First time hatching and Murphy's Law seems to be in full effect

[darkbluespace]

What day is lockdown for Serama eggs? And what humidity % is best?

Usually day 18 but day 17 if I feel like it. They can take till day 21, just depends on incubating temp. I use 60 to 65% humidity for lockdown. Good luck!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

What day is lockdown for Serama eggs? And what humidity % is best?

Day 18 is generally lockdown for chicken eggs. Bantam breeds can hatch a day or two early, but not necessarily and not usually before day 18. As for lockdown and hatch humidity-a lot depends on the hatchers habits. If you are a hands off after lockdown hatcher you shoud have no problems running 60-65% for hatch. I myself am a meddler. I remove my chicks during hatch as well as eggs and I will assist if I feel it's necessary. I run my humidity at hatch 75% and don't like it getting down to 65%

 

[goats2chickens]

Day 14ish and I don't see much if any change from day 7ish.i think I may have killed them all. Sigh.

 

[Naliez]

Day 14ish and I don't see much if any change from day 7ish.i think I may have killed them all. Sigh.

I'm sorry. 130 is pretty high, even for just a short amount of time. What kind of eggs did you have? Out of my 10 shipped Serama eggs, only 1 shows development and I think a lot of it had to do with the handling and temperature during shipment (not to mention the difficulty Serama have hatching on their own even with ideal conditions) With my local Silkie eggs, 9 out of 12 look to be right on target. Maybe you can get another local batch and try again? I'm finding out that there's a lot of learning I need to do, and the other part seems to be more of an art, where what works for someone, doesn't always work for someone else and people seem to find their groove through trial and error. I have ANOTHER 12 Serama eggs coming Thursday or Friday, (because if the one Serama DOES hatch, well I can't just let him be lonely!)

 

[goats2chickens]

Here are some images I tried to candle. I couldn't download from my phone a bit ago.

 

[Naliez]

So... One of the reasons we wanted Serama and/or Silkies was because we have a little EE named Hootie who, because of her size or color or some other reason, gets picked on by our big black Australorp and speckled Sussex and so she gets "house privileges" to give her a break from the stress. She loves it, but seems a bit lonely and we thought getting a breed with a more gentle temperament would give her her own "flock" to do chicken things with. Well, a HAWK just got Hoot and my family is devastated. We had a couple BO chickens free range for 3 years a few years ago and never had a predator problem. Although I realize that is a risk you take when free ranging, in the end, our complacency ultimately cost us our dear little chicken "friend" her life. The hawk was just doing what Hawks do, and I believe they're protected here, so my ladies are cooped up in their covered run until we can figure out what to do. I hate seeing them caged and if I have to, I'll cover half the darn yard to keep them safe. I am so, so very sad and the guilt is awful. RIP sweet Hootie, my dear chicken friend.

 

[Naliez]

Here are some images I tried to candle. I couldn't download from my phone a bit ago.

At day 14, I think it's pretty safe to assume that those aren't developing. I'm sorry. See if you can find a few local eggs and we can hatch together! Like I said, I have more coming tomorrow or Friday. We can compare development as we learn and go along together!

 

[goats2chickens]

Most of the first group were from my flock so mixed and BCM, plus three from the neighbor that are Lavender Orpington and LO over Faverelle.

She has stopped laying, but I kept putting eggs in the thing until it was full, just a few each day or two. For some reason I was thinking I could just move them to a hatching bator without the lockdown.

Also, I have learned my ambient humidity is very different than other folks, so, like you, I need to learn my situation. One of the things I want to do that I haven't done, (and I am terrible about doing with my goats) is to Take Notes! I could have fixed some things If I had just taken some notes, sigh. I think I will try candling again this evening but go on to the ones I haven't tried to candle in the past. I wish I knew when I put some of the others in!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Here are some images I tried to candle. I couldn't download from my phone a bit ago.

Those all appear to be clears. For future references though, if you candle down into the egg from the air cell end you will get a much better picture of what is going on in your egg and you'll be able to see and track the air cell growth which in my opinion is very important in finding what humidity will work for you and how to adjust your humidity during the hatch for proper air cell growth.

So... One of the reasons we wanted Serama and/or Silkies was because we have a little EE named Hootie who, because of her size or color or some other reason, gets picked on by our big black Australorp and speckled Sussex and so she gets "house privileges" to give her a break from the stress. She loves it, but seems a bit lonely and we thought getting a breed with a more gentle temperament would give her her own "flock" to do chicken things with. Well, a HAWK just got Hoot and my family is devastated. We had a couple BO chickens free range for 3 years a few years ago and never had a predator problem. Although I realize that is a risk you take when free ranging, in the end, our complacency ultimately cost us our dear little chicken "friend" her life. The hawk was just doing what Hawks do, and I believe they're protected here, so my ladies are cooped up in their covered run until we can figure out what to do. I hate seeing them caged and if I have to, I'll cover half the darn yard to keep them safe. I am so, so very sad and the guilt is awful. RIP sweet Hootie, my dear chicken friend.

So very sad to hear this. I have a couple beloved chickens myself. My first roo spent more than half the first year after hatch in our home as a house chicken and like yours always cuddling/ineracting with us. That's a dissapointing loss. Can you dedicate a couple hours a day or a couple times a week where you can be outside and supervise free range just to give them time out of the run? This is what I do.

Most of the first group were from my flock so mixed and BCM, plus three from the neighbor that are Lavender Orpington and LO over Faverelle.

She has stopped laying, but I kept putting eggs in the thing until it was full, just a few each day or two. For some reason I was thinking I could just move them to a hatching bator without the lockdown.

Also, I have learned my ambient humidity is very different than other folks, so, like you, I need to learn my situation. One of the things I want to do that I haven't done, (and I am terrible about doing with my goats) is to Take Notes! I could have fixed some things If I had just taken some notes, sigh. I think I will try candling again this evening but go on to the ones I haven't tried to candle in the past. I wish I knew when I put some of the others in!

May I ask what is your situation with the humidity? What are you struggling with? Notes can be very helpful especially in the beginning when you are trying to figure out what works best for you.

 

[goats2chickens]

Please, ask any question you would like, especially the ones that may help me!!!
The humidity in my home is around 40-45%. I live in Oklahoma. Without any water in my incubator, the new hygrometer is reading 53% and the internal one is reading 43%. I have read the BCM needs a dryer atmosphere to flourish so I am concerned.