The 5th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[jbher]

I have one of these incubator warehouse incubators, and generally I really like it.. but I have a couple of questions for anyone else who has used one before..



1. Do you generally trust the humidity gauge and recommended humidity range for "incubation"? Because that seems a little low in humidity compared with what I'm used to with the Genesis. The range it seems to want is around 40% for incubation based on the red "double checking" gauge I have in there.

2. How do you refill the water reservoirs without getting your eggs and the mesh base wet? Or is that not a problem?

3. How has it worked for you? I like a lot of things about it but I haven't hatched anything out in it before. I was running it with humidity up in the "hatching" range (because the first reservoir filled with water just put the humidity gauge in that range).. but gave the eggs away mid-incubation.. but they hatched fairly well for the new owner.

Any help with this incubator is much appreciated. This time I was targeting the recommended "incubation" humidity level which is low for my comfort.. by only filling the smallest inner reservoir.

Thanks for any and all experience/thoughts!

Oh wanted to add that I also started out by filling only the inner reservoir too. The outside one gave me too much humidity.

 

[Gardeningmama]

@Gardeningmama

Happy birthday

looks like we share one! I turn 38 today and get to go shop for an old piece of furniture to turn into a brooder!! I am one happy guy!!

Early day 19 (shipped initially loose air cell, set after 12 hours and turned upright in the cabinet cooler incubator right from set)
Silky embryo in position for hatch and with internal pip (NOTE: NO EXTERNAL YET!)



I am adding this to the Hatching 101 article, I have had several people ask me what an internal pip looks like. this time frame can be up to a day before you see an external pip! I always note the time I see a first internal, I wont candle anymore, I will keep them lockdown and watch them progress through the window!

​

My set number went down to 5.

I opened the door to the coop this morning at 6 to let everyone out and then I went back to check on my broody hen at about 9:30 to see if she had left the nest to eat anything. When I got outside I saw feathers everywhere but not blood. I couldn't figure out what happened because everyone was out there that should have been. I went to the coop after the outside head count to check on my hen and something had gotten her and in the process crushed 5 eggs. I grabbed the other five and they were cold. I decided to bring them inside and put them in the incubator even though I don't have much hope that they'll make it. After bringing the eggs inside, I went back outside to clean up the mess in the coop and put all the chickens back in the coop, but when I got there I saw more feathers. I looked around to see who it was this time and in the back of the field behind my house I saw a fox reach the wood line with my favorite rooster in his mouth.

That is absolutely horrible...I'm so sorry!

 

[cwhittington]

Newcomer here! A friend and I set 42 eggs to hatch on Saturday at noon. They are a variety of breeds, no purebreds, that include Brahma, Ameraucana, Leghorn, Orpington, etc. Happy hatching!

~Christy
Youngsville, NC

 

[sillycmoy]

Looking at your Egg Count, I think Sphinx has 11 going, but I think her BO Broody quit, so then she moved some to her Silkie, at I think 8 eggs, which is going to be an issue. Not sure if she whipped out her incubator.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Please count me in!

I set my eggs yesterday evening. I picked them up at about 2:30 in the afternoon. Got home a little after 4:00; had them in the incubator by 6:00. I am hatching Crested Cream Legbars - 6 of them in a Little Giant incubator.

Thanks so much, Kestlyn!

Glad you joined us!

Okay! My final number for Hatch-A-Long!!!
Total Eggs= 29

4 Silver Pheasant
4 Call Duck
1 Frizzle over Ameracauna
1 Silkie over Silver Hamburg
1 Blk/Brown d'Uccle over Golden Neck d'Uccle
13 Serama

AND

2 Goffins Cockatoo
3 Congo African Grey

Here is my broody Silkie who is on Chicken eggs and a pheasant egg.



And here are the call duck eggs that were in time for the hatch and three of the pheasant eggs. Yeah, I know it's not full! I have to save some space for pheasant eggs....The other small egg is a d'Uccle that should hatch tomorrow..



The Serama eggs are in another incubator..

I can't wait to see what a silver pheasant chick looks like! And baby Cockatoos and African Greys!

Does anyone remember @Mahonri ?

Yep! Loved watching him freak out every hatchalong!

Count me in. I set 4. This should be alot of fun.

Welcome!

If I set 39 duck eggs, 9 guinea eggs and 6 more misc chicken eggs tomorrow morning, will they count for the hatch along?

Yes they will!

I'm in with 34.

Yay!

