The Incubator Thread

[slordaz]

Day 22 , haven't seen any movement in bator since yesterday, and now there is a smell, should I open it up to find out what is causing this?

maybe not, just heard a pretty good peep but nothing pipped

 

[PD-Riverman]

what's the best way to encourage a hen to go broody?

also how can you make a really easy incubator at home that can like..actually work (lol) and hatch baby chicks?

(yes we have lots a hens and roosters)

(if you want more info surrounding this subject take a look at my first post

)



Thanks in advanced!

Welcome. Gimmie birdies incubator works, but said the room that the incubator is in has to stay steady, because of not running a thermostat. Have you looked on craigslist or similiar for a used incubator? I have bought several in the $5 to $20 range and a few more with turners in the $20 to $40 range---you can not build them for that. If you want to build one----there is MANY you tube video's as well as many on here. I built my own incubator and hatcher----but they are both Cabinets and they work Great.

How to encourage a hen-----I have seen this work with hens that Will go broody(some hens---the broodiness is breed out of them)-----put 15 to 20 marked eggs in a nest----fake eggs are better-----you might get one excited in a few days/weeks! Remove any fresh/unmarked eggs daily from this nest. If you get one broody----collect her some eggs, then when you got them-----remove all the old eggs and place all fresh layed eggs under her---ALL at the same time----Marked if she is going to be where other hens can lay in her nest and again remove any fresh layed eggs DAILY.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Day 22 , haven't seen any movement in bator since yesterday, and now there is a smell, should I open it up to find out what is causing this?

maybe not, just heard a pretty good peep but nothing pipped

Slordaz-----I was hoping-----something has gone wrong being its day 22 with not even a pip, but some have hatched them a few days late. I do not know what to tell you to do because I have Never had to deal with this. If none have pipped----if I was going to open it to remove a bad egg----I would look through the view window and try to spot the bad egg---oozing etc------if you can not see it---I would get me a spray bottle of 100 degree(app) water in it----lay me a folded towel down----tilt the lid a little and remove all the eggs---smell each one----till you find the bad----if the eggs were properly developed---candling would not show you hardly anything-----Wait I think you said you did not candle them when you went into lock down??? If not candle them----remove any that does not look right for hatch day. Mist all the good eggs and place them back in the incubator-----doing all this quickly. Most people will not turn the eggs while doing this. If you find one pipped and you want to help it----do so after you get all the others back in. Again "I" have never done this. I feel if the egg is not pipped and its past hatch time-----the chicks are probably to weak to break through---You Do What You FEEL you need to do. Good Luck

 

[WVduckchick]

I would definitely worry about a bad smell. If you can recover humidity quickly, I'd start pulling them and smelling them to find the bad one. If you have trouble with humidity, its a toss-up, but I still think I'd try to find the stinker.

 

[slordaz]

found the bad one, did float test 4 failed it, but have 2 that are good pipped but on the bottom side looks to be resting for final zip.

good eggs are back in bator and humidity is still running 70-76%

16/22 still in there

 

[gimmie birdies]

good luck!

 

[PD-Riverman]

found the bad one, did float test 4 failed it, but have 2 that are good pipped but on the bottom side looks to be resting for final zip.

good eggs are back in bator and humidity is still running 70-76%

I never tried to do a float test on incubated eggs----I would have to do some research on that one so I would know what to expect. Really I have never needed to do it. I would monitor those eggs that were pipped----if they are not hatching or making a improvement by tonight----I would probably help them-----Totally against my Norm----but so is this hatch. Good Luck!

 

[WVduckchick]

I liked the float test when I first heard of it (with incubating eggs), but now I cringe when someone mentions it. The float test can really only "prove" that you have a live one in the egg, by wiggling in the water. Failing the test doesn't always mean the chick is dead. I've read too many people say it sunk, so they opened the egg, only to find a live chick. All that means is that the air cell was too small to float the egg. Its also possible for one to float, but not wiggle, but the chick still be alive. Maybe its just resting. So please be sure the ones that you said "failed" are actually goners before pitching them.

Good luck! Can't wait to see pics of fluffies!

 

[slordaz]

I made sure they weren't pipped before doing float test, the 2 that were pipped on bottom side of the egg did not get float tested. One is making nice progress trying to zip can now see her beak

 

[PD-Riverman]

I liked the float test when I first heard of it (with incubating eggs), but now I cringe when someone mentions it. The float test can really only "prove" that you have a live one in the egg, by wiggling in the water. Failing the test doesn't always mean the chick is dead. I've read too many people say it sunk, so they opened the egg, only to find a live chick. All that means is that the air cell was too small to float the egg. Its also possible for one to float, but not wiggle, but the chick still be alive. Maybe its just resting. So please be sure the ones that you said "failed" are actually goners before pitching them.

Good luck! Can't wait to see pics of fluffies!

Like I said----I do not do this and if I ever wanted to----I would have to gather some info. I have hatched 1000's and 1000's and have never seen were I needed to do it.