got eggs in the incubator

[Wannabefree]

Oops yeah...didn't realize we had gotten so far off track I tend to do that :/

I get to candle my eggs today May not see much, but I will get an idea of how many are viable. Usually blood rings show by now. I'll candle tonight after it starts getting dark when the room where I have the bator isn't SO bright.

 

[animalfarm]

I set 52 eggs yesterday. Don't expect a high hatch rate as some of the eggs were close to freezing when they were collected and some are a bit old, but its early days for hatching and I have nothing to lose and knowledge to gain by pushing the envelope.

Hatching pure chanteclers, Cx/chantecler, Cx/buckeye, Cx/(partridge rock/buckeye) and the best 2 hybrid roosters from last years mixes with what ever they could catch from my mutt flock. The mutt flock is coming along nicely. Next year I will introduce a leghorn rooster to increase egg laying. Very unscientific but starting to get some nice meaties that are not prone to physical afflictions.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Just started my own thread about my broody silkie girl! She started sitting on 5 eggs yesterday so today is Day 2. Figure March 11. This is our first broody silkie so I'm kinda nervous... she's so small!

 

[the funny farm6]

i had a couple standard cochin hens that would sit anything that didnt move! hoping to find some again!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

animalfarm......I've been thinking on trying some buckeyes and if I like them begin to do away with my RIRs. Have you had RIRs to be able to give a comparison? You might be right about the hatch rate, but only way to know is try.

 

[Denim Deb]

My incubator is set up!

 

[Wannabefree]

My incubator is set up!

Join on in then Deb!

 

[animalfarm]

animalfarm......I've been thinking on trying some buckeyes and if I like them begin to do away with my RIRs. Have you had RIRs to be able to give a comparison? You might be right about the hatch rate, but only way to know is try.

No I haven't had RIRs.

My problem is that the buckeyes available here are limited and I believe the strain is too inbred as they don't seem to be fertile when using a Beye rooster to a Beye hen. I can tell you it takes a pretty persistent and fast rooster to catch a Beye hen. The hens also beat the crap out of any rooster they don't like and they have very particular tastes. I have a chantecler rooster that seems to be up to it as this year as the Beye eggs are finally fertile. Didn't get one chick from a buckeye/buckeye last year. The hens here are all on the small side as well so there really wasn't any point for me to keep a pure strain of them.

 

[Denim Deb]

Well, my temp seems to be holding steady and my humidity is fine! So, if everything is still good when I get home today, I'll be putting my eggs in!

One thing my research turned up is that w/the Little Giant incubator, if you leave the plugs out, and don't add any water until you need to raise the humidity, it's much easier to keep the humidity where it belongs.

 

[animalfarm]

I use hovabators and I don't add water either. I keep the plugs out and I don't add water for lockdown either. I was having a problem with sticky chick/drowning before I chucked the hygrometers and just got on with it. Apparently there is plenty of humidity in the air here. If hens can hatch eggs out in the barn without all the fuss, I figure I don't need to bother either.