Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[elizmartin]

THANKYOU ! ! ! for finding the Poultry Palooza information…..must have been tired…..

 

[ochochicas]

Hello there! Im hoping you fellow Washingtonians can help me out! I am new to hatching eggs and this is my first time.

I have a Hova Bator 1602 incubator. I have been running it for almost 2 days now and the temp has been level between 99 and 100 almost consistently. I've been told that with these particular eggs they do much better it a dry hatch incubation. which is what I am planning on doing. However, my hygrometer read 16% and has been stable there for quite sometime. Normally, WA is such a humid state so Im surprised its so low!

Everything that I have read says not to worry about Humidity until day 18. But there are conflicting ideas saying that it should stay in the 25-35% humidity range. So Im not sure if 16% is too low or not? Should i add a wet sponge in the room next to the incubator? maybe a humidifier? Or should I seriously not worry about it? Has anyone else done a dry hatch in a still incubator during the winter in Washington? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Do like Chickielady said and run the incubator at 40% humidity for the first 18 days. In the winter if you run a furnace or wood stove like most people do, the humidity inside your house can get quite low despite the rain outside. You should follow the instructions with your incubator and add water to the wells to keep the humidity at a normal level, 16% is way too low and you will dry out your eggs and end up with shrink wrapped (dead) chicks.

After you put the eggs in you will still need to monitor the temp and humidity for several hours. It will probably take 4 hours for the eggs to heat, depending on how many there are. After they are warm the incubator will keep heating and you can get a temperature spike. I know a few people who have had this happen and they lost eggs. Every time you change the conditions in the incubator by adding water or adding/removing eggs, you might need to adjust the temp again. After you've done your first hatch it gets a little easier.

All incubators are a little different so you'll have to find out what works best for you. Happy hatching!

 

[dgrasseth]

Do like Chickielady said and run the incubator at 40% humidity for the first 18 days.  In the winter if you run a furnace or wood stove like most people do, the humidity inside your house can get quite low despite the rain outside.  You should follow the instructions with your incubator and add water to the wells to keep the humidity at a normal level, 16% is way too low and you will dry out your eggs and end up with shrink wrapped (dead) chicks.

After you put the eggs in you will still need to monitor the temp and humidity for several hours.  It will probably take 4 hours for the eggs to heat, depending on how many there are.  After they are warm the incubator will keep heating and you can get a temperature spike.  I know a few people who have had this happen and they lost eggs.  Every time you change the conditions in the incubator by adding water or adding/removing eggs, you might need to adjust the temp again.  After  you've done your first hatch it gets a little easier.     All incubators are a little different so you'll have to find out what works best for you.  Happy hatching!

Oh my goodness thank you for the help! I finally realized that the humidity would raise with the eggs in there! Duh. Just set them about an hour ago and the humidity is at 31% right now. Temp is slowly starting to raise again after putting them in there. I have 36 eggs in there!

so I'm definitely keeping a close eye on it.

 

[SeattleSelkie]

Love the colors on those eggs!
Good luck!

 

[Chickielady]

For now go to my profile page, scroll to the bottom and look at the default pics…those are the 3 variety colors that i have….….The newer blues ( BBS) are not posted yet. Also have a few bantam Salmon / blue Salmon…… The very bottom 2 hens are hatchery to show the awful color they turned out with. Occasionally i will buy them if i see them at the feed store, some are ok…..Had a bit of a * conversation * with one of the hatcherys concerning their chick coloration posted and color in general….They replyed that there is always differences between individual birds….I made it clear that the hatchery color trend is becoming so far off that it becomes DISAPOINTING to newer folks when they learn how much off…..***and it gets around real fast which hatcherys are decent and those to avoid *****, no reply…...

OK!

 

[Chickielady]

Any of you ever get 'the creeps' ?

I cannot find a better way to describe the feeling...it is a weird 'foreboding' omonous creepy feeling like you are introuble or forgot to something really important...makes me antcy...nervous...a little anxiety..
Really hard to describe.
I have to go look at my animals, cars, heaters, incubators...cuz I feel like there is something I forgot to do & something bad will occur as a result...I call it, the creeps.....
Weird, cuz everything is going super well here...

IDK.....maybe it is the weather...but I should be used to that by now!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Here is what I saw on the Western Washington Poultry FB page:

Alrighty, here is vendor information for PoultryPalooza coming up March 12th. Fantastic response so far and I havent even started promoting it yet-wow. Come visit and say "hi" to fellow poultry lovers-It's going to be a ton of fun and a great way to welcome in the Spring:
-Poultrypalooza-
Sunnyslope Community Center
5830 SW Old Clifton Rd, Port Orchard, WA 98367
360.674-2647 [email protected]
FB message: Carolyn D. Schuster
Vendors:
• $1 per bird up to 5 birds. Over 5 birds is $10 per space (enough room for an 8’ table).Same space price for crafters/other products. Poultry-related products ONLY and pre-packaged food(baked goods,etc. must be wrapped)
• Tables are available for an added $5
• First come-first served (reservations accepted by email or by phone)
• Outdoor vending welcomed as are tailgate sales for the same fee (bring your own tent-we may have a 10x20 tent available for some)
• Sign waiver absolving Beaks n’ Bills non-profit 4-H and the SIA from any liability related to the Poultry-Palooza sales event (PoultryPalooza is a non-profit event)
• We reserve the right to reject any birds deemed unhealthy or cages that are extraordinarily dirty with feces
• Young chicks MUST have a heat source and outlets are available for some. Specify if an outlet is needed-again, first come first served.
• We ask that you clean your area/table upon leaving. Brooms and table wipes will be provided. 4H will clean for a small donation

I have also made plans to be there, my better half does mall the driving (legally blind they don't let me) I have it marked on the calendar with the address but use to live in Port Orchard.

 

[Saris]

Any of you ever get 'the creeps' ?

I cannot find a better way to describe the feeling...it is a weird 'foreboding' omonous creepy feeling like you are introuble or forgot to something really important...makes me antcy...nervous...a little anxiety..
Really hard to describe.
I have to go look at my animals, cars, heaters, incubators...cuz I feel like there is something I forgot to do & something bad will occur as a result...I call it, the creeps.....
Weird, cuz everything is going super well here...

IDK.....maybe it is the weather...but I should be used to that by now!

I get that sometimes, whacks out my whole day usually. Sorry you're feeling some foreboding. I hope all ends up well.

 

[ochochicas]

Quote: Nice eggs! Are they from your flock or did you get them from someone else?

How is your incubator doing this morning?

 

[pennyJo1960]

The pesky Reds left last night for their new home. The coop is pretty quiet except the sounds of chickens singing the egg songs I know the reds where everyday layers so I am at 4 of 14 at 10:30 NW time will check again about 1 this afternoon. ok went out at noon NW time and two more 6 of 14 now. no one has bought eggs so far so will be taking them to the local charity tomorrow as I have 3 12 count and 4 18 count in the little egg fridge.