The 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long

[ozexpat]

The kind with the little holes?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

 

[Arielle]

Those with auto egg turners, what do you do if you want to put a container or shot glass full of water in incubator? I tried bc even though I'm doing a dry hatch my humidity is going down to 16% ...always below 19%, their just isn't any room. Will a sponge last as long as a container? I don't want to keep having to open the bator up.

Be sure to go by wt or air cell-- let those guide the %RH-- but maybe you know this already.

My last hatch was running at 19 sway lower the the summer RH, so I added water to get more at 30-35 and then let it run at 19 again for a while, then back at 30% and let it run dry again, repeat. I"m at day 20 and the air cells should be a little bit bigger, so I have not added extra moisture yet. Goodness knows, I 've had so many hatch without the benefit of lockdown in the hatcher!!

 

[noahsmom]

Fantastic! Always like to see a visual and I'm using the same accurite.

Be sure to go by wt or air cell-- let those guide the %RH-- but maybe you know this already.

My last hatch was running at 19 sway lower the the summer RH, so I added water to get more at 30-35 and then let it run at 19 again for a while, then back at 30% and let it run dry again, repeat. I"m at day 20 and the air cells should be a little bit bigger, so I have not added extra moisture yet. Goodness knows, I 've had so many hatch without the benefit of lockdown in the hatcher!!

Thanks

 

[Gardeningmama]

like this..?

Yup!

i put down that rubber coated mesh kitchen drawer liner and place eggs on side, its more natural.

x2

 

[angelobutter]

Doing a staggered hatch so some are in the incubator and some aren't yet but I have LF white faced black spanish eggs, my own barnyard mix eggs, silkie and showgirl eggs, plus I kept not winning ebay auctions so I went ahead and ordered 3 black and 3 blue breda chicks from greenfire farms. not exactly hatching lol but they were so cute I couldn't resist. anyways I am super excited to get all the eggs in the incubators and even more excited for chicks- though I won't be able to keep them all- I will be adding a few new ones from this hatch. I need more coops!

 

[Arielle]

Morning Peeps!

I have a question (or three.) I have recently acquired a second bator that I intend to use as a hatcher. My thought was that I can keep the cooker-bator cleaner and have plenty fo time to sterilize the hatcher between batches. I have never had a separate hatcher so I am testing new water here.

Tell me your thoughts on hatching on their sides vs in a carton, humidity levels you use for hatching only, what you line your hatcher with (if anything) and any other tips and tricks you use to have a successful hatch!

Last year I ran a hatcher and an incubator. As the cooler incubator could hold MORE eggs it got that job, and the LG can manage only about 45 eggs so it was the hatcher. In the incubator I could keep some in egg cartons ( shipped eggs) or lay on sides and fill it up like a hens nest.

Having the two allowed for a constant flow of eggs from the incubator to the hatcher with various set dates. YOu will love having two!

I used rubber drawer liner, easy to pick up and shake into trash. I only set visibly clean eggs; dirty eggs are cleaned. I will not set cracked eggs. I don't dare say I didn't have any explosions, because that will jinks me, but you get my point. THis year I collected eggs dirtier than I like so those were washed and dipped in chlorinated water.

If the eggs are shipped eggs, I incubate and hatch in the upright position. In a hen's nest I see the eggs every which way. Scientifically, the embryo knows up from down and positions itself accordingly. SO I do manage them to have large end elevated. SOmetimes very hard with the marans eggs-- I use a roll technique to set the egg correctly.

Go for it!! YOu'll have waaaayyy too many chicks in no time!!

 

[noahsmom]

Both my Silkie AND RIR eggs (from horstman poultry) is being shipped out today!!!! Just received an email from Dick letting me know my RIR eggs will go out today to.

 

[Brookhavens]

Morning Peeps!

I have a question (or three.) I have recently acquired a second bator that I intend to use as a hatcher. My thought was that I can keep the cooker-bator cleaner and have plenty fo time to sterilize the hatcher between batches. I have never had a separate hatcher so I am testing new water here.

Tell me your thoughts on hatching on their sides vs in a carton, humidity levels you use for hatching only, what you line your hatcher with (if anything) and any other tips and tricks you use to have a successful hatch!

I use my coolerbators to hatch in. Much easier to clean the plastic lining. I also place paper towel on the bottom before locking down the eggs. Makes for much easier cleanup. Just pick up the PT and all the poop and shells comes with it.

Humidty in my hatchers is 63% at lockdown and then once I get a few pips I up it to around 67-68%

I hatch all of mine in an egg tray. Personal preference. I just don't like the hatched ones playing soccer with the unhatched ones.

 

[noahsmom]

I use my coolerbators to hatch in. Much easier to clean the plastic lining. I also place paper towel on the bottom before locking down the eggs. Makes for much easier cleanup. Just pick up the PT and all the poop and shells comes with it.

Humidty in my hatchers is 63% at lockdown and then once I get a few pips I up it to around 67-68%

I hatch all of mine in an egg tray. Personal preference. I just don't like the hatched ones playing soccer with the unhatched ones.

This was my worry. Although I suppose naturally this would happen anyway when hatching out of the bator.