Rural Gardening: Brooder babies and more due soon!!, 0 by silkiechick

silkiechick wrote:
here is a pic of the new babies w/ about a 4 day old black silkie i got from someone. lol, u can see how tiny they r.

i used cartons in my foam bators when i had them but they were a little bit of a pain to use but worked great. then i only used them for last 3 days since they were so bulky. i was told to try it from a serama breeder i got eggs from told me he had better success hatching them with it.

in the bators now i have an auto turner which holds 3 trays. i have the spiked egg holder racks for them but sometimes when turning the eggs fall out so i don't use them. i just put the cartons in next one goes in on the first ones lid. i do that till last one and i cut the top off of it so it fits. they stay in them during whole incubation. on day 18 i move them to the hatcher in the other gqf. just move whole cartons over and let hatch. the hatcher is a metal screen and wood directly under so no real way to sterilize cuz ya can't get the wood wet. so much cleaner and safe for the babies. if it gets messy i grab a new one and change it i don't have to wait to steralize the bator and worrey eggs will cool down.

babies seem to hatch better and faster, they zip quicker, less helping them hatch, hatches usually a day early. i don't loose as many in the shells, the eggs don't knock around and babies don't get bellies rubbed on the wire and i have had better hatch rates also. that's all i can think of off top of my head.

got pipped now- 3 buff brahmas, 1 serama, 1 cochin, 1 buff orp, 1 splash showgirl/sizzle egg and i thought there was 2 more but can't remember which now. i'm so excited, i didn't think any were gonna make it after the bator unplugged and the 5 power outs from ike effects hitting.