I was cleaning my hatcher today and had a lovely explosion (Guess that egg was full of napalm, not chick!) and it made me think about all the terms I have to explain to people who don't incubate and the looks I always get. I figured I could list a few examples of normal versus incubating person, join in if you can think of any!
Checking the eggs:
"Normal Person" - Look in incubator, look at eggs, walk away.
Incubating Person - Check humidity, check temperature, fuss and fidget, open incubator, stick every egg straight to face despite some poop smears, smell. Consider. Think about candling. Count dates on calender even though you did it yesterday, and have done it every day since you set the eggs.
Candling Eggs
"Normal Person" - Gather eggs and get a candle. Light candle. Look confused.
Incubating person - Get flashlight you only use for candling. Hide in dark bathroom with eggs and flashlight. Yell at husband when you realize he has been using your expensive, obviously just bought for candling flashlight and demand batteries now. Cup hand just right, candle egg. Cheer at veins. Doubt everything that isn't obviously veins, ask anyone nearby to second guess you, keep eggs that are maybes even though they are obviously probably maybe not but could be but aren't developing.
Lockdown
"Normal Person" - Ignore incubator and expect it all to happen like magic.
Incubating person - Work meticulously on creative ways to have perfect humidity. Waste paper towels, ruin sponges, whatever it takes. Pride yourself on how perfect the humidity is as you carefully prop eggs in cartons so they can hatch easily. Check incubator in ten minutes, realize your humidity is at 100% because of the "good" job you did, fret about it. Fret fret fret fret. Plaster face to incubator window. Listen for peeps. Keep plastering face to incubator window for 3-5 days.
Can anyone think of any more?
Checking the eggs:
"Normal Person" - Look in incubator, look at eggs, walk away.
Incubating Person - Check humidity, check temperature, fuss and fidget, open incubator, stick every egg straight to face despite some poop smears, smell. Consider. Think about candling. Count dates on calender even though you did it yesterday, and have done it every day since you set the eggs.
Candling Eggs
"Normal Person" - Gather eggs and get a candle. Light candle. Look confused.
Incubating person - Get flashlight you only use for candling. Hide in dark bathroom with eggs and flashlight. Yell at husband when you realize he has been using your expensive, obviously just bought for candling flashlight and demand batteries now. Cup hand just right, candle egg. Cheer at veins. Doubt everything that isn't obviously veins, ask anyone nearby to second guess you, keep eggs that are maybes even though they are obviously probably maybe not but could be but aren't developing.
Lockdown
"Normal Person" - Ignore incubator and expect it all to happen like magic.
Incubating person - Work meticulously on creative ways to have perfect humidity. Waste paper towels, ruin sponges, whatever it takes. Pride yourself on how perfect the humidity is as you carefully prop eggs in cartons so they can hatch easily. Check incubator in ten minutes, realize your humidity is at 100% because of the "good" job you did, fret about it. Fret fret fret fret. Plaster face to incubator window. Listen for peeps. Keep plastering face to incubator window for 3-5 days.
Can anyone think of any more?
