Pictured above are the chicks that I hatched from eggs received from Jim Heinz. These chicks are the Underwood line. They were hatched 11/10/2012 I received 18 eggs, 15 made it to lock down and 12 hatched. I received 25 chicks from Gary Underwood 2/12/2013, lost one so I still have 24 of these. They are pictured on the Underwood line (page 2)
Many Folks Are Having Eggs Go Overdue For Hatch And Wondering If They Are Duds, Late, Or Have Had Some Sort Of Fetal Demise.... The Float Test Is Simple Yet Effect Way Of Checking Egg Viability.
Normally Give Eggs A Full 24 Hrs Overdue Before Float Testing. It Works On All Bird Eggs- Period! Takes Very Little Equipment Or Time To Do And Is Easy To Perform.
Start With A Bowl Of Sufficient Depth To Allow The Eggs Your Testing To Float Freely Or Sink. Add 100 Degree Water To The Needed Level And Allow It To Settle( Quit Swirling And Calm Down)
Once Settled Take The Egg Or Eggs To Be Tested And Gently Lower Them Into The Water With As Little Disturbance As Possible. You May Need To Wait A Few Minutes For The Water To Settle Again After Adding Egg/ Eggs. Then Just Watch....
Eggs Are Judged By Observation With Results As Follows:
1. Sinker= Dud, Never Developed
2. High Floater (like A Fishing Bobber Without Weights) Say 45% Or More Of The Egg Above The Water Line= Dud, No Development Or Fetal Demise, Likely Rupture Of Internal Membranes Causing The Egg To Dehydrate.
3. Low Floater= Viable Egg, Development Full Term
4. Low Floater Rockin And Rollin! This Is The Live Embryo Moving Inside The Egg= Definate Viable Egg!
Once Test Results Complete Take Viable Eggs And Gently Pat Dry And Replace In Hatcher. Duds Are Best Discarded At This Time.
It Should Be Noted All Eggs Warrant Close Inspection Prior To Float Testing--- Any Pips In The Shell? Do Not Float Test! If The Shell Is Broken, Pipped Or Cracked In Any Way Water May Enter And Drown The Chick Inside
Here is a link that is very very helpful. http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching
I had posted this information on the Brinsea incubator forum a couple of years ago and there are so many questions that I figured I would post it here. It is easier then going through all the pages. This is only how I do it and I did have good results. If I need more room for eggs then this will hold, I then use my Genesis 1588. I have very good luck with it also. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes with shipped eggs I as well as anyone else have terrible luck with hatches.
This is how I set up my Brinsea ECO 20 for incubating eggs. I only used it once for hatching and I don't like it as well as the Hova Bator because of the size. Okay, in the first picture it shows the sponge in the back water trough. I cut the sponge the same height as the trough so the tray don't sit on the wet sponges and maybe get the eggs to wet. I only fill the back trough with the sponges with water for incubation. About every third day, I have to lift tray out and add water. I don't put any water in front trough unless the humidity keeps dropping below 40%.
This is how I set up my Brinsea ECO 20 for incubating eggs. I only used it once for hatching and I don't like it as well as the Hova Bator because of the size. Okay, in the first picture it shows the sponge in the back water trough. I cut the sponge the same height as the trough so the tray don't sit on the wet sponges and maybe get the eggs to wet. I only fill the back trough with the sponges with water for incubation. About every third day, I have to lift tray out and add water. I don't put any water in front trough unless the humidity keeps dropping below 40%.
In the next photo is how I do my eggs and hygrometer. In the back row there are 6 large fowl rhode island red eggs and at the far right I put balled up paper towel so they don't jiggle around when I turn the incubator back and forth.
second row has 6 eggs with paper towel for same reason
third and front row has 5 eggs in each row with paper towels for same reason.
Depending on size of your eggs as to how many you can get in there. I have 13 rhode island red LF, 3 english orpington and 6 barred plymouth rock eggs in there total being 22 large fowl eggs. The orp and barred rocks are pullet eggs so not quite a large as they will be later. These will just sit like this without the lid on because the rhode island red eggs were shipped to me this morning so they have to sit and settle for a while. I will put lid on probably about 11 P.M. and make sure the temp is okay before going to bed. I do nothing else except lift tray to add water until day 18 then I open, candle and move the good ones into my Hova Bator for hatching.
I think I've told you everything that I can tell you now on how I do mine and I've been having really good hatches doing it this way. Sometimes on shipped eggs the rate isn't as high but I'm not complaining. I usually have 100% on my own eggs.
I try to keep my humidity between 40 and 50% and my temp is usually at 99. Once in a while it will go up to 100 when I have it in the back position when rocking the bator. My glass thermometer in the top of the Brinsea usually is at or very close to 101 but I really don't pay any attention to that one. I go totally by the hygrometer.
