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

[Razadia]

Quote: There are a bunch of good treads on how to do it. I think it's a bit different depending on whether it's digital or analogue

For analogue I mix 1/2 cup of kosher salt (can't use anything with iodine in it) with 1/4 cup of water. Put it in a short cup and then put it in a ziplock with the hydrometer. Wait 8- 12 hours and read it through the bag to find out where 75% is at. I'm pretty sure someone else can explain it better than I can.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No, how do I do that?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/285284/calibrate-your-hygrometer-two-methods

Saturday when you candle if your air cells aren't where they should be at day 7 and are significantly smaller you lower your humidity (or run dry if your bator holds above 30%) for a couple days giving them a chance to lose moisture and grow. I go dry when possible. If it's not possible to go entirely dry I add enough water to just keep it around the 30% mark.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I didn't get a hygrometer because the guy that I'm borrowing the incubator from says he never uses one. Well I caved and got one and my humidity has been in the 70% for what I have to assume is this whole time. I set my eggs on Saturday. Am I sunk??? :-(.

you're not sunk yet. Let your water dry out (or close to it) and when you add water again, add it to a smaller well and check the humidity again.

 

[drott3]

Quote: I've almost had mine for 4 years. Still runs like it's brand new. If it EVER quits on me, I'm getting another one.

love mine also.Prefer it over my brinsea.

 

[MonTXChickens]

UGH! LUCKY! I didn't end up getting my breeding pens set up, so I'm just hatching luck-of-the-draw barn yards. I've got wheatens I want chicks of though. Next round will be ameraucanas!!!!

I am pretty nervous about this batch of eggs because I really want these to hatch and be healthy. This is actually only the second time I have ever tried to incubate eggs. I had the first time. They all came from the same breeder. In the first batch only 1 pipped but never zipped. I debated on whether or not I was supposed to help it but it died before I got it out. 4 more died fully developed but never pipped. The rest never developed or not very much. The breeder says she gets about 10 out of 12 on most batches. I have read some more and changed to a dry incubation method because we came to the conclusion with the breeder that I had the humidity entirely too high. I'm using a fairly old Hovabator that I got second hand but it holds the temperature surprisingly steady. I want to build an incubator but haven't had time to do anything except read up on it and design one that I think would suit me. I am hoping for the best!

 

[FrenchToast]

Vitamin E and Selenium.  See this:

http://www.theeggfarm.com/blog/2011/11/02/wry-neck-in-baby-chick-video/

Hmmm...she never looks up like the chick in the video. Just stumbles a lot. I have vitamin E and pedialyte, but no selenium.

Hard boiled egg I think will have a lot of the vitamins they need.

 

[FrenchToast]

I'm using a brand new Farm Innovators Pro Series 4250. Lcd display fan and turner.
Had a temp spike on day three with two acurite thermometers reading 107 and 109 with highs of 120 and 127. And the L CHEAPO bulb thermometer reading 105. The lcd displayed at 100. So we shall see if they are doing anything when I candle. Doesn't help that they are shipped eggs too.
I have used hoveabator 1588's in he past but they were damp when I stored them and all of the screws rusted and I really don't know how to sanitize the fans and electronic parts so bought new. Had good luck with Hovabators but did have one malfunction once too.

 

[FrenchToast]

Does anyone know if the Little Giant brand and Farm Innovators and I think another one are the same brand? They look pretty similar.

 

[RedIII]

Okay, I got some pictures of my eggs. These first three are all different eggs. You can see how they just ...... don't look good.

This is a picture of what the four that may still be okay look like.

Input, please?

 

[campingshaws]

I have a very basic LG, not digital, no fan, etc. I keep it in my laundry room where it's generally pretty warm, and the temp is pretty steady. I'm not totally in love with it, but it gets the job done. I think that adding rocks to the bottom could help with temp stability. I'm in Louisiana, so humidity is never really an issue.