Maine

[lazy gardener]

I was gathering that. So sorry for you. Are you planning to try again this season, or wait until next year? That's what I wanted to PM with you about. Perhaps we can join our resources, but I don't think I'm up to the task this year. I have chickens coming out my ears. My little incubator has been doing pretty good with local eggs. 5/6 with an early quitter, and 20/28 with 3 early quitters. I actually enjoy hatching, so perhaps we could do a hatch at my house next spring.

 

[lazy gardener]

Ok folks, I need a little bit of help. I tried to contact a moderator to report the difficulty I'm having with this site. I can't send, or receive PM's. Neither can I use the quote feature, or the emoticons. When I tried to report to a moderator, even that attempt was blocked. So would the next reader, kindly report ME to a moderator in hopes that I can be connected to someone who can help me fix my problem! Thanks.

To report to a moderator, click the little red flag at the bottom of the post, and a little box will pop up where you can report the post and comment on the issue involved. Thanks so much.

 

[quailtrail]

I was gathering that.  So sorry for you.  Are you planning to try again this season, or wait until next year?  That's what I wanted to PM with you about.  Perhaps we can join our resources, but I don't think I'm up to the task this year.  I have chickens coming out my ears.  My little incubator has been doing pretty good with local eggs. 5/6 with an early quitter, and 20/28 with 3 early quitters.  I actually enjoy hatching, so perhaps we could do a hatch at my house next spring.

sounds like we have a plan in the making!

My eggs in the bator now have shown everything that I have read up on ... what I thought I was seeing before is very different with these eggs. They are white so very easy to see through.

The Doms when I candled last night showed 3 completely full and 2 with gd air cells. I almost wonder if my DD handed me the same eggs when candling. ..we were in the dark. So numbering them now.

 

[quailtrail]

@lazy gardener what kind of incubator do you have?

 

[keesmom]

Ok folks, I need a little bit of help.  I tried to contact a moderator to report the difficulty I'm having with this site.  I can't send, or receive PM's.  Neither can I use the quote feature, or the emoticons.  When I tried to report to a moderator, even that attempt was blocked.  So would the next reader, kindly report ME to a moderator in hopes that I can be connected to someone who can help me fix my problem!  Thanks. 

To report to a moderator, click the little red flag at the bottom of the post, and a little box will pop up where you can report the post and comment on the issue involved.  Thanks so much.

Do you have a dial up line? Have you tried clearing your cache? I had similar problems a year or so ago. I will see if I can find the related threads.

 

[lazy gardener]

It's a home made incubator. The box is a Styrofoam box that pet stores receive tropical fish and plants in: about 15" x 15" x 10". It has a bimetal thermostat, computer fan, and 2 x 40W light bulbs. If you are comfortable re-wiring a lamp, you can make an incubator. It was a fun (for me) project. Hubby is the brains regarding anything mechanical here. If it's breathing, or growing, my brain takes over. So he did the wiring. We blew one computer fan when we got the wires crossed, otherwise, it was super easy. "Rush Lane" does a great tutorial regarding home made incubators if you're interested. I'm guessing that the difficulty you're having is related to inaccurate thermometers or too much humidity. Some folks doing the dry hatch method aren't even jacking up the humidity during lock down. They don't add any water, and let the moisture supplied by the first little wet chick provide the moisture for the subsequent chicks. I think my last hatch would have been higher if the humidity hadn't gotten so high during the end of the hatch. I also prefer to run my hatches just a bit warmer than the recommended 99.5 (for forced air) I aim for 100 - 100.5. It seems that lower temps result in mushy chicks and delayed hatching.

Did you report me???

 

[keesmom]

It's a home made incubator.  The box is a Styrofoam box that pet stores receive tropical fish and plants in:  about 15" x 15" x 10".  It has a bimetal thermostat, computer fan, and 2 x 40W light bulbs.  If you are comfortable re-wiring a lamp, you can make an incubator.  It was a fun (for me) project.  Hubby is the brains regarding anything mechanical here.  If it's breathing, or growing, my brain takes over.  So he did the wiring.  We blew one computer fan when we got the wires crossed, otherwise, it was super easy.  "Rush Lane" does a great tutorial regarding home made incubators if you're interested.  I'm guessing that the difficulty you're having is related to inaccurate thermometers or too much humidity.  Some folks doing the dry hatch method aren't even jacking up the humidity during lock down.  They don't add any water, and let the moisture supplied by the first little wet chick provide the moisture for the subsequent chicks.  I think my last hatch would have been higher if the humidity hadn't gotten so high during the end of the hatch.  I also prefer to run my hatches just a bit warmer than the recommended 99.5 (for forced air)  I aim for 100 - 100.5.  It seems that lower temps result in mushy chicks and delayed hatching.

Did you report me???

You can also report your problems by posting in BYC Forum and Feedback.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks Keesmom. I just put a post in that thread. Have a great evening.

 

[quailtrail]

It's a home made incubator.  The box is a Styrofoam box that pet stores receive tropical fish and plants in:  about 15" x 15" x 10".  It has a bimetal thermostat, computer fan, and 2 x 40W light bulbs.  If you are comfortable re-wiring a lamp, you can make an incubator.  It was a fun (for me) project.  Hubby is the brains regarding anything mechanical here.  If it's breathing, or growing, my brain takes over.  So he did the wiring.  We blew one computer fan when we got the wires crossed, otherwise, it was super easy.  "Rush Lane" does a great tutorial regarding home made incubators if you're interested.  I'm guessing that the difficulty you're having is related to inaccurate thermometers or too much humidity.  Some folks doing the dry hatch method aren't even jacking up the humidity during lock down.  They don't add any water, and let the moisture supplied by the first little wet chick provide the moisture for the subsequent chicks.  I think my last hatch would have been higher if the humidity hadn't gotten so high during the end of the hatch.  I also prefer to run my hatches just a bit warmer than the recommended 99.5 (for forced air)  I aim for 100 - 100.5.  It seems that lower temps result in mushy chicks and delayed hatching.

Did you report me???

yes I did

 

[lazy gardener]

Beautiful day. Didn't get much done at home as we were away most of the day. But there's always tomorrow! Did remove the divider in the lower coop, and put up 2 perches in the outer coop. The littles are enjoying the perching opportunities! Last night, one of the littles tried to go to bed with the big girls, but i didn't let her b/c I was afraid i'd wake up to a beat up little pullet this morning. Tonight, perching opportunities are first come, first serve.