The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[La Casa de Pollo]

Well, I would up the temp then, just a bit.  Let it go to 98, then go by the feel.  With your wrist..does it feel like a baby bottle ready to be taken?  If so, go a little higher, of course, if it's too hot, then go back lower.  This is how I work my temps without those fancy thermometers.  I get to know how the eggs feel in my hand as to where I want that thermometer to read.  Right now, I have one bator at 100, the other is 99.  The eggs feel the same to me warmth wise.  This took a couple of yrs. to do, by feeling the eggs warmth.  Just a thought, you can buy another thermometer to go beside the other one inside to see if it's off quite a bit side by side. 

I do this same thing--after raising a herd of kids...I just go with the "if it feels like it has a fever the bator is a tad warm lol!

 

[RedIII]

Okay, we've set 12 black queen eggs, ranging in weight between 48g and 71g. That seems like a large range, doesn't it?

I must ask - What is a black queen?

Basil is a good natural remedy for headaches, as well as massage.

Lavender also helps. I have a bottle of dried lavender on my nightstand that I sometimes smell to take the edge off headaches.

 

[FrenchToast]

Anyone think this is a good deal for a styrobator? http://www.farmandfleet.com/product...or-wih-automatic-egg-turner.html#.VQWfgI54pbU 

$85 with the shipping (digital, fan, turner). 
I am still building my coolerbator and thought these could always be used for hatchers later... 

Thank you for posting this. I just bought the same one two days ago and paid the $110.00. I will be returning it and buying 2 of these at this price.
I was using the genesis hova bators 1588 for the last few years but forgot to clean them right away last year and the screws rusted and don't want to risk not getting them clean enough.
So I went to my Fleet Farm (not Farm &Fleet)also here in Wi and picked up this one for the HAL. I have to say so far I like it. I did have to use another thermometer to check temp so raised up to 100.5
I had paid $170 For Hovabators 3 yrs ago and I'd say they are comparable but my hoveabator did not have lcd digital display. I will be a lot more careful with these.lol Oh and two negatives. It does not have a clear plastic tray in the bottom. Water goes directly on Styrofoam bottom. Yuk. Bought distilled water. Hope that helps. And the instructions SUCK. Doesn't even tell you where to start to put the water for incubation vs hatching.One big plus is it has a light outer plastic covering. I hated all of the fingernail indents mine got from opening it. Plus as a bonus it was suppose to come with an egg candler but some didn't so the sign at the store said to call the toll free number on the box. Good deal.Thats A $13 EXTRA BONUS.3

so far so good with the new F I Pro Series 4250
Set it @100.5 additional thermometers are reading 99.5 99 and 100.
Turns out I did get Mine on sale for $94.50 @ Fleet Farm. If I order another one for $79.99 plus tax and shipping it will come out to the same price. Might go get another one. I have eggs coming next week and I'm having wishful thinking that all of my shipped eggs are going to make it ! LOL So I wont have room.

 

[ellymayRans]

OK I think I posted the wrong place ? I hope this is right. I set 12 eggs in my new bator that my beautiful niece made me .hoping for 04-04-2015 !

You're in the right place!! Kept wondering if I missed your post..glad you found it! It was my pleasure to be an enabler to my Wonderfully Amazing Aunt Peggy! Xoxo!

 

[wornoutmomto3]

sorry for your loss on Roo #2

Squeakers is adorable. What breed is he? Is he lavender?

Thank you.
I don't know anything about Squeakers other than his last home. I TSC employee bought him and a few other chicks during last years TSC chick days. Squeakers was one of the hatchery choice bantams that TSC gets each year.

Hmm, well I'm not too sure about my new incubator, my thermometer says 90 and the built in one says 100, the humidity reading is also bouncing around from 40 to 70. Blah dang thing

That is tough. I have similar issues with my incubator. I trust my digital thermometer that is egg level over the built it one. Unfortunately, I still have to keep that thermometer happy as well because. That is where placement comes in. Don't place the sensor right under the heat source, or underneath the egg turner. Temps will get to high and could cause problems. Just play around with it for a bit to see where you need to place the heat and humidity sensor.

Mine is doing the same thing. Which reading do I trust???

I have a Little Giant still air incubator also. I had to get pretty creative with my sets. First, I can't have a full set because of hot and cold spots. Second, I use a special arrangement that I found works great for all the eggs to develop in sync.
This arrangement along with precise sensor placement gets me the best results. The open 9x9 space at the top gets to hot for proper development. The third step is placement of the temperature and humidity sensor. I chose to place the sensor on the dark brown maran eggs. I also use a secondary digital thermometer/hygrometer that is placed in the bottom corner opposite the built in sensor. Periodically, I will move the digital thermometer into the 9x9 space to check that it isn't getting too hot under the heat source. It can be a pain, but it works for now. I am hoping to get a fan attachment soon so these hot and cold spots are no more.

Are those white peafowl!?! I have been wanting some for a while. Do you sell hatching pea eggs or pea-chicks?

 

[bamadude]

These new digital little giants (9300/ 10300/11300) are crazy hard to tune in. The little clear plastic thing goes everywhere (especially with the auto turner) and makes the temp go crazy. I have started threads on the 9300 and 10300 on byc and nobody can figure them out. Good luck. If u figure it out please share

 

[calientepocket]

:/My temp seems to be "stuck" at 98.6. Is that going to affect the incubation process? It raises a few points now and then, but seems to stay at 37 Celsius most often. The thermometer is also at the top of the bator, and not egg level :/

 

[Chrysolinsbirds]

I'm all Set =)
23 Toulouse
7 runner duck
30 chicken
Technically I have way more set but these are the ones that should hatch within the time frame for this Hal =)

 

[Junibutt]

Ok, I could not resist myself and stuck 5 of the 6 eggs that were laid today into the incubator. There seemed to be no room but I made all the laid down eggs upright and voila, there was room for 5. I think if I shuffle eggs around, I possibly have room for 1 more. Will see in the morning!

TOTAL of 74 eggs set now!

 

[Cynthia12]

At least it is here! Great weather for now. Seeing blossoms, buds, tulips coming up. And it won't be long, I will have some fuzzy butts chirping in my house. Love it.