Washingtonians

[Ogress]

ha ! You got comcast too ???
You maybe want to check your internet cable, after the snow MOVED THINGS there may be issues of a breach or pin hole/ground ?

Nope - Century Tel DSL.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

I have tried dry incubation at 35%, and regular incubation at 55% both successfully. My digital Sportsman runs it at 55% and have had the best hatch rates ever. There are lots of opinions out there but whatever you do it has to do with the size of the growing air cell at the proper stages. You can incubate at whatever humidity you want as long as the egg is evaporating correctly. When I first started incubating I didn't realize I needed to calibrate my humidity gauge. Humidity was reading in the 55% range but was actually in the 65 - 70% range for several unsuccessful messy wet hatches before I realized it. Several broke the air cell or pipped but never hatched so possibly drowned due to not enough evaporation. Since my hatch rates are most excellent with my Sportsman I'm not likely going to question it. I asked once about how does humidity change under the hen the last three days. I was told the hen will go to the water and wet herself. Since I incubate and don't use broodys I can't say I have observed it but it sounds possible. With all the incubation info out there and all the differing opinions I have never heard of incubating at 70% until now. If 70% is working for you than thats great. Maybe the difference is it works for a broody because she gets off the nest and the eggs get a chance to lose the excess moisture but in the last 3 days she sits tight therefore keeping the humidity in but since an incubator is consistent, no constant on and off, humidity needs to be lower for proper evaporation. Just a thought.

I was told by an old cantankerous poultry person (?) to get my humidity to at least 67% at day ONE, and keep it there the entire time.
They SWEAR that upping the humidity on lockdown is way too late & the baby is too dry & sticky to turn (and so cannot zip)
So I run mine at 67-70% from day one & have no sticky issues ever.
I can open & close the bator & the most % I loose is 5-6% (so it may drop to 57-60%)
They said a smarty pants thing that stuck with me:::
(And made me feel very stupid when I said I RAN on 35-50% and upped to under 70% at lockdown)
he said "Really ?
As if a hen turns up her humidity knob on day 17 ???"
Now That I am thinking like a hen, hatches have been alot better.
hens DO get off the nest daily, up to 30 minutes at a time, this fresh air & lack of humidity is essential (he says) to the egg "breathing" and letting go of too much moisture.
Note: This old cranky dude HATES the new digital incubators.
Babies get too little moisture & no air daily.
he advises to "think like the hen does, do as she does"
May help you in the future.
Sorry Tamara !!!

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Oh, one more thing to share that I read. Another reason chicks don't hatch with too high an incubating humidity is without the air cell growing larger the chick will grow larger to fill the space and when it comes time to hatch it is too big to turn around and the smaller air cell doesn't give him much extra room.

 

[Zgoatlady]

Missed this earlier! Me too! I'll take one!!! How many eggs will fit in one?!?

Id like to know how big it is? Can you tell us how you made yours. I have my Cab one that DH made and than 2 LG that I use to hatch in, but hay maybe I need another one.

 

[Zgoatlady]

Anybody familiar with TMJ? Self-diagnosing here. Starting a couple months ago, I have been somtimes getting a slight jaw pain, and the left hinge feels like it is not lining up. The pain has been coming more often and for the past week the pain has been pretty much constant and I can't bite down all the way. The pain is fairly mild, but constant. Sometimes the pain feels like it is running along the root of one of my upper molars, sometimes it feels like it is running from my ear canal to the corner of my mouth, sometimes it feels like it is in my lower back molar, and now it feels like it is in all those.

Dang, I just found out that the pasta is gone!!!! DS tol DD it is quite good, so she and her friend are both eating it. DH took some noodles and avoided anything red or green.

If you rub your hand on your lower jaw by your ear what does it feel like? Also how are your sinus?

 

[Zgoatlady]

for those that are looking for incubators.... if CL does not have time to make them DIYSeattle makes large ones that are like the GQF sportsman... san the clear window.. but he might try to make that too dunno. His is very good at hatching.

I know he will make them for a lot less then the GQF's too.

That looks nice, DH made me a big one like that but I have two doors and an window. I do use egg turners so I can stop turning if I want to. I have a different thermastate that is great. I just plug it in and its good to go. All I have to do it add water. I think Im going tohave him put a hose so I dont have to open the top door. But I love having two doors, than the heat doesnt change much..

 

[Zgoatlady]

I think we all do something different while incubating and as long as what you do works than stick to it. I hatch mostly Marans and silkies and do the 35% and a little more than the last 3 days up to 55-65%. I have had great hatch rates with doing this.
But you know you need to think were in your house its at, I have ours in the basement bathroom that has our washer and dryer in it.

 

[KMoran]

Good Morning all... I hope everyone had a good weekend... Just wanted to give everyone an update on my chicks I got last friday.... I only lost 2 babies one RIR the first night and one Barred Rock yesterday afternoon, so I am pleased. 2 out of 25 isnt bad.

And this morning I was pleasantly surprised when my husband found a very light colored egg, sort of a pale pink almost off white and a completely different size and shape then my normal eggs so I am thinking my Ameracana layed her first egg.

Well I hope everyone has a wonderful day

 

[TheReidHomestead]

Morning!!! Sure is quiet in here this morning!

Well good news is, I woke up to 5 BLRW's hatched! I slightly helped 4, thought the 4th wasn't going to make it at all, but it and another (which totally hatched by itself!) are in there doing fine this morning!!! Very happy with that!

Sad news is, we woke up to one Serama chick gone and another looks very weak. :-(

Luckily the rest of them look very engergetic and running around like crazy!

Busy day, gotta ship out some eggs, go to the chiropractor, grocery and library.

Chat w/ ya all later!

 

[Chickielady]

Hey, make me one. I would love to have one.

We'll see if I can get DH to build a few....they have a gQf brooder element ($70 ?) complete with wafer therm system, and a computer fan, which you can get at Radio Shack, or salvage from old computers at the dump or recycling center.
I will look into it....