April Hatch Along

[orrpeople]

Hi! Someone told me to post here about my first incubation questions, getting ready to go on lockdown:

[COLOR=333333]Hi, I have been lurking around for the past couple of weeks. I started incubation of 48 eggs on Sunday evening, 4/9/17.  It is an older still air incubator, it didn't even come with a temp or humidity gauge. I bought a thermometer that lays on top of the eggs (and verified its accuracy with other thermometers). I also bought a reptile humidity gauge (and verified it's accuracy with and electronic humidity monitor we had). Out of those 48,  we have 38 definite ones with chicks! [/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Humidity has been around 40-45%. I haven't added any water, we are keeping it in our basement.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]1.  As incubation goes by....do the chickens put off more heat? It seems like I am constantly having to turn down the temp everytime I go to turn (I am turning 3 times a day). Sometimes it will sneak up to 102, I am trying to keep it right around 100. I am worried about about this![/COLOR]
During lockdown with a still air, you will want to reduce your temperature by a degree or two. I have forgotten the exact temp you'll want - pretty sure someone will chime in here (I use circulated air, so it's not on the tip of my tongue).
[COLOR=333333]2. I am doing my last turn tonight and will go on lockdown. I have read anywhere from increasing the humidity to 65-80%.  Recommended? The only way I can get water in there without opening it  is too add it through a small vent hole. Is there a humidity percentage that is too high that I need to open up other vent holes??  [/COLOR] [COLOR= Red] Pull those babies out!! You want that good air circulation as much as possible, especially with a still-ajr incubator. I generally lockdown at 65-70 - some prefer higher. The only time I have had problems with stuck chicks because of humidity dropping is when I meddle too much!
[COLOR=333333]My air sacs don't look like the Day 18 air sacs in the pics I see online. They look more like Day 14 air sacs. Right now my humidity is 40%. Should I open up any vent holes before lockdown tonight and should I even up the humidity at all?[/COLOR] If air sacks seem small, that is an indicator that your humidity is probably running a bit high. But, here, I will tell you my own personal experience: I have had eggs that really did not look like they were ready for lockdown with little air cells, right along side those with normal cells... somehow they all hatched just fine. The only air cell problems I have ever really had were the shipping related damaged ones. But, with them, I'll have notes that say "Terrible air cell" for a particular egg, and that one will hatch out fine! Then, others with notes that say "Awesome air cell!" that don't end up hatching. I probably second guess myself in the area of humidity more than any other, and I am always amazed how things tend to work themselves out!


[COLOR=333333]3. Temperature - My temperature gauge is the type that sits on top of the eggs that has the plastic backing. I want to keep monitoring this temp but if those eggs hatch first I won't be able too. I do have some fake ceramic eggs (we used it for some chickens we had bought that had problems pecking at their eggs, fake eggs immediately stopped it!). Since these fake ones are the same size....could i put the gauge on top of those or will it not work because they are ceramic and not the real thing?[/COLOR] I think you could safely set your thermometer on the bottom of your incubator for the last few days and still receive an accurate reading of the general bator temp

[COLOR=333333]4.  I would like to put something down on the metal grid to catch all the little shell pieces, I read somewhere to use cheesecloth but I was worried about their little feet getting stuck on it and wrapping them up so I was going to put the cheese cloth under the metal grid. Or could I just use paper towels?[/COLOR] Most of us use the rubber shelf liner readily available at the dollar store. It makes a great non-slip surface for their first walking attempts.

[COLOR=333333]Thanks!![/COLOR]

 

[cybercat]

So far 2 hatched 4 more pips. Unfortunately all barnyard not my breeds yet. I have Blue and Black Ameraucanas and Black Copper marans in too.

 

[feedman77]

so to verify....even though the air sacs look small, go ahead and and increase humidity to 70% tonight? 

Yes I would go ahead and up humidity.

I've had air cells look small and hatch with the ones that had to my eye perfect aircells.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi! Someone told me to post here about my first incubation questions, getting ready to go on lockdown:

Hi, I have been lurking around for the past couple of weeks. I started incubation of 48 eggs on Sunday evening, 4/9/17. It is an older still air incubator, it didn't even come with a temp or humidity gauge. I bought a thermometer that lays on top of the eggs (and verified its accuracy with other thermometers). I also bought a reptile humidity gauge (and verified it's accuracy with and electronic humidity monitor we had). Out of those 48, we have 38 definite ones with chicks!

Humidity has been around 40-45%. I haven't added any water, we are keeping it in our basement.

1. As incubation goes by....do the chickens put off more heat? It seems like I am constantly having to turn down the temp everytime I go to turn (I am turning 3 times a day). Sometimes it will sneak up to 102, I am trying to keep it right around 100. I am worried about about this!

2. I am doing my last turn tonight and will go on lockdown. I have read anywhere from increasing the humidity to 65-80%. Recommended? The only way I can get water in there without opening it is too add it through a small vent hole. Is there a humidity percentage that is too high that I need to open up other vent holes??
My air sacs don't look like the Day 18 air sacs in the pics I see online. They look more like Day 14 air sacs. Right now my humidity is 40%. Should I open up any vent holes before lockdown tonight and should I even up the humidity at all?


