Uh oh... found an egg today! ... - A journal of sorts, from finding eggs to hatching them... Update

[KrisH]

OK I may have F*&k%d up. But will give it a try anyway. The Only difference between the two sets of eggs is one hatches at 21 days and one hatches 28 days. The Staggered hatch search I did came up with three hundred different conversations on the subject.

There are two schools of thought.

One:
To use a second incubator as a hatcher. The thought being raising the humidity will drown less developed eggs.

Two:
To use the same incubator and take out a couple of rails for the early hatchers. And No difference in hatch rate for the rest to have gone through three days of elevated humidity.

We recently discussed the study about turning eggs after the fourth day. Part of lockdown is to take the eggs out of the turner. So my thought is to put them all in egg cartons after taking out the turner then raising up the humidity on day 18. Then after day 21 letting the humidity go back to normal.

So my thought is use the Same humidity for both hatches not different. Take out the egg turner at day 18 and prepare for the first group, and not worry about turning the others.

Call it an experiment unless I can locate a spare incubator.

deb

Or, set the eggs 1 week apart and they should all hatch about the same time.

then everyone will be the same age.

RobertH

 

[JLeigh]

PerchieGirl, I have the same problem. My solution choice is going to be to use a second incubator while the first hatch is in lockdown. The reason I'm going to do it that way is I have a Genesis 1588, with an auto egg turner. It's like "Just Add Water"....and it wasn't cheap. I want the 2nd 'bator to be inexpensive - so I'm going to pile all eggs into the 1588 until the 1st hatch's lockdown, move the 2nd hatch into the inexpensive one until 1st hatch hatches, then move the 2nd hatch back into the 1588 to finish them up. That way I only have a few days of manual egg-turning, have more control over humidity, and I don't have nightmares about drowning or "shrink-wrapping" my wee egglings

Got that?

I know what you mean by "three hundred different conversations". I've run into the same problem from research on the internet. They all have something different to say. It's hard to get a bead on the right thing to do. One minute I think, "Okay - I got it" and the next minute I'm scratching my head.

I think the hard part is getting through that first hatch or two. This forum helps TREMENDOUSLY. Good luck. I'll be rooting for you!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: LOL... that would have been the smart thing to do..... Slapping my forehead. Unfortunately I was so excited when I found my first eggs I wasn't thinking clearly when I set them all in the bator. That certainly will happen when I set my next batch.

BTW I think I may have figured out how to do a hatcher.... I have till Sunday to get it cobbled together and the temperature and humidity set.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

PerchieGirl, I have the same problem. My solution choice is going to be to use a second incubator while the first hatch is in lockdown. The reason I'm going to do it that way is I have a Genesis 1588, with an auto egg turner. It's like "Just Add Water"....and it wasn't cheap. I want the 2nd 'bator to be inexpensive - so I'm going to pile all eggs into the 1588 until the 1st hatch's lockdown, move the 2nd hatch into the inexpensive one until 1st hatch hatches, then move the 2nd hatch back into the 1588 to finish them up. That way I only have a few days of manual egg-turning, have more control over humidity, and I don't have nightmares about drowning or "shrink-wrapping" my wee egglings

Got that?

I know what you mean by "three hundred different conversations". I've run into the same problem from research on the internet. They all have something different to say. It's hard to get a bead on the right thing to do. One minute I think, "Okay - I got it" and the next minute I'm scratching my head.

I think the hard part is getting through that first hatch or two. This forum helps TREMENDOUSLY. Good luck. I'll be rooting for you!

I wish I had the money to get a second incubator but right now funds are so tight they cant even squeak.

I have a bunch of aquarium equipment left over from when I used to have about three hundred gallons worth of different tropical fish tanks. I am thinking of taking a submersible tank heater and putting it in a one liter soda bottle filled with water. Those heaters can go up to a hundred degrees or more. As long as its kept wet it will do its job. So I seal up the bottle and stick it into a Styrofoam ice chest. Now I have the ability to set the temperature. The humidity is easy and a smidgen of screen in the bottom and I have a hatcher. And I have about six computers that I can steal a fan from, complete with power supplies. The only bad side to heating this way is its much easier to get up to temperature than it is to get it back down.

