April Hatch Along

[South OH Chicks]

Just got done doing my first candling. 25/31 look good. Guess 3 had cracks and some yolk came out and they are stuck in the turner.

 

[WVduckchick]

So this web-site http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/2908/incubating-eggs-at-high-altitudes/ does not consider anything under 4921 high altitude? This link was from Sally Sunshine's great incubating tread.
What Things are Different at Altitude?

Air always contains about 21 per cent oxygen but at high altitudes (1,500 metres, 4,921 feet, or more above sea level) the air pressure decreases - put simply, there is less air. Less air means there are fewer molecules bumping into each other so all the molecules move around faster. Thus, gases can move through the pores in the eggshell more easily (Table 1). This only partially offsets the shortage of oxygen at high altitudes but it results in eggs losing carbon dioxide and water faster than they would at sea level. The extra loss of carbon dioxide does not appear to affect the embryo. I guess I will have to experiment.

See, that's why I *think* the vents should stay wide open, for the maximum oxygen exchange, but maybe I'm over-thinking it. I have read that local eggs laid at high elevations incubate ok, seems the hen makes up for some of the problems. Eggs shipped from lower to higher is where more issues are found. I think :/

My bourbon red turkey hatch is starting. We were just checking for internal pips for the heck of it. 1 and a half days early though, should still be good right?

Sounds like a good sign to me!

 

[Kyanite]

See, that's why I *think* the vents should stay wide open, for the maximum oxygen exchange, but maybe I'm over-thinking it.

I have read that local eggs laid at high elevations incubate ok, seems the hen makes up for some of the problems. Eggs shipped from lower to higher is where more issues are found. I think

When I read the article, it sounded to me like vents should stay open too. At first I thought close them to help keep humidity up, but that makes less O2 circulation which is bad. So they key is increasing humidity another way. And yes, it seems that from the article at least, local eggs should have better hatchability than eggs from a lower elevation. This gives me some hope. The eggs in my incubator came from just 1,000 lower in elevation which around here, is still pretty high. I can't believe that in all the reading I did before getting started, I didn't come across this. Not much was mentioned about elevation honestly. I know it affects a lot... my cooking and canning for example. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that it would affect incubation too.

 

[Kyanite]

Just got done doing my first candling. 25/31 look good. Guess 3 had cracks and some yolk came out and they are stuck in the turner.

Oh no! I hope you're able to get them out. Can you take the turner out and put the good eggs back in the incubator without it while you get the turner cleaned up, then put the eggs back in the turner?

 

[South OH Chicks]

Good idea. I was just going to leave them.

 

[WVduckchick]

When I read the article, it sounded to me like vents should stay open too. At first I thought close them to help keep humidity up, but that makes less O2 circulation which is bad. So they key is increasing humidity another way. And yes, it seems that from the article at least, local eggs should have better hatchability than eggs from a lower elevation. This gives me some hope. The eggs in my incubator came from just 1,000 lower in elevation which around here, is still pretty high. I can't believe that in all the reading I did before getting started, I didn't come across this. Not much was mentioned about elevation honestly. I know it affects a lot... my cooking and canning for example. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that it would affect incubation too.

Well then I'm glad I mentioned it

Ventilation and elevation are definitely overlooked alot.

And I think that's a good guideline, if you have to adjust your cooking, then your incubating probably warrants the difference too.

And while I'm at it, humidity is raised by adding water surface area, not necessarily amount of water. Spread it out as much as possible will get higher results than more water that is deeper.

 

[spruce creek]

We are countdown buddies! I set mine at 11:45a. I will need to put them in the new turner when it arrives, but other than that they are set and the countdown has begun!


Thank you. Luckily the seller is being more than accommodating and is just as frustrated as me. Looks like I'll be in the May Hatch-along too! And since the bator will be going and I've got time, I guess it'll have to be full!

YAY!! I set at 7:45pm Monday! But I did sneak that 12th egg in there today, she ended up laying in her box after I picked her up and put her in there!

 

[MaggieMay'sMom]

When I read the article, it sounded to me like vents should stay open too. At first I thought close them to help keep humidity up, but that makes less O2 circulation which is bad. So they key is increasing humidity another way. And yes, it seems that from the article at least, local eggs should have better hatchability than eggs from a lower elevation. This gives me some hope. The eggs in my incubator came from just 1,000 lower in elevation which around here, is still pretty high. I can't believe that in all the reading I did before getting started, I didn't come across this. Not much was mentioned about elevation honestly. I know it affects a lot... my cooking and canning for example. I don't know why it didn't occur to me that it would affect incubation too.

So maybe I should open the vent all the way and add water to both channels?

I do remember reading that keeping the vents shut for the first three days is ok, to get humidity up.

But why wait.

Not sure if I should be trying to achieve 45-50% humidity?

 

[South OH Chicks]

Oh no! I hope you're able to get them out. Can you take the turner out and put the good eggs back in the incubator without it while you get the turner cleaned up, then put the eggs back in the turner?

I went ahead and pulled turner cleaned, disinfected and rinse it and put back in. One of those eggs was disgusting. Probably good that I got it out.

 

[Kyanite]

So maybe I should open the vent all the way and add water to both channels?

I do remember reading that keeping the vents shut for the first three days is ok, to get humidity up.

But why wait.

Not sure if I should be trying to achieve 45-50% humidity?

I have water in all the channels on mine and barely holding 45%. My air cells are bigger than they should be at this point. They grew FAST in just the last couple days so I'm trying to keep it higher so that they don't get much bigger. I'm on my first hatch, but I wish I had weighed my eggs before I set them so that I could go by weight loss rather than by eyeballing air cell size. I feel that would be the best gauge of the correct humidity. I personally am not so focused on the actually number on the humidity, but how the air cells are progressing.

I went ahead and pulled turner cleaned, disinfected and rinse it and put back in. One of those eggs was disgusting. Probably good that I got it out.

Glad to hear you got it all taken care of. Yeah, it would be terrible to have one of those eggs fully explode or have some goo from it infect the whole incubator with bacteria.