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Incubating Eggs - questions

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[quote][i]Originally posted by Etymon[/i]
[br]Hey everyone,

I happened upon a fellow who was buying waters for his chickens like I was. The kind I wanted were sold out, but this fellow told me that I could have his because he had a lot of chicks and I just a few. I visited his house, and sure enough he had about 60 chicks compared to my 6. The deal was struck, and he gave me the waters for free.

Well, one thing led to another and I found out the he had an incubator. So, I made a deal with him on halves. Since he didn't have a rooster to fertilize eggs and I did, I said I would go in halves with him on hatching a batch of 42 chicks. That's all his incubator could hold. Again, the deal was struck, and I gave him 42 fertilized eggs.

Then on the way home I stopped at the grocery store, and I caught up with an acquaintance who also had an incubator. However, he had fertilized eggs from his flock. But his flock is a different breed than mine. He said he would go in on halves with me if I gave him 21 of my fertilized eggs. The deal was struck, and I gave him the eggs.

Well, the process of hatching out eggs takes about 21 days, so during this time, my hens are still pumping out eggs. I thought and thought about it and decided I wanted to purchase an incubator for myself, but with our own (human) babies due to be here any week now, I whimpered and thought to put it off until next season. LOL!

As fate would have it, our old refrigerator went kaput! A light bulb idea shown brightly in my mind. So, I went to the store and bought a thermometer/humidity reader. I cleaned out the old refrigerator, and wallah, I had just created a huge incubator!

How to heat it? Hmmm. Well, I decided to put one of these that we use in the winter in the fridge http://www.oppictures.com/singleimages/400/LAK5500_5_1.JPG ... it fit the ticket! I played around with the settings for about 12 hours until I got the humidity/temperature within range.

I just put about 200 eggs into my new incubator today. I will turn the eggs a few times a day and be sure to refill the water in the pan that is on top of the heater often to keep the humidity in range.

Has anyone tried something like this? or even similar? Does anyone have any constructive ideas?

This is my first incubator experiment. I'll try to keep you posted in the coming weeks if you want to follow the path that may lead no where or that may lead to life!

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T O P I C R E V I E W
Etymon	Posted - 15 June 2009 : 21:11:17 Hey everyone, I happened upon a fellow who was buying waters for his chickens like I was. The kind I wanted were sold out, but this fellow told me that I could have his because he had a lot of chicks and I just a few. I visited his house, and sure enough he had about 60 chicks compared to my 6. The deal was struck, and he gave me the waters for free. Well, one thing led to another and I found out the he had an incubator. So, I made a deal with him on halves. Since he didn't have a rooster to fertilize eggs and I did, I said I would go in halves with him on hatching a batch of 42 chicks. That's all his incubator could hold. Again, the deal was struck, and I gave him 42 fertilized eggs. Then on the way home I stopped at the grocery store, and I caught up with an acquaintance who also had an incubator. However, he had fertilized eggs from his flock. But his flock is a different breed than mine. He said he would go in on halves with me if I gave him 21 of my fertilized eggs. The deal was struck, and I gave him the eggs. Well, the process of hatching out eggs takes about 21 days, so during this time, my hens are still pumping out eggs. I thought and thought about it and decided I wanted to purchase an incubator for myself, but with our own (human) babies due to be here any week now, I whimpered and thought to put it off until next season. LOL! As fate would have it, our old refrigerator went kaput! A light bulb idea shown brightly in my mind. So, I went to the store and bought a thermometer/humidity reader. I cleaned out the old refrigerator, and wallah, I had just created a huge incubator! How to heat it? Hmmm. Well, I decided to put one of these that we use in the winter in the fridge http://www.oppictures.com/singleimages/400/LAK5500_5_1.JPG ... it fit the ticket! I played around with the settings for about 12 hours until I got the humidity/temperature within range. I just put about 200 eggs into my new incubator today. I will turn the eggs a few times a day and be sure to refill the water in the pan that is on top of the heater often to keep the humidity in range. Has anyone tried something like this? or even similar? Does anyone have any constructive ideas? This is my first incubator experiment. I'll try to keep you posted in the coming weeks if you want to follow the path that may lead no where or that may lead to life!
6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Etymon	Posted - 13 July 2009 : 22:04:53 Well, guys, I think I know where I went wrong! LOL! I ended up with just 40 live chicks, but the mortality rate thus far has been 25%. I learned lots. Next time, I will have a better idea of what I am doing. I did do just about everything wrong a fella could do, so to have about a 33% hatch rate for my first unconventional time around compared to the standard 60% using conventional methods, I figure I must have done something a little bit right. LOL! There is always next year. I was able to replace our existing hens and roosters (they are in the freezer), plus double their numbers due to having two other hatches earlier this year. I have three broody hens. I suspect though that they are sitting on both fertile and infertile eggs. We'll see. Had I not had other chicks to already replace my flock, I would not have experimented so crudely.
Etymon	Posted - 02 July 2009 : 05:55:13 Leave it me to be the odd poster! On Friday, I get to turn the eggs on their sides and hope those peeps can become chicks. It will be interesting. I think most things that were said to not do, I did those. For instance, I was told to not let the temp get above 105 F. Well, I don't have much control over that with my crude incubator, and twice it hit 105 F. I took a flashlight to a few known, good eggs, and the chicks were still swishing about in there. I hope they don't come out retarded! I am shooting for about 125 live chicks, but who knows? I have no idea what to expect. I am a first time hatch dude dad!
HuwR	Posted - 30 June 2009 : 08:23:57 quote: Originally posted by Doug G I have no clue, the extent of my baby chick knowledge comes from a classic I Love Lucy episode! But this has to be the most unusual post ever in this forum would have to agree with Doug, definately the oddest post so far Good luck with your hatching , I would like to keep some chickens, but they are not allowed on our allotments and no room in a flat
Torborg	Posted - 30 June 2009 : 06:59:51 I have not tried. But we have had chicken and hens for 12 years. Until last spring when the fox visited us, again... I like to let the hen hatch (is that what its called?) the eggs. She looks after the chickens all summer. And I don’t worry about the cat. But to have an incubator must be exciting. Nice to hear what happens in three weeks.
Etymon	Posted - 16 June 2009 : 22:33:38 Where is Lucy when I need her here! runs around the room in panic!
Doug G	Posted - 16 June 2009 : 22:06:06 I have no clue, the extent of my baby chick knowledge comes from a classic I Love Lucy episode! But this has to be the most unusual post ever in this forum

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