Taking the plunge!

[redsoxs]

Well, tomorrow is the big day - my first eggs go into the incubator. I am incredibly nervous. I've read a lot on this forum, the wonderful article by Sally Sunshine, and picked the brain of Sumi.

So, I feel prepared but still apprehensive. I have a Little Giant still air that I turned into a forced air by installing a fan from a computer. So far so good. Temps seem to calibrate nicely according to the two thermometers I am using. For whatever reason, for a rookie hatcher I picked the single toughest eggs for candling - French BCMs! Great thinking, huh? I have read threads about candling the super dark eggs - I hope I see something.

So, I'll probably bombard this thread with panic-stricken questions so be ready and thanks in advance!!

 

[JohnnyxRex]

Good Luck. My hatch finished up today with 20 out of 22 SHIPPED eggs hatched. You'll do fine.

How many are you hatching?

 

[redsoxs]

Nine BCMs will go in. I will also add in a 4 or 5 eggs from my hens - they are a mixed flock with a GLW rooster. I mainly want to see if nothing hatches from the 9 I ordered, was it me or the eggs - so I am tossing in a few of my own. If nothing hatches...it's me.
Congrats on your hatch rate!!

That is highly impressive!!!

 

[JohnnyxRex]

Thanks! Did the eggs get there yet? Let them sit a day.

Incubating is fun, but I'm hoping one of these BO's goes broody. I'd love to watch that.

 

[redsoxs]

They arrived at noon today - so noon or later tomorrow? I should set them upright for while, correct? Point side down? I feel like I am just taking my chances on getting the air sac situated right - I haven't tried candling them yet but I have little faith - they are quite dark.
I know what you mean about the BOs - I have two that went broody repeatedly last year.

 

[JohnnyxRex]

That should be good. And I didn't candle at all this time.

 

[redsoxs]

I hope to have half of your success rate!!

 

[JohnnyxRex]

Oh I didn't mean it like that!

Once its set, just don't worry about it. On the previous hatch we had 18 mallard eggs. We killed all but 3 (1 never "recovered" - the feathers were never a normal pattern) right before lock down because we moved the incubator to get away from the cats. Water touched most of the eggs and we think bacteria got them. This time we just left it alone except adding (small amounts of) water. Even then i guess you have the good hatches and bad. Join in on the March hatch thread though. They help out alot!