Now to find it all. and get it into one location. My life is spread across the county.... Very long story.

 

[JLeigh]

Wow. That sounds like it will work. What a great idea. Good luck. Please post a follow up so we'll know how it goes.

 

[Zootopia]

UhOh,

I got 29 more guinea eggs in the mail today, this time mixed colors! I have a white Cochin that went broody this last week to take some of them, the rest will go into the ReptiPro since it keeps the humidity up better. I set 4 Duck eggs in there on the 17. I work at a Zoo and the eggs were found in a flower bed so they are probably Mallard mixes, so no real idea when they will hatch, guess I'll hop over tho a duck thread and ask some questions.

 

[PeepsCA]

...I have a bunch of aquarium equipment left over from when I used to have about three hundred gallons worth of different tropical fish tanks. I am thinking of taking a submersible tank heater and putting it in a one liter soda bottle filled with water. Those heaters can go up to a hundred degrees or more. As long as its kept wet it will do its job. So I seal up the bottle and stick it into a Styrofoam ice chest. Now I have the ability to set the temperature. The humidity is easy and a smidgen of screen in the bottom and I have a hatcher. And I have about six computers that I can steal a fan from, complete with power supplies. The only bad side to heating this way is its much easier to get up to temperature than it is to get it back down...

Uh huh, I knew you'd figure something out! Leave it to deb, always building something outa nothin' or somethin' she already has

 

[Zootopia]

Well it's official

I'm stacking eggs. I have 19 guinea eggs (I gave 10 to a broody Cochin), 4 mystery duck eggs, 4 BCM and 2 "Test" eggs from my flock on the top shelf right now. I will be adding to the pile when some

W/BW AM get here. Oops. I have been using the Repti Pro mostly as a hatcher up to now, but knew I'd be putting the guineas in there due to them needing higher humidity. The Duck eggs were found and given to me and I know they need higher humidity. The 3 BCM are part of a shipment that I split with the Hovabator cause I knew I was going to run out of room when the AM get here in a couple days. In fact, if the breeder sends extras those will have to go in the RP too. I think I need a Sportsman

! There are only 4 or 5 guinea eggs sitting on top right now, I'm rotating them down when I turn. I love the fact that the temp and humidity are back up very soon after I turn.
I have a couple Turkey eggs and 3 Welsumer and a Cochin on the second shelf on lockdown. The turkey eggs were a bit of a tight fit, I do wish the shelves were alittle further apart. I may move them the next time it's empty

.

 

[Zootopia]

I wish I had the money to get a second incubator but right now funds are so tight they cant even squeak.

I have a bunch of aquarium equipment left over from when I used to have about three hundred gallons worth of different tropical fish tanks. I am thinking of taking a submersible tank heater and putting it in a one liter soda bottle filled with water. Those heaters can go up to a hundred degrees or more. As long as its kept wet it will do its job. So I seal up the bottle and stick it into a Styrofoam ice chest. Now I have the ability to set the temperature. The humidity is easy and a smidgen of screen in the bottom and I have a hatcher. And I have about six computers that I can steal a fan from, complete with power supplies. The only bad side to heating this way is its much easier to get up to temperature than it is to get it back down.

Now to find it all. and get it into one location. My life is spread across the county.... Very long story.

Humm, I too have a bunch of aquarium stuff. I was considering setting the 55 gal up in the house just to add humidity to the house, it's been real dry here and I don't see that changing. I have plenty of aqua heaters and the coolers are cheap. perchie.girl I think you're on to something. all you enablers, it is such a shame that no one here has any self

control

 

[StevenW.]

Oh dear eBay! I see you have guinea eggs..! Steven misses his guineas!

Since I have an R-Com, I can set the setting any way I wish to, what should the humidity be at for incubation and lockdown?