The Middle Tennessee Thread

[KandiandJerry]

double check the rooster pen to because they know theres food there they will be back!!!!!!

 

[austintgraf]

Quote:
yea i know. I built that out of 4x4s and hardwear cloth. Its like a tank lol and I set two traps and baited them.

 

[matlock585]

Quote:
I think you should take the water out of the bator till lockdown. That air cell is too big. I learned alot with my first hatches, but I didn't do near the scale you are. My first hatch in my home made was 4/5. Second was 8/13 on eggs shipped in 100+ degree heat.

I candled with a coffee can with a light on the inside, and got some nice pics from it!

That is a cochin bantam egg at 3 days.


Here's a good one at 14 days.

All the eggs I put in lockdown from that bunch hatched totally unassisted. I liked it much better that way. I targeted 60% my first time around and it made my 5/5 egg die after pipping. The second time I didn't add any water at all till lockdown, I kept it at 30% +/- for the first 18 days, and 60-70% for lockdown. That hatch gave me much better results, and those are the pics above. Too much moisture in the shell kills them when they go to hatch.

 

[matlock585]

Quote:
yea i know. I built that out of 4x4s and hardwear cloth. Its like a tank lol and I set two traps and baited them.

Ya know... they love honey buns...leave 'em in the wrapper, just crack it open... they cant resist trying to dig it out of that package.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Matlock, I too have always done 30-35% until day 18 and then up to 60-65%. I always have a number that die in the shell. This round I have tried something new. (Not on purpose... it just sort of happened.)
I have had broodies stealing eggs like crazy. Sneaky little hens are pilfering eggs the minute they are laid and hiding them in the back of the pile. I finally candled the outside eggs and sorted them into three groups (about the hatch, halfway done and just beginning). I moved one group into the bator, but still had no real idea what day we were on. I just set it up at the right temp and got the humidity to about 30% and let it go. Imagine my surprise when I work up one morning to that frantic cheeping they do right out of the shell! Since then I have had 6 more hatch out with no problems. Humidity is still hovering around 30%. They actually seem to be hatching easier than when I have upped the humidity. It goes counter to everything you read about hatching, but it seems to be working. There are still another half dozen or so in there in various stages of development, but they seem to be perking along.

Soooooo... I'm thinking about next time I do a planned hatch to just leave the humidity at around 30% the whole time. It can't be worse than all those babies drowning in the shell. Interesting, no?

 

[cpegram]

Hmmm very interesting Anne I may try that

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Austin sorry about your chickens.
Donna those air cells do look large to be on day 14, that is usually what I see around day 18.

Anne and Connie I had been running my humidity lower with much better results so I think we are on to something with the humidity.

Anyone else going to Calhoun for the show this weekend? I just entered 3 Showgirls and 2 silkies just for fun. I didn't even think I would be going to about 5 pm today. So this will be a wild card for me I don't even have anyone put up for shows atm.

Happy Hatching everyone I sure miss my bators.

 

[DMRippy]

Now you guy are scaring me!!!! my humidity has been between 25-35% mostly 25-30%. If I don't put any water in the humidity will drop to 20-25% is that TOO low????? Or am I ok from this point and no big worry on humidity at 15 days???? I was shooting for 60% in the hatcher so now what???

How does the hen raise her humidity???

 

[DMRippy]

OK since everyone has gone to bed

i have been reading. I don't know why the air cell is so big. i have not had a huge spike in humidity that I know of, but i will remove the water tomorrow. I will shoot for a lower humidity in the hatcher maybe 45-50% I don't want any fuzzy butts to drown. Opinions??? I will check with y'all in the am any advice from the experienced

is appreciated!!!!

I really need to take notes so I will know what I did

 

[Countrypunk92]

I have been running 50 all incubation and was going to go 75 on day 18, is this a bad idea?