I really do hope that this helps you and I wish you the best of luck with your hatch/hatches.
second row has 6 eggs with paper towel for same reason
third and front row has 5 eggs in each row with paper towels for same reason.
Depending on size of your eggs as to how many you can get in there. I have 13 rhode island red LF, 3 english orpington and 6 barred plymouth rock eggs in there total being 22 large fowl eggs. The orp and barred rocks are pullet eggs so not quite a large as they will be later. These will just sit like this without the lid on because the rhode island red eggs were shipped to me this morning so they have to sit and settle for a while. I will put lid on probably about 11 P.M. and make sure the temp is okay before going to bed. I do nothing else except lift tray to add water until day 18 then I open, candle and move the good ones into my Hova Bator for hatching.
I think I've told you everything that I can tell you now on how I do mine and I've been having really good hatches doing it this way. Sometimes on shipped eggs the rate isn't as high but I'm not complaining. I usually have 100% on my own eggs.
I try to keep my humidity between 40 and 50% and my temp is usually at 99. Once in a while it will go up to 100 when I have it in the back position when rocking the bator. My glass thermometer in the top of the Brinsea usually is at or very close to 101 but I really don't pay any attention to that one. I go totally by the hygrometer.
I really do hope that this helps you and I wish you the best of luck with your hatch/hatches.
Okay folks, I just finished hatching 6 out of 7 eggs in my Brinsea 20 ECO. I've used it several times now for incubation but this is the first time I used it for hatching and had no problem what so ever. I don't like it as well for hatching as my Styrofoam ones though because of the size. I had no problem keeping up the humidity and I do have coal furnace for heat and my house is awfully dry.
For incubation, I have sponge cut to fit into the slots and add water you can use one or both of the slots. Sometimes if I fill both slots it will bring it up to high for incubation. I try to keep it around 50 or so for incubation. I do lift tray about every third day and add water.
For hatching, I add the paper towels as shown in the picture. I use a straw to put through the hole in top and a shringe to make sure I keep the front paper towel really wet. It will leak out the little holes but I just put something under Brinsea to suck up the water. My humidity stayed above 70 throughout the hatching process. Had no problems at all. I used one paper towel folded in half then half again in each side, soaked them before putting them in then just each day added a little water to just the front one.
Hope this helps.
For incubation, I have sponge cut to fit into the slots and add water you can use one or both of the slots. Sometimes if I fill both slots it will bring it up to high for incubation. I try to keep it around 50 or so for incubation. I do lift tray about every third day and add water.
For hatching, I add the paper towels as shown in the picture. I use a straw to put through the hole in top and a shringe to make sure I keep the front paper towel really wet. It will leak out the little holes but I just put something under Brinsea to suck up the water. My humidity stayed above 70 throughout the hatching process. Had no problems at all. I used one paper towel folded in half then half again in each side, soaked them before putting them in then just each day added a little water to just the front one.
Hope this helps.
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11/11/2012
This picture was taken at 1 day old after moving them to the brooder box. I am so proud to have gotten these little ones from this very old line of RIR's.
Below comment was copied/pasted from BYC left by NYREDS
Underwood Reds are one of the oldest & most successful line of Reds in the country. The current Mr Underwood took over his father's birds. I've seen them when I've gone to shows in the mid-west & had occasion to talk Reds with the current Mr Underwood. He's a very knowledgable Red breeder. You couldn't go far wrong starting with some of his birds.
Below comment was copied/pasted from BYC left by NYREDS
Underwood Reds are one of the oldest & most successful line of Reds in the country. The current Mr Underwood took over his father's birds. I've seen them when I've gone to shows in the mid-west & had occasion to talk Reds with the current Mr Underwood. He's a very knowledgable Red breeder. You couldn't go far wrong starting with some of his birds.
4/1/2013 On 3/12 the heater of my Brinsea went on the blink, temp dropped to 70. I switched the eggs to my genesis 1588. Approx 7 - 9 days later we had a terrible wind storm and took out power out. Again the temp went down to 71. It came back on and just had me sick. On day 18 I put 10 into lock down. Nothing with these eggs up to including Easter Sunday. Gee, late Easter Sunday night I saw a pip. At 1:15 AM Monday morning the first peep popped out. Another hatched during the night and another today. I don't know if any more are going to do anything or not. I have never had a hatch like this before from my own eggs. Gee, 4 chicks from 22 eggs. Not very good.
4/6/2013 Set 21 Don Nelson eggs in my Brinsea since I got it back.
4/27/2013 First chick popped out 11:55 PM 4/26 it was in a hurry. Had 6 in there this morning. More eggs with pips and some with nothing. Funny how they can be so different in their hatch dates/times.
4/6/2013 Set 21 Don Nelson eggs in my Brinsea since I got it back.
4/27/2013 First chick popped out 11:55 PM 4/26 it was in a hurry. Had 6 in there this morning. More eggs with pips and some with nothing. Funny how they can be so different in their hatch dates/times.
Early Bird ha,ha.
This little one just couldn't wait for a few more minutes. These were due to hatch today 4/27 but this one just hat to come out early. I had 6 pips before midnight and there were 6 hatched when I got up this morning. Still pips and zips starting in more eggs. I'm not really wanting them all to hatch but since I don't care, they will probably all hatch. lol
These and the 4/1 hatch will be from two female families of the Don Nelson girls. 3 NYREDS hens and 4 from dinahmoe. I'm hoping for a couple super duper cockerels. This is my last hatch for this spring/summer. Our weather has been so hectic, it is a wonder anything is hatching. Got 14 biddies out of this hatch. It just seems that the fertility is just not as good when using pullets. I will be hatching from my older birds from now on.
These and the 4/1 hatch will be from two female families of the Don Nelson girls. 3 NYREDS hens and 4 from dinahmoe. I'm hoping for a couple super duper cockerels. This is my last hatch for this spring/summer. Our weather has been so hectic, it is a wonder anything is hatching. Got 14 biddies out of this hatch. It just seems that the fertility is just not as good when using pullets. I will be hatching from my older birds from now on.
8/25/2013 Set 12 RC Underwood and 10 Nelson eggs today.
9/12/2013 1 of the RC were clear. 11 went into lock down 4 Nelson were clear 6 went into lock down.
9/14/2013 10 PM Have 7 RC hatch right now and 4 Nelson I'm sure hoping that the rest hatch out. lol
9/15/2013 I took the hatchlings out of the bators and checked the other eggs and they were not good. The last little Nelson baby doesn't look to promising at this point. Oh well, This is it for now. I may not be hatching anymore until next year/spring. I am really tired of raising babies for a while. lol
Below is a picture of what I got out of this last hatch.
9/12/2013 1 of the RC were clear. 11 went into lock down 4 Nelson were clear 6 went into lock down.
9/14/2013 10 PM Have 7 RC hatch right now and 4 Nelson I'm sure hoping that the rest hatch out. lol
9/15/2013 I took the hatchlings out of the bators and checked the other eggs and they were not good. The last little Nelson baby doesn't look to promising at this point. Oh well, This is it for now. I may not be hatching anymore until next year/spring. I am really tired of raising babies for a while. lol
Below is a picture of what I got out of this last hatch.
Set 21 eggs 10/13/13 On day 18 I had 17 eggs that looked super and 1 that was a little iffy.
I put these 18 eggs into lock down. 15 of the 18 eggs hatched and went to Ohio 11/4/13 They are boxed up and ready to go in the below picture. These are the SC Variety of the Underwood line RIR.
3/31/2014 My, my, how fast these years seem to go. My mom told me one time that the older we get the faster the time seems to go by. This past winter was one of the worst that I can remember for a long long time. We had wind chills as low as minus 35 degrees.
I set some eggs 3/11 - 3/13. My RC Reds are in an open pen under my back porch so they get all the cold weather. All my other birds are in closed pens . I set 14 RC eggs, 12 Nelson eggs and 8 eggs from my Matt's Reese/Mohawks. I put them into lock down and of the 14 RC's only 1 of these were fertile. It popped out between 5 - 5:30 this evening. Gee, first time this has ever happened with me with these eggs. I think it was because of all the sub zero weather. Have 7 of the 12 Nelson eggs in lock down. 7 of the 8 Reese eggs were good. Will know in just another couple of days how many of these hatch out.
I put 30 more eggs in the incubator from Matt's Reese birds. They will be due to hatch Easter Sunday. I'm not setting anymore eggs this year. I will have more then enough to take care of come fall. Each year it seems that it is a little harder for me to take care of all this.
I set some eggs 3/11 - 3/13. My RC Reds are in an open pen under my back porch so they get all the cold weather. All my other birds are in closed pens . I set 14 RC eggs, 12 Nelson eggs and 8 eggs from my Matt's Reese/Mohawks. I put them into lock down and of the 14 RC's only 1 of these were fertile. It popped out between 5 - 5:30 this evening. Gee, first time this has ever happened with me with these eggs. I think it was because of all the sub zero weather. Have 7 of the 12 Nelson eggs in lock down. 7 of the 8 Reese eggs were good. Will know in just another couple of days how many of these hatch out.
I put 30 more eggs in the incubator from Matt's Reese birds. They will be due to hatch Easter Sunday. I'm not setting anymore eggs this year. I will have more then enough to take care of come fall. Each year it seems that it is a little harder for me to take care of all this.