The 7th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long!

[Cynthia12]

Morning! I wasnt intending to enter, but I set 18 eggs on Saturday, at noon! & eng. jubilee orp. the rest are just what my ladies laid that day to fill the bator!

 

[Cynthia12]

I have my Cream Legbar eggs in the incubator. I put in 40 eggs. I don't know how many will actually make it to lockdown, but I hope a few do. It's my first hatch ever, so I'm not getting my hopes up for a large hatch.

Good luck! You have more than luck if you have any questions..you've come to the right place for a first hatch!

 

[Cynthia12]

Ok question...so we were at temps of 100.0-100.8 and 41% humidity in the bator and now we've started Day 2 and temps are the same but now humidity says 27% in there.

Relative humidity outside the bator is 46% in our house...

Do I need to increase humidity at all in the bator? Should I be concerned it dropped that much over night?

I'm catching up..you've more than probably been answered, but here's mine. I keep my humidity around mid 30's to mid 40's. Your eggs will be fine for this short amount of time at 27%. Just figure out what will keep the humidity in that little bit of higher range. Remember, humidity isn't a set number like the temp. Right now, I am using a sponge, and not wells in my bator. I just wet half of it to keep the humidity up. It's got a fan, so I have to watch it and dampen the sponge when needed. Note, I change my sponge once a week when I am using it for my humidity. Just to be on the safe side. I think of sponges collecting ..stuff. lol...Might be ok for three weeks, but I don't chance it.

 

[Pensmaster]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pensmaster


Of course the favorite pair won't. I think it's like they know you want them too.

One of the three roosters is much smaller so still hoping he's a she. I do like their colors. Although right now they are still developing their colors
This morning they actually started building a nest! It would be funny if the female (Nutty) laid eggs in time for the H-A-L . Not very likely though , knowing her she'd probably purposely delay laying eggs til after the set date (I won't tell her there is a two day widow for setting eggs)

Quote:
Mums the word. I'd like to see a Rattytwoie.

 

[Eps32]

Lucky rooster.     My grandmother had a big bad RIR.  We always had to be careful when we went to collect eggs for her.  Make sure that rooster is locked out of coop!  Well, one day my sister comes in with her legs bleeding from top to bottom.  I'll never get that image out of my head.  Boy my grandpa went out, grabbed that ax, and while grandma was tending to my sister, he was tending to that rooster.  I remember him on the kitchen table.  My Aunt, that is just 9 months older than me, was crying.  She had picked that rooster out from a window full of pretty colored chicks at Easter time..and now .. well...there he was.  She wouldn't eat him.  I did.  

Ya I live on a big piece of land in the woods. So I have multiple roosters. I actually love rooster the way they look and act there one of my favorite things about this hobby. But aggressive ones I usually cull with the quickness. Ever since I had one spur my leg and I was bleeding pretty bad. And like I said there's to many good roosters out there. No reason anyone should have to be chased by a Roo on there own land.

 

[flocktastic]

I'm catching up..you've more than probably been answered, but here's mine.  I keep my humidity around mid 30's to mid 40's.   Your eggs will be fine for this short amount of time at 27%.   Just figure out what will keep the humidity in that little bit of higher range.  Remember, humidity isn't a set number like the temp.  Right now, I am using a sponge, and not wells in my bator.   I just wet half of it to keep the humidity up.  It's got a fan, so I have to watch it and dampen the sponge when needed.  Note, I change my sponge once a week when I am using it for my humidity.  Just to be on the safe side.  I think of sponges collecting ..stuff.   lol...Might be ok for three weeks, but I don't chance it. 

I'm relieved to see your info too! I was trying to read various articles and decided I'd crack the corner open and use a straw to add some water to the first trough...temps remained steady and humidity is currently holding steady at 40% now which makes me a bit more comfortable based off what I've been reading.

This is my first hatch so I'm still quite unsure of things and trying to monitor closely for any concerning changes, etc...thank you for your advice! If it keeps dropping consistently, I may need to try the sponge like you. Mine has a fan too - it's the digital Genesis 1588 (hovabator)

 

[Cynthia12]

Nice video of chicken embryo development. It was great to use as a way to show my DD what is going on inside those eggies!

I love this one!


I really love this....

 

[Cynthia12]

I'm relieved to see your info too! I was trying to read various articles and decided I'd crack the corner open and use a straw to add some water to the first trough...temps remained steady and humidity is currently holding steady at 40% now which makes me a bit more comfortable based off what I've been reading.

This is my first hatch so I'm still quite unsure of things and trying to monitor closely for any concerning changes, etc...thank you for your advice! If it keeps dropping consistently, I may need to try the sponge like you. Mine has a fan too - it's the digital Genesis 1588 (hovabator)

My bator too! Love it.

 

[NotAFarm]

I hope this is ok to post here since its for my first batch of eggs that are a few days ahead of my EHAL. But it could affect my EAHL so I thought I'd ask.

I set some eggs a week ago and when I went to candle the eggs half of my leghorn ones where clear. I only have one Roo and 2 hens in this group. They are about 4 maybe 5 years old. All of the other hens (brown layer) eggs where fertile but she only lays every other day. If he isn't fertilizing half of just 2 hens is there a chance he's becoming infertile? What age do they stop fertilizing? I'm trying to build up my stock while also purchasing some from the local feed store but I need to know if I need a new Roo. Because if he isn't doing well with 2 idk how he will do with 10. His a silver laced wydontta if that matters.

Your rooster may just have a preference for the the one hen. If he wasn't fertile, the brown eggs wouldn't be fertile. Separate him with the leghorn for a week and see if you get a higher percentage of fertile eggs. At 4 or 5, he may be less fertile and by not breeding the leghorn as much, you will see infertile eggs.

 

[Madonna m]

What is the best way to get the humidity down.. Am holding at 70, I know that is too high. have set eggs one day ago