First Time Hatching Anyone With Me??

[Kathryn4629]

First of all this is my first time incubating/hatching eggs

I know that I am going to end up asking lots of questions

So I just wanted to say thank you in advance!!!

I just bought a Little Giant still air incubator with auto turner. I completely forgot to pickup the fan kit, will get it tomorrow. I was also thinking about getting a digital thermometer that shows the humidity.

I would love it if some of my fellow BYC peeps would join me in this hatching adventure!

Here is what I know so far: Please correct me if I am wrong!!

Temp: 99.5
Humidity: 40%
Candle eggs at day 10 to check for development.

Comments and Advice: Wanted and WELCOME

Planning on setting eggs tomorrow 2/18 so the hatch date would be 3/10.

Here are some pics for your enjoyment

New in the box!!

This is my EE Roo (Mr. Cain) he is about a year old. Super sweet guy, and gentle with the hens (no missing feathers at all)

Big Bertha, standard Cochin Splash. I can't wait to see what their babies look like!

One of the buff orphington (sp?) hens, have 3.

Close up of Mr. Cain

 

[kfchickenlady]

Ill join you, but this is my first hatch too, so all I know I learned on this site! I have 21 bearded silkie eggs I set last friday, due March 5, I only see 6 so far developing

oh well, they were shipped eggs, and I was hoping 10 would hatch. Good luck with your adventure, love the pics of your cute chickens! btw, I started candling at day 4, stuck a hi power mini mag lite on top of the eggs in the bator, worked great.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Yay!! Glad to have you on board. Since we are both new we can have issues together

Candling at day 4

that sounds great to me. I was wondering how I was going to last 10 days without checking

I have a feeling that my hatch rate won't be that great being new to this also.

What kind of incubator are you using?

 

[pdsavage]

I put some eggs in on tuesday.A few of mine and some from some chickens I take care of some times when the owner has to go out of town.

 

[Kathryn4629]

Quote:
Welcome! What breed/breeds do you have in there?

Any advice for us first timers?

 

[buckabucka]

I'll be following this thread. I have plans to borrow an incubator and set the eggs around April 1st.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Kathryn4629]

Ok so I have the incubator turned on, with the turner inside (I figured that it might change the temp if added later) and have been holding steady at about 98.7. I will try turning it up a LITTLE bit.

Question: once I put the eggs in will I have to mess with the temp again? Also how much water do I put in the bottom, the directions were not very specific?

 

[pdsavage]

The temp will proubly go down untill the eggs warm up.As to the water Im not sure on yours since i don't have that kinds.

 

[KZ]

I am with you!

We have the same incubator and I have an Easter Egger Rooster who looks a lot like yours - gorgeous fellows, aren't they? I bought my eggs on Ebay, 13 French Black Copper Marans, and I am throwing in a few Easter Eggers. I hope at least a few hatch from the Ebay purchase, as they are expensive eggs! But, if they don't, it will still be very exciting! Do you have a candler? I am going to buy one, I made one to use last year and it was impossible!
By the way, thanks for calculating the hatch date!

 

[Kathryn4629]

Quote:
Yay!! Same incubator and we both have EE Roos, it was meant to be

No I dont have a candler, I have been debating on making one or buying one. Where are you planning on buying yours from? I have seen them online for about $10 but haven't been able to find one locally...

I am so very jealous of the FBCM eggs!! I figure I will wait to buy eggs until I have a successful hatch. But next time around you can bet I will be buying some of those pretty eggs. I actually bought 2 FBCM pullets locally, sadly one died of sour crop, and the other was killed by my very very bad puppy

she had just started laying, and her eggs were beautiful!!