OK, I admit to being a little over the top excited here!
My first attempt at hatching Delaware Blue Hens was not very successful, I had some major humidity issues. Only 2 hatched. And they are gorgeous little hens, I think.
This time, I started with 14 eggs- 4 were scrambled in shipping, 2 developed blood rings fast, and 1 is looking like it quit about day 14-16. It's still in the bator, but marked in pencil, so I know which it is.
Today is Day 20, and one has a tiny pip! AND I can hear cheeping from the eggs!
DBH eggs are small, about the same as grocery store mediums, so the day early is not a surprise. The humidity has been a little bit better this time.
I have discovered that the season makes a HUGE difference. My first hatch, in March, was fabulous. The house was closed up and the central heat running made it easy to stabilize the humidity and temp. The second hatch, the weather was temperate, and it would rain heavily one day and dry out the next. The house was open, no need to heat or cool. That was a disastrous hatch for the DBH, even though the other EE cross eggs hatched very well.
This third hatch is a bit off, but not as much as the second. The humidity has been the biggie in terms of adjusting, but the temp has remained steady.
I am using a Hovabator Genesis 1588 with the turner. I feel that hatching in this incubator is more successful in a controlled climate. From now on, I'll only set eggs when the house is either running on central heat or AC. Hope that info helps someone! Overall, I am pleased with the incubator.
Meanwhile, I am running around like a 16 year old with an invite to the prom!
I've got a pip!!!!!
My first attempt at hatching Delaware Blue Hens was not very successful, I had some major humidity issues. Only 2 hatched. And they are gorgeous little hens, I think.
This time, I started with 14 eggs- 4 were scrambled in shipping, 2 developed blood rings fast, and 1 is looking like it quit about day 14-16. It's still in the bator, but marked in pencil, so I know which it is.
Today is Day 20, and one has a tiny pip! AND I can hear cheeping from the eggs!
DBH eggs are small, about the same as grocery store mediums, so the day early is not a surprise. The humidity has been a little bit better this time.
I have discovered that the season makes a HUGE difference. My first hatch, in March, was fabulous. The house was closed up and the central heat running made it easy to stabilize the humidity and temp. The second hatch, the weather was temperate, and it would rain heavily one day and dry out the next. The house was open, no need to heat or cool. That was a disastrous hatch for the DBH, even though the other EE cross eggs hatched very well.
This third hatch is a bit off, but not as much as the second. The humidity has been the biggie in terms of adjusting, but the temp has remained steady.
I am using a Hovabator Genesis 1588 with the turner. I feel that hatching in this incubator is more successful in a controlled climate. From now on, I'll only set eggs when the house is either running on central heat or AC. Hope that info helps someone! Overall, I am pleased with the incubator.
Meanwhile, I am running around like a 16 year old with an invite to the prom!
I've got a pip!!!!!
