can you set new eggs with eggs that have already been set for 13 days in the bator? If you can how do you deal with the newest eggs when you raise the humidity for the last three days on the old eggs. Or do I just need to be patient and wait.
Also have built my own bator, anyone out there that can give me suggestions as to what to put the eggs on/in. Right now have them over the water tray on 1/4 inch hardware cloth. But they keep rolling where they want to.
thanks-
Sheila
New eggs set with 13 day eggs in the incubator?
Yes you can. I have a separate hatcher which eggs are transferred to on day 18, which is at the correct humidity for hatching. That keeps the gooey mess out of your incubator, and the bacteria from killing your newer eggs. Other than that I can't see any other way to do it right, if you are staggering your hatches.
As for your new incubator - sounds like a perfect hatcher. Just staple some wood or other material to the underside of the hardware cloth to stiffen it and take the "roll" out of your eggs. See photo - hope that helps...Scott
right, just what i was going to say. to stagger hatches, you need a hatcher.
Thanks so much for the help. okay so I need a hatcher. Any advice on how to set it up. I currently have a small desk fan in the bator. seems that would chill the chicks when they were born. Do hatchers have fans???? Do I need the hardware cloth or just put them on a bed of pine chips covered in paper towels with the water source in a pan??? I know i need to protect the pan so the chicks don't fall/jump in and drown. Any advice????
Sheila
The only advantage I can think of to having a fan in a hatcher would be to dry the chicks off faster. I had a fan in my hatcher that I took out because I felt that the chicks had a harder time hatching, when they pipped and got a little hole going, the slower hatchers in the bunch dried out and stuck to the shell around the hole. I had to help some of them along, and they weren't stuck to the shell anyplace other than what was exposed to the fan. I don't know if other hatchers have fans. Once your chicks have all hatched, high humidity is not helpful, because the chicks can't dry off easily. The wood shavings will definitely help accomplish that task, as well, they may actually help to keep the hatcher clean. The paper towels may stick to the chicks, but you will need to experiment. I can't help but think the wood shavings by themselves are a better idea. I am going to try your idea in my next batch - thanks for the idea.
I have never hatched any before so that is why I keep picking your brain. I just thought a nice sofy bed of pine shavings would be nice. It would suck up the nasties and give the chicks a soft bed. So we think no fan????? If i would pull the hatched chicks out and put them in the small brooder with plenty of heat and a small fan while the others hatched, it may keep the unhatched from drying out and give the newly hatched a quicker dry in the brooder. I think the hatcher would stay cleaner because the shaving would absorb the moisture and you could dump it all after the hatch. Just my opinion.
Sheila
The only thing I could add would be that every time you open the hatcher you lose precious humidity when you need it the most. In the best case you leave it closed until all the eggs have hatched and then remove all the chicks at once. But, in the real world, speaking for myself, I take the chicks out in groups. Once they have gotten their legs under themselves, usually a couple of hours, I take whatever chicks are ready for the brooder and minimize the humidity loss that way. You will see how it goes after a hatch or two, and decide for yourself what works best. I don't think there is a wrong way to do it as long as you follow the basic set of common sense rules.
That was very usfull to me to thank you
Maineiac,
I am glad you are about i seem to learn so much of you
Wiemac and thank you.
I am still learning, and most of it comes from the good folks here. Thanks weimac for the compliment, happy to assist...Scott