The Incubator Thread

[gimmie birdies]

Your PD is showing. this person is trying to learn, let's give them support. I say you need a different incubator.For me, I have kept a notebook. and read hatching 101 really helped me. And keep asking questions.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm getting ready to incubate quail eggs. It's my first time using one. I got the Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance.

Is there a step by step thread that will walk me thru this? From collecting to storing until time to incubate, to temps and humidity, etc? I'm reading as many threads as I can, but advice and info is all over the place.

Hatching Eggs 101 will answer that as well as all of the questions that you haven't even thought of yet. Good place to start. I review before every hatch!

 

[Skeeter10]

will a broody hen show in the nest box and what is the most one hen can hatch

 

[PD-Riverman]

Your PD is showing.

What does this statement mean?

 

[slordaz]

Question---How old was the oldest egg you put in the incubator when you set it? 5 days and eggs are collected 2 times a day
Is it possible a hen sat on the early egg for a few days before you collected it? no
Did your power go out on the incubator the first week? No, everything was stable temp and humidity until lock down
OR did you get a high temp spike the first week? only spike I got was after lock down and both thermometers were pretty dang close +/- .2 Placement was one at front and one at back on top of the eggs,

flock is young, been laying 2 months, all are healthy.

The one that caused the day early lock down had 2 chips in shell that thought could have been pips, but upon eggtopsy there was no pip but for some reason it had been shrink wrapped around this time which obviously caused it's demise not sure how they got there as was in the egg turner at this point still.

For lock down followed incubator instructions and removed the eggs from the egg turner and took it out, raised the humidity to 70-75 and left it be just watching through the window until they were late hatching. opened incubator to check eggs at end of day 22 and gave them a few more days as suggested.


Yes I did read hatching 101 and the incubator instructions and was also keeping notes.

 

[slordaz]

Your PD is showing. this person is trying to learn, let's give them support. I say you need a different incubator.For me, I have kept a notebook. and read hatching 101 really helped me. And keep asking questions.

Think I am gonna look at designs for home built unless one of the hens miraculously goes full broody instead of wanting to community brood.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Question---How old was the oldest egg you put in the incubator when you set it? 5 days and eggs are collected 2 times a day
Is it possible a hen sat on the early egg for a few days before you collected it? no
Did your power go out on the incubator the first week? No, everything was stable temp and humidity until lock down
OR did you get a high temp spike the first week? only spike I got was after lock down and both thermometers were pretty dang close +/- .2 Placement was one at front and one at back on top of the eggs,

flock is young, been laying 2 months, all are healthy.

The one that caused the day early lock down had 2 chips in shell that thought could have been pips, but upon eggtopsy there was no pip but for some reason it had been shrink wrapped around this time which obviously caused it's demise not sure how they got there as was in the egg turner at this point still.

For lock down followed incubator instructions and removed the eggs from the egg turner and took it out, raised the humidity to 70-75 and left it be just watching through the window until they were late hatching. opened incubator to check eggs at end of day 22 and gave them a few more days as suggested.


Yes I did read hatching 101 and the incubator instructions and was also keeping notes.

OK, the part about the 17 day egg helps alot. What I seen in the picture was 2 spots that "Looked" to me like a egg going bad--a little dried "ooze". Now I feel your temp was way off which would have caused alot of these problems. The ones that died the first week---you said were dark----possible "bad"(not fertile or weak embryo) eggs that would have not made it no matter who hatched them.

You seem to have had everything else done right!!!!

Mentally, if you are ok-----Lets try again--same incubator---even that "turner" if you will----as soon as you are ready. I would like to see a picture of the thermometer you were using. BUT---if you don't want to hatch anymore right now----thats OK.

 

[PD-Riverman]

will a broody hen show in the nest box and what is the most one hen can hatch

I do not understand the question------if you mean will a broody "Stay" in the nest box-----yes, she will for most of the time. How many eggs is according to the size of the hen and the size of the egg. If she is a full size hen with a good nest and regular size eggs----I put 12 to 15 under her. She might be able to cover more----but I try not to over stuff the nest.

 

[Skeeter10]

shes a leghorn white

 

[PD-Riverman]

shes a leghorn white

Those can go broody, but I have never had one to become broody. If you are using white leghorn eggs---I probably would stay around 8. Is the hen acting broody----puff her feathers up at you, try to peck, etc?