Hatch Your Own Eggs

[Chicken_man 1,651]

Hello Gentlemen,which inc do you find best to use?

[bobcullen79 1,495]

Ive got a chicktech/Fiem Smart 20. Its a forced air, automatic and you can see through the whole lid, so you dont need to remove it to check for pipped eggs. I get good results with chicken, banty and quail eggs, but I`d be very wary doing anything that required optimum humidity, as being a forced air machine, the humidity gets forced out a vent as it draws air... I could pop a wick through a vent though.

[burnie69 376]

I use the r-com incubator's they have a humidity pump and digital read out on em and everything is automatically done for you.

[smoothfinish 26]

Just look at your hatch rate it tells you everything. If I put 12 fertile eggs in I'd as good as expect 9-10 healthy chicks out and some cases 11-12. I've messed with em for years and my best results come at 40% 1st 18 then 70% last 3 days.

Like i said mate im not saying your wrong but its just what iv found best. My old man as been running a little chicken farm for years and his humidity is kept at 45-50 and theres no difference in the hatching percentage.

[burnie69 376]

Smoothfinish you said in your orginal post that you get between 4 and 6 eggs out of 10 hatch. I personally would be looking for a higher % then that . Thats why I've messed with em for years and this time of year were setting 12, 000 eggs a week and getting around 78-79% hatch rate. That's without candling.Not having a dig at all mate just stating what works for me thats all. I've seem 2 identical incubators work differently in different rooms that's for sure.

[smoothfinish 26]

Smoothfinish you said in your orginal post that you get between 4 and 6 eggs out of 10 hatch. I personally would be looking for a higher % then that . Thats why I've messed with em for years and this time of year were setting 12, 000 eggs a week and getting around 78-79% hatch rate. That's without candling.Not having a dig at all mate just stating what works for me thats all. I've seem 2 identical incubators work differently in different rooms that's for sure.

Yes i normally get about 6 out of 10 but i have had 4 out of 10 in the past when i used to buy eggs from unknown sellers. I now get my eggs from a near by farm and are much better eggs Iv been meaning to ask you what is the bird in your photo ? I though it looked like a gold millefleur but looks a big old chap ???????

[burnie69 376]

He's a American type of gamefowl.

[smoothfinish 26]

Thats a cracking looking bird mate

Is it yours? Iv been wanting a rooster for some time now but there just too loud for my land type

[fergy 6]

 

Smoothfinish you said in your orginal post that you get between 4 and 6 eggs out of 10 hatch. I personally would be looking for a higher % then that . Thats why I've messed with em for years and this time of year were setting 12, 000 eggs a week and getting around 78-79% hatch rate. That's without candling.Not having a dig at all mate just stating what works for me thats all. I've seem 2 identical incubators work differently in different rooms that's for sure.

Yes i normally get about 6 out of 10 but i have had 4 out of 10 in the past when i used to buy eggs from unknown sellers. I now get my eggs from a near by farm and are much better eggs Iv been meaning to ask you what is the bird in your photo ? I though it looked like a gold millefleur but looks a big old chap ???????

 

yes i always keep them between 35-40% humidity bringing it right up to 65-70 for the last few days, its trial and error but ive done really well this year and have a 95%+ hatch rate, not including the infertile eggs which i check and remove after 8 days. I dont do anything like the 12000 eggs though and have hatched close on 500 eggs up to now this year. In fact ive had 100% from one of the incubators today a mixture of chocolate Orpingtons and Pkins from my own stock. Good article though but it might be worth dropping your humidity slightly and compare the results.

All the best

[smoothfinish 26]

 

 

Smoothfinish you said in your orginal post that you get between 4 and 6 eggs out of 10 hatch. I personally would be looking for a higher % then that . Thats why I've messed with em for years and this time of year were setting 12, 000 eggs a week and getting around 78-79% hatch rate. That's without candling.Not having a dig at all mate just stating what works for me thats all. I've seem 2 identical incubators work differently in different rooms that's for sure.

Yes i normally get about 6 out of 10 but i have had 4 out of 10 in the past when i used to buy eggs from unknown sellers. I now get my eggs from a near by farm and are much better eggs Iv been meaning to ask you what is the bird in your photo ? I though it looked like a gold millefleur but looks a big old chap ???????

 

yes i always keep them between 35-40% humidity bringing it right up to 65-70 for the last few days, its trial and error but ive done really well this year and have a 95%+ hatch rate, not including the infertile eggs which i check and remove after 8 days. I dont do anything like the 12000 eggs though and have hatched close on 500 eggs up to now this year. In fact ive had 100% from one of the incubators today a mixture of chocolate Orpingtons and Pkins from my own stock. Good article though but it might be worth dropping your humidity slightly and compare the results.

All the best

 

Im going to be setting some marans off in a few weeks as a close friend of mine has just got a roo in with his ladys so im going to pull a full topic up with a week by week photo and il drop the humidity to 45 to start with see what i get

[fergy 6]

definitely worth a try mate, when i first started i was told 50% was the minimum but ive just improved hatch rates with trial and error, one guy i know doesnt put any water or sponges in at all but when he is turning them he gives them a quick spray with one of those water spray things that you water plants with!!! i wouldnt try it but it seems to work for him. also its miles better getting the eggs from someone you know and trust, i wouldnt go down the ebay route ive had all sorts sent to me in the past and the hatch rates in my experience arent always that good after they have been in the post etc. good luck with the marans! ps what breeds do you keep?

[smoothfinish 26]

Iv kept all sorts in the past but iv just got the better layers now got 12 warrens. 3 light sussexs. 6 black rocks got a black and white silkie to keep are lass happy and 2 pekin bantams hoping to add 2 campbells to the flock and a old english roo in the coming months. What do you keep buddy ????

[Chicken_man 1,651]

Hi , I don't hatch any way near the amount you boys do , but I do want to get the best results . Im learning all the time and next year ill probably wnt something with better humidity control . I have a couple of small incs , a brinsea and a still air . The still air seems to do best . Still learning , and its good to get all sorts of different peoples experiences . Cheers

[fergy 6]

im thinking of going for the better layers now although the orpingtons generally give me about 5 per week each, saying that from18 birds 11 have gone broody, in my opinion thats generally the best incubator of all, as such ive just bought 10 silkie x with light sussex chicks, as they are quite good broodies. I dont know much about ducks but i wouldnt mind getting some as i like the eggs, does anyone have any recomendations as to which ones are the best layers?

[fergy 6]

Im currently concentrating on the chocolate orpingtons, the eggs sell pretty well as do the chicks etc, plus i really like the colour, ive been working on them for 3 years now and im getting there slowly but surely. Other than that I have some pekins (buff) a couple of light sussex banties and ive just bought some silkie x light sussex chicks more to use them as broodies as a lad i know swears by them and reckons they will go broody 2-3 times per year. im in the process of building a new set of runs it should hold 10 seperate runs/breeding pens. it started as a hobby but its taking over now lol