Things I've learned on the incubating thread! A funny/personal observation.

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I like to meddle too. In fact, if I couldn't meddle, I would probable quit incubating eggs. It's a lot of fun watching things develop and I really don't see that it hurts the hatch rate all that much.
 
AmyLynn2374 said:
I had 36 going into lockdown and hatched out 33. (And I use an older model little giant.) I can't tell you how many times I opened that bator. To take chicks out, to turn an egg over because it got rolled and I couldn't see the pip, (I really am a meddler.) To re-wet my sponge and remove the hatched eggs..... Not ONE of my pipped/zipped eggs were effected. I only had one after hatch loss and that was a silkie that (100% by himself) decided to hatch after only about 4-5 hours after pip and hadn't absorbed the yolk and it ruptured and had bloody membranes still attatched. All of my chicks are healthy (not even a single leg/foot problem). And loud and happy and ohhhh so fluffy...oh and guess what else I do...I candle...every night. Not all the eggs every night. but from about day 3-4 I spot check different eggs through out the bator every night. I love seeing the miracle of development.
I always say that people that do the opposite of me aren't wrong, just different and as long as it's working for you and your chicks, keep doing what you're doing. (I bet I get more enjoyment though with my meddling...lol)
Click to expand...

You are so right!

I am going to take the guest bathroom (which is just off my office, which used to be the guest bedroom) and move the incubator into there before the next hatch. One, so I stop dashing over there every hour starting at lockdown to go look at the eggs, but also so that I can close the door, turn on the shower in the clawfoot tub, and bring the entire room to 80%. I won't have to worry about drying anybody out then! And I may make a half door for the incubator that covers the turner trays, but leave the hatcher drawers accessible. Oh, the options...

Then I'll have to figure out a new spot for the 0-2 week brooder, because that sits in the clawfoot tub now.

And I want to move the hatcher drawers to the top, as it's cooler there. I put them at the bottom, right over the water pan, because the hatching mess would be easier to clean if it was all on the bottom. But I will take that cooler temp up top and put it to good use.

And I will build a low restriction air filter for the air inlet to catch chick fuzz.
 
WalnutHill said:
You are so right!

I am going to take the guest bathroom (which is just off my office, which used to be the guest bedroom) and move the incubator into there before the next hatch. One, so I stop dashing over there every hour starting at lockdown to go look at the eggs, but also so that I can close the door, turn on the shower in the clawfoot tub, and bring the entire room to 80%. I won't have to worry about drying anybody out then! And I may make a half door for the incubator that covers the turner trays, but leave the hatcher drawers accessible. Oh, the options...

Then I'll have to figure out a new spot for the 0-2 week brooder, because that sits in the clawfoot tub now.

And I want to move the hatcher drawers to the top, as it's cooler there. I put them at the bottom, right over the water pan, because the hatching mess would be easier to clean if it was all on the bottom. But I will take that cooler temp up top and put it to good use.

And I will build a low restriction air filter for the air inlet to catch chick fuzz.
Click to expand...
LOL..You're mind is just bursting now with ideas, huh?
 
Always! I only go "crazy" when I can set a relatively small number of eggs, and I document daily internal temp and humidity, and mark when I pull eggs and why and what lot they were from.

Last year I weighed eggs, but marking the air cell is better. I have an egg in the incubator right now that weighs more than it did fresh. I'm still trying to figure that one out. It's dark with chick at 18 days, has a relatively small air cell compared to the others, and sinks in a water candle. I've marked it for special handling, 12 hours after I see a pip I will be ready to assist because this one won't make it out on its own.

I won't help any who don't need help, those I will watch and enjoy. But I can't identify gluey chicks or malpositions until it's too late if they don't pip. I wish I could...
 
You have your system down, so you can sit back. I just built a new incubator and need to fine tune it, so I spend a little more time tinkering. And finding the causes of failure is part of that.

I did build the incubator so I can travel for work for a week and not worry about anyone else having to watch it.
 
1. Turn it on
2. Add water
3. Set eggs
4. Lockdown
5. Take out chicks on day 23

And yes, I'm a Republican
lau.gif
 

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