3. Temperature - My temperature gauge is the type that sits on top of the eggs that has the plastic backing. I want to keep monitoring this temp but if those eggs hatch first I won't be able too. I do have some fake ceramic eggs (we used it for some chickens we had bought that had problems pecking at their eggs, fake eggs immediately stopped it!). Since these fake ones are the same size....could i put the gauge on top of those or will it not work because they are ceramic and not the real thing?

4. I would like to put something down on the metal grid to catch all the little shell pieces, I read somewhere to use cheesecloth but I was worried about their little feet getting stuck on it and wrapping them up so I was going to put the cheese cloth under the metal grid. Or could I just use paper towels?

Thanks!!

I agree with most of what has been suggested, especially the rubber shelf liner instead of paper towels. Temp creeping up to 102 in a still air incubator is fine. And yes, yes, yes, open those vents!! The higher humidity and the closed vents could both have contributed to your smaller-looking air cells. but dark/dense shells also lose moisture slower. You can still go ahead with humidity increase, but its also ok to wait another day. I go by the "fluid" area between the top of the air cell and the dark blob of the chick. If its all dark, they are ready. If there is a large clear area, they can wait a bit.

And if you have trouble keeping humidity up, put a wet sponge below/near a vent hole, then you can use a straw or tubing to add water. Too high humidity is when you get condensation. If no condensation, then its not too high.

Good luck, and please let us know how it goes!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I stuck the last five eggs under two of my broodies. I gave them chicks last night but had to take them away from the oegb because she would sit on them but as soon as she's see one peek out she'd fling it all over. So the Japanese has them now. The Brahma kept a chick warm all night and then basically abandoned it this morning so that one is with the Japanese too. We'll see how they do with chicks that actually hatch under them. Fingers crossed they don't hatch while I'm at work and get hurt. One says it's due tomorrow but the other 4 don't have dates on them but the chicks are alive and shadowing.

 

[vdrsolo]

I agree with most of what has been suggested, especially the rubber shelf liner instead of paper towels. Temp creeping up to 102 in a still air incubator is fine. And yes, yes, yes, open those vents!! The higher humidity and the closed vents could both have contributed to your smaller-looking air cells. but dark/dense shells also lose moisture slower. You can still go ahead with humidity increase, but its also ok to wait another day. I go by the "fluid" area between the top of the air cell and the dark blob of the chick. If its all dark, they are ready. If there is a large clear area, they can wait a bit.

And if you have trouble keeping humidity up, put a wet sponge below/near a vent hole, then you can use a straw or tubing to add water. Too high humidity is when you get condensation. If no condensation, then its not too high.

Good luck, and please let us know how it goes!

Thanks, I will!! I have no issues with condensation yet! I am so nervous about this humidity thing. I am a by the books and rules type of person....but I hear so many things I am confused!!

 

[orrpeople]

Thanks, I will!! I have no issues with condensation yet! I am so nervous about this humidity thing. I am a by the books and rules type of person....but I hear so many things I am confused!!

I think part of the confusion arises because the relative humidity from city to city and state to state varies so widely that some folks barely need to add water, where folks like me in very low humidity areas have to add lots and lots. That said, 65 - 70% is standard. I always have just a few beads of condensation in one small area of my incubator window (it's odd, but when I see it bead up, I know I'm "in the zone" for good hatchability. Also, once your chicks begin to hatch, their moist little bodies will send your humidity way up. Don't be alarmed by this - it's normal, and as long as you have good air circulation (plugs out) everyone will be fine. I also have gone back to the practice of hatching in cut-down (and holes in the bottom) cardboard egg cartons - that way, even if there's some extra moisture in the shell, it doesn't effect their pip/zip. It also has really put an end to the plethora of malpositioned chicks I was having with the eggs lying on their sides.

 

[WVduckchick]

I think part of the confusion arises because the relative humidity from city to city and state to state varies so widely that some folks barely need to add water, where folks like me in very low humidity areas have to add lots and lots. That said, 65 - 70% is standard. I always have just a few beads of condensation in one small area of my incubator window (it's odd, but when I see it bead up, I know I'm "in the zone" for good hatchability. Also, once your chicks begin to hatch, their moist little bodies will send your humidity way up. Don't be alarmed by this - it's normal, and as long as you have good air circulation (plugs out) everyone will be fine. I also have gone back to the practice of hatching in cut-down (and holes in the bottom) cardboard egg cartons - that way, even if there's some extra moisture in the shell, it doesn't effect their pip/zip. It also has really put an end to the plethora of malpositioned chicks I was having with the eggs lying on their sides.

 

[South OH Chicks]

A day late but 4 of my copper marans have hatched 2 more have pipped out of 9 I incubated so far 2 of my OE have pipped. None of the RIR made it, but that was because of PO and seller was gracious enough to make it up to me. I will post pics tomorrow.

 

[MontainBourbons]

32 of my own sulmtalers and 32 blue maran eggs in the incubator tonight. 20 sulmtalers hatching it 1 week.