubation process. THIS IS YOUR GOAL!! You can monitor this by marking Air cells and also by weighing. Please refer to CANDLING section of this Article for more Air Cell info.​

​

Size of air cell on day 7, 14, and 18 of incubation​

[COLOR=FF0000]WHY to MEASURE WEIGHT LOSS IN EGGS, [/COLOR]​

MEASURING PROCEDURES (HOW TO), HOW TO CALCULATE, and HOW to interpret RESULTS
[COLOR=005CB1]http://www.aviagen.com/assets/Tech_Center/BB_Resources_Tools/AA_How_Tos/AAHowto1WaterLossEN13.pdf[/COLOR]
I choose the easier method, keeping a close eye on air cell growth during incubation. You begin by ONLY adding a small amount of water and keep Humidity between 20%-30% and adjusting as you weigh or candle depending on moisture loss. IN SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTRY YOU MAY NOT NEED TO ADD ANY WATER! USE IT AS A TOOL FOR THE CORRECT WEIGHT LOSS IN THE EGG! So if your air cells look too large at each candle period you must add some humidity, too small air cell lower it, and if your weighing you adjust as needed. UNTIL DAY 18 LOCKDOWN,​

then stop turning and raise humidity to 65-70%​

UNDERSTANDING HUMIDITY​

Views of Day 18 Candle.....​

​

[/quote] [/quote]

 

[firedragon1982]

My turn has come up with the silkie breeder as well, my husband agreed to let me get a dozen eggs, should arrive Mon or Tues. Guess I'll need to add another couple of rails to my turner...

 

[shahtir101]

I just go a pair of silkied seramas, so that means I will be setting silkied serama eggs.

 

[mlm Mike]

Hey Sally!

.

Please count me in for the hatch!
As soon as the Easter Hal is done, I will be setting to join you all here.

And thanks mike for catching my error on the Easter Hal !

hi canadachickens! Glad you decided to join us here!

Ok, I am new and ready to learn. My incubator made by grandson and class mate will be free to set more eggs around April 10th. Right now eggs are being incubated for a science project that both boys are working on. The second clutch is in a large dog crate in the class mates garage. The hen was given 6 eggs from other chickens and showed signs of broodiness before the science project started. The next day she laid an egg and pushed out 3 of the original eggs. Next day she laid another and is sitting on them. Hope to learn a lot and incubate more eggs. Grandkids showing chickens in 4-H and selling eggs. Hens are paying for the feed and I want to breed and sell chickens. Candled some Sultun eggs today and so far so good. Trying to separate silkis and Sultuns so I don't have any cross breading. I think my silkis are starting to lay but not sure. I am finding very light cream small eggs but I thought I read somewhere that they laid peewee size eggs. Once I get them separated I'll know for sure. I find these forums so educational.

Hello! Sounds like you have wonderful grandkids.

Here are some helpful and educationak links:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-w-friends-helpful-notes-links-informational-post-links

ummmm okay so I ended up going ahead and setting some eggs tonight. SO I set 8 welsummer crosses and 2 EE

Great! Good luck!

 

[mlm Mike]

Good morning! I have a quick question. Is there a way to help hold the humidity level for a longer period of time(more than a few hours) ? Im having trouble. This is only our 2nd try. The first time I had to keep opening the bator to refil the water channels,not Durning lockdown though. Anyway one one egg did pip on day 22 but never hatched and I'm guessing the others drowned because of poor knowledge on our part(I'm guessing?!?). This time I have a humidifier in the room and a sponge on a plate beneath a vent hole which allows for adding water with a dropper. I'm staying 35-55%. Thats good right? It is a farm innovators pro 4200 model. Oh in my intro post I didnt even mention the eggs. We have 7 oegb eggs and 6 standard size barnyard mix game eggs. Still fairly new to everything so please feel free to give pointers. I was going to try "dry" and NOT worry about the level but my brain can not. On a good note all of the 20 other baby chicks we have are growing up so lovely! I guess you could say beside the Phoenix and OEGB we have a bunch of muts lol. We have a bunch of mixes and the "EE's"(kind of muts too i guess) But it's okay we love them all

I would try to stay at about 35% to start, then adjust based on air cell size. You really shouldn't have to add water every few hours. Water should only needed to be added every few days or so. Can you post any pictures of the set up and maybe we can figure out what is wrong.

 

[mlm Mike]

My turn has come up with the silkie breeder as well, my husband agreed to let me get a dozen eggs, should arrive Mon or Tues. Guess I'll need to add another couple of rails to my turner...

Great!

I just go a pair of silkied seramas, so that means I will be setting silkied serama eggs.

Awesome!