After watching me skim thru this thread all day getting caught up, DH says I need to come here for advise...Hmmm I think, this comment should be interesting....See those people's incubators don't have to be completely filled to the point that eggs are getting ready to fall out. HAHAHAHA...(I think there were two brinsea pics with only a few eggs in there)

Although in all honesty how do you do that? Don't you feel the urge to go buy eggs or search out nests?

I just tell myself, I'm gonna have broodies, I'm gonna have broodies. I had 10 broodies last year.

So roughly 48 hours into this (my first hatch) I have come to the realization of two things. 1.) It is practically imposible to stay caught up on these posts (thank you ron for the daily digest)((also for the suggestion to read the hatching 101 article // very informative)). 2.) I am obsessed with adjusting the temp knob on my LG forced air. (aside from the first 12 hours after i put them in I dont think I have left it alone for more than 3-4 hours). It has read anywhere from 97 up to 100. Hoping when I get home in the morning it is going to be sitting right on 99.5 but we will see.

You should be able to get it to a spot where you don't have to adjust it much. I have a hovabator and it's stable - until day 7 when the eggs start producing heat, then I'll have to dial it down a bit. (or if it warms up considerably outside)

So has anyone got the number of eggs set added up?


5659 is what I counted by the numbers posted. Not everyone hass their numbers yet. What's up with that?

It's going to take some time, we still have the quail folks that have to set their eggs!

Mich you didnt tell them its YOUR birthday too!
@Gardeningmama

Happy Birthday!

My set number went down to 5.

I opened the door to the coop this morning at 6 to let everyone out and then I went back to check on my broody hen at about 9:30 to see if she had left the nest to eat anything. When I got outside I saw feathers everywhere but not blood. I couldn't figure out what happened because everyone was out there that should have been. I went to the coop after the outside head count to check on my hen and something had gotten her and in the process crushed 5 eggs. I grabbed the other five and they were cold. I decided to bring them inside and put them in the incubator even though I don't have much hope that they'll make it. After bringing the eggs inside, I went back outside to clean up the mess in the coop and put all the chickens back in the coop, but when I got there I saw more feathers. I looked around to see who it was this time and in the back of the field behind my house I saw a fox reach the wood line with my favorite rooster in his mouth.

I'm so sorry.

 

[PAchickenlover]

My set number went down to 5. I opened the door to the coop this morning at 6 to let everyone out and then I went back to check on my broody hen at about 9:30 to see if she had left the nest to eat anything. When I got outside I saw feathers everywhere but not blood. I couldn't figure out what happened because everyone was out there that should have been. I went to the coop after the outside head count to check on my hen and something had gotten her and in the process crushed 5 eggs. I grabbed the other five and they were cold. I decided to bring them inside and put them in the incubator even though I don't have much hope that they'll make it. After bringing the eggs inside, I went back outside to clean up the mess in the coop and put all the chickens back in the coop, but when I got there I saw more feathers. I looked around to see who it was this time and in the back of the field behind my house I saw a fox reach the wood line with my favorite rooster in his mouth.

Oh NO! so sorry!

 

[Cynthia12]

So roughly 48 hours into this (my first hatch) I have come to the realization of two things. 1.) It is practically imposible to stay caught up on these posts (thank you ron for the daily digest)((also for the suggestion to read the hatching 101 article // very informative)). 2.) I am obsessed with adjusting the temp knob on my LG forced air. (aside from the first 12 hours after i put them in I dont think I have left it alone for more than 3-4 hours). It has read anywhere from 97 up to 100. Hoping when I get home in the morning it is going to be sitting right on 99.5 but we will see.

You must have a wafer to work with..not a pre set LF forced air? If so, you being at 100 should be great. Try and get it to stay right there! You may not be able to get the ..point 5...to show up on what ever thermometer you are using. Mind don't show the points. I go with a solid 100, but can tell by the feel of the eggs it's at the upper 100. Getting close to the 101. Where I would want it for the still air.
Hopefully..my incubator comes today.

 

[Cynthia12]

 

[JDchicks]

 

[Cynthia12]

So has anyone got the number of eggs set added up?


5659 is what I counted by the numbers posted. Not everyone hass their numbers yet. What's up with that?

The numbers coming today!!

Hoping I get a phone call from the P.O. They usually call by 9:30! If not, then I'm calling when I'm expecting eggs. 6 days out for these eggs. Come on P.O. call!

Once I know if they are here or not..I will post numbers and a photo of eggs.