So, awhile back my husband mentioned building an incubator. I wasn’t sure how that would work. Then several weeks ago he sent me picture of our son building it. Apparently he gave him some direction (and safety supervision), but Lando built it all himself. He did the measurements, the cutting, the stapling down of the wire for the rack-everything! The rough scrap of wood where he drew out his measurements is even nailed to the wall in the shop for a keepsake. Ed took pictures every step of the way so that it was documented for me and for Lando’s 4-H project for the fairs. I had my doubts from the very beginning, and I’m sure my husband sensed them, but I tried to never voice them to either him nor Lando. I’ve stayed out of the project for the most part because I’ve had my own projects going on and wanted this to be something they did together. Not because of any doubts but sometimes too many chiefs ruin a good thing. Ed made sure the eggs were turned and were checked on regularly. I did encourage Lando to start writing down the temp and humidity on a log sheet periodically, but other than peeking in once in awhile, I left it to them.
When they first built it, we kept it in the garage because that seemed like a logical location since that’s where we’ve kept the brooder box for chicks in the past for the first few days. It’s easy to keep an eye on and we can always check on things whether we’re coming, going, or just around the house. Well, it wasn’t so easy to keep the temperature regulated that way. They started out with two eggs I think. Optimum temperature is 102F. One evening Lando and I came home to find it at 112F! Lethal temperature is 107F 🙁 The decision was made to discard the eggs and try again but this time to keep the incubator in the guest room in the house. At least that way the outside temp was more consistently 72-74F so regulating the inside temp would hopefully be a little easier.
During this time we also had two hens trying to hatch two eggs. We generally collect eggs every evening and had decided to see if they would stay setting. After a couple of days I marked the eggs with a “9” for May 9th which was the day we decided to leave them alone. Looking back, I realize I need to be better at documenting things like that in our family planner. I didn’t take into account that the eggs may have already been 3-5 days old by May 9th. I just had in my head “9” so eggs would be due to hatch on “30”. On the 26th we went out to feed only to find one tiny dead chick in the straw on the floor of the coop. It was a sad realization but lessons learned: 1) Hens need to be moved into a different coop or at the very least into a cage where other hens and the rooster can’t access her or her chicks WELL in advance. 2) Everything needs to be marked on a calendar. I knew both of those things in my head, but things get so crazy with work and other projects that the 30th snuck up on us. That’s assuming that the eggs were actually laid 21 days before and not on the 4th or 5th or 6th… Lando and I moved the hen (a Rhode Island Red) and her remaining egg along with 3 others we found that day to the smaller coop that had previously been built for chicks as they transitioned from the brooder to real life on the outside. Based on the color of the eggs, we knew which hen had laid them and with some advice from my friend Suzanne at Outlaw Farms, we left the broody hen (a French Black Copper Maran) stay with the others in the coop for the night. After a couple of days, it was obvious that the other egg wasn’t going to hatch so we put the hen back with the others and put the extra three eggs in the house incubator. Note: It took her a day or so but the hen returned to free ranging with the others and laying eggs in the regular nesting boxes.
So, 21 days would be tomorrow. And again, chaos caused things to sneek up on us. Ed went to work at 6am this morning and he checked the eggs. Apparently nothing unusual. I finished some stuff, kinda forgot about it, did some dishes, and around noon went in to check on the plants. I peeked in the window of the incubator and yelled at Lando. THERE WAS A BABY CHICK IN THERE!!!! I grabbed my phone, snapped shots, and of course texted them to Ed. Literally, while it was still sending photos, Ed walked in the door for his lunch break! Our first farm baby was still a little wet on his head and back, but he was fluffy and dry on his bottom side as he tried to walk around on the wire rack-flooring. I. Could. Not. Believe. It. Had. Worked!! Remember when I said I never voiced my doubts at home? This evening I feel like I’d be getting an “I told you so”…even if they had doubts as well LOL
Chick number 1 
Peeking out 
Here comes number 2! 
Watching through the vent hole 
Almost there little guy!