How to Prevent Chicks From Dying in Eggs?

[Schroeder]

So do you suppose it would