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Post by Duck Diva on Oct 29, 2008 19:27:20 GMT 8
Wow! Its here. Ive put it together and plugged it in. I just put some eggs from the shop in it while I get the temp right and left my dozen pekin duck eggs to sit until tomorrow. God Im so nervous, its unbelievable Im hoping everything goes to plan, but Im also prepared as much as possible for the worst. After hearing others success stories even after major dramas I guess Im feeling a bit better about the whole thing. Anyway, I'll keep you all posted when things start happening in a month! Wendy
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Post by fluffychook on Oct 29, 2008 20:43:12 GMT 8
Thats great Wendy, eggs are fairly forgiving. Mine have had a very rough road and I still got a hatch. You will be fine and we all wait for your first piccies
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Post by horses7 on Oct 30, 2008 6:31:58 GMT 8
Congrats on getting your incubator, hatch days are exciting, (and nervewracking) you will be fine.
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Oct 30, 2008 7:05:42 GMT 8
How exciting Wendy I know how you feel, I was really nervous during my first clutch in the incubator. It took me a few days to set the temp properly and then once the eggs were in there I was checking the temp so often it was ridiculous lol. In the end it all went well so try not to stress too much, as fluffychook said eggs are fairly forgiving. When my last lot were in the incubator we had a 36 degree day out here and being in an old house with no air con the bator temp jumped to 106! I thought I'd lost the lot but I still hatched my 7 healthy lil silkies
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Post by Duck Diva on Oct 30, 2008 10:39:52 GMT 8
Hi guys, I have just put 11 duck eggs in the incubator. 1 had some slight cracking at the air sac end so I didnt bother with it. So fingers and toes crossed, the waiting game begins!! Im glad Im doing it now before it gets too hot. I have ended up puting the setup in the laundry because I was worried about the great diference in temp in the shed. I dont have a dryer and im going to keep the outside door closed from now on until hatched. The other thing I have to worry about is my 2 yr old, so i figure if its in the house, not down the back, I can at least have some idea if she decides to "play" with it. I am just thinking about disguising it a bit with a surround of cardboard so she cant see it. Out of site out of mind?? Maybe! We'll see. I just have this aweful pic in my mind of getting home from work and finding out she has pulled the whole lot down and the eggs are broken etc.. Worse case scenario. im sure it wont happen but with toddlers, you just never know what they'll get up to. Anyway, have a great day Wendy.
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Post by farmchooks on Oct 30, 2008 18:54:15 GMT 8
Congratulations on getting your new incubator. You will have to let us know how your first hatch goes.
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Post by beck on Nov 3, 2008 11:57:53 GMT 8
congrats on the incubator what did you get ?? soo exciting i know i hatched out my first hatch about 5 weeks ago loved it you never get to see them hatch from under the chook this is soo fun hope all ge=oes well and good luck
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Post by Duck Diva on Nov 3, 2008 13:50:42 GMT 8
Its a hovobator still air no auto turner. I was having trouble keeping the temp stable but put 2 x 1.25 litre water bottles in and now its great. hope it didnt stuff up teh eggs too much in those first couple of days. It was fluctuating a few degrees between day and night etc. Anyway, I'll wait and see I suppose.
A question about harching too if anyone knows, Ive seen in some photos that people have a teatowel/hand towel or whatever under the eggs when they are hatching out. Do you put it in when you stop turning? It would sure save some mess and give the chicks something softer to hatch onto than the wire.
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Post by chooken on Nov 3, 2008 18:25:16 GMT 8
Hi Wendy, We have a Hovabator as well but with an egg turner. When we stop turning the eggs before we take them from the auto turner we put down a mat of open weave rubber. The kind that you can use for nonslip doillies. It is bought in a roll usually. It doesn't move around with active newly hatched chicks and you are right, it is much softer on their little feet and delicate tummies. I know some people use Chux wipes. You just need to make sure the humidity still makes its way through it. Good Luck with your hatch.
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Post by Duck Diva on Nov 4, 2008 15:12:15 GMT 8
Thanks chooken, will try and find something suitable before the hatch.
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Post by Duck Diva on Nov 7, 2008 19:19:43 GMT 8
Hi everyone, its day 8 and I just candled the eggs using a bedlamp and a loo roll! Well, we have movement in some and others look like theyre ok, a couple Im not sure about. It was so exciting to see that somethings actually happening. Only 20 more days to go...... such a long time
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Nov 7, 2008 19:46:23 GMT 8
Thats great to hear that the eggs are looking pretty good so far. The time feels like its taking forever doesnt it, I'm also playing the waiting game except I've got 24 days to go It'll be interesting to see how you go hatching duck eggs in the hovabator because I've also got a still air manual hovabator and I had no luck with my duck eggs this season. Think I've got humidity problems so maybe you'll be able to give me a few pointers
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Post by fluffychook on Nov 7, 2008 20:01:09 GMT 8
Exciting isnt it, the wait gets harder as hatch day gets closer. I have my next hatch of duck and blue silkies due on Thursday. I will be taking a careful look at the duck eggs as last time I had to intervene with three eggs. I tend to keep all eggs in the bator until the day they go off the auto turner. By then I know for sure if the eggs are good or not. Good luck
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Post by Duck Diva on Nov 8, 2008 6:02:55 GMT 8
Hi Steph, as a newbie to incubating, I just followed the instructions that came with it. But also put in the two 1.25litre water bottles to keep the temp stable. I have been misting the eggs when I turn them and thats about it! I have no idea if the humidity is right. After reading lots of articles and forums about incubating and humidity, I completely lost confidence and thought, why did I buy this thing?? :/ lol. Then I decided that too much info can be a bad thing!! :? I guess we'll wait and see if the hatch is bad I know I'll have to change things next time. Good luck with yours
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Post by Cluck N Waddle on Nov 8, 2008 7:33:33 GMT 8
Thanks wendy. After my probs with incubating duck eggs in the bator, I've decided to buy a couple of muscovy gals to do the job for me I've got guinea eggs in the bator (with silkie & frizzled pekin eggs added this Tuesday)this time so will have no worries with humidity
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