Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you! If the humidity in the room keeps going up I won't have to worry so much about opening the incubator, right?

I would think so! Our heat is running this morning so it's still dry here but it was raining really heavily for a couple of days and the air wasn't running so I was SHOCKED at how much it increased the humidity in my incubators (about 10%). Being in Florida and Georgia we could probably just open a window if we want to open the incubators rather than turning on a steamy shower. lol!

 

[Jules929]

I would think so! Our heat is running this morning so it's still dry here but it was raining really heavily for a couple of days and the air wasn't running so I was SHOCKED at how much it increased the humidity in my incubators (about 10%). Being in Florida and Georgia we could probably just open a window if we want to open the incubators rather than turning on a steamy shower. lol!

Yes, my incubators were running dry and stayed at 25-30%. Makes it easy on me!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yes, my incubators were running dry and stayed at 25-30%. Makes it easy on me!

This is why I can't run the plastic incubators dry. They actually drop to below 10% with no water. The styrofoam was almost always consistently 10% difference in my chicken room even when comparing and running them empty. It's definitely a different hatching experience.

I almost want to ask people if they tend to kill house plants by over-watering or under-watering and suggest styrofoam or plastic based on their answer.

 

[Jules929]

This is why I can't run the plastic incubators dry. They actually drop to below 10% with no water. The styrofoam was almost always consistently 10% difference in my chicken room even when comparing and running them empty. It's definitely a different hatching experience.

I almost want to ask people if they tend to kill house plants by over-watering or under-watering and suggest styrofoam or plastic based on their answer.

View attachment 2046668

Nice image!
It's perfect that I have Styrofoam, then!

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

Morning update: 2 external and 3 internal pips on the Silkie eggs, including the fifth egg that appears to have bypassed pipping internally and just went for external. I did remove a little shell on that one just to verify the membrane was punctured and the chick can breathe. All five are talking! There are three more I suspect will internal pip soon due to position in egg, and one suspected late quitter.

Ayam Cemani eggs have three probable internal pips, 3 getting into position, and 1 suspected late quitter

If you are watching the live feed, the two external pips are (from left to right) eggs three and four out of the five in the front row.

 

[BuckeyeFoodie]

This is why I can't run the plastic incubators dry. They actually drop to below 10% with no water. The styrofoam was almost always consistently 10% difference in my chicken room even when comparing and running them empty. It's definitely a different hatching experience.

I almost want to ask people if they tend to kill house plants by over-watering or under-watering and suggest styrofoam or plastic based on their answer.

View attachment 2046668

I have two NR 360, one is that exact model and at this time of year it runs dry for me at 30% exactly. My other one is the newer model, and it runs so dry that keeping it at 30% was a fight.

 

[livhatcher]

Where do you live in middle GA? What part of south GA are you going to? We live in Duluth and I'm from Savannah, originally.

'It's hard enough to get your birds looked after without more new babies.' Here I have 2 that just hatched, one egg that I'm waiting one and then another incubator with 17 eggs in it. While at tractor supply this morning, I'm looking at their chicks thinking maybe I'll get a couple. Glad I somehow resisted.

We live between Bolingbroke & Lizella and take an annual trip to Atkinson county. I really have a pretty hard anti-TSC chick policy which is only excepted in the event that I have a bad hatch and have to buy some friends so nobody is lonely. I'm glad you resisted. I just don't think those birds with people breathing all around them and sitting under those hot lamps where they have nowhere to go in case they want to cool off is very good. Maybe it's fine, and I'm a snooty chicken lady, but it is what it is. All the birds survived the weekend, and my incubator humidity was probably a little low for 24ish hours, but I'm sure it's fine.

 

[FortCluck]

will do!! So far I like it very much... but only the next days will tell once they get really messy.
Not sure yet... I might just use an old spoon and spoon it out... not sure if their poop is big enough for a kitty scoop? I'll see...
Update on the chicks... 41 out of 42 made it. One was weak and I opened the egg... it hadn't broken the shell yet. I thought of culling it but then wanted to give it a chance. It did not make it. When I checked on it 20 minutes later it was gone. I guess it was the best way for the little guy.
No crooked toes... not spraddled legs... just love my incubator! It was sooo worth the money!

Sand gets very dusty. I tried this before, but it cleans up nice. Just don't let it get wet because it'll stink super bad we used sand last year and one of the ducklings dumped all the water all over it.

 

[FortCluck]

We live between Bolingbroke & Lizella and take an annual trip to Atkinson county. I really have a pretty hard anti-TSC chick policy which is only excepted in the event that I have a bad hatch and have to buy some friends so nobody is lonely. I'm glad you resisted. I just don't think those birds with people breathing all around them and sitting under those hot lamps where they have nowhere to go in case they want to cool off is very good. Maybe it's fine, and I'm a snooty chicken lady, but it is what it is. All the birds survived the weekend, and my incubator humidity was probably a little low for 24ish hours, but I'm sure it's fine.

I never buy from them usually either. I had to get the bantams though. I did get ducklings last year, but one was in dire need of help. It's legs were bent so bad that it needed lots of care to get it better.

 

[FortCluck]

I'm going to check the duck eggs and report back to tell y'all what is going on. I can't believe they're already about to hatch. Now I can have my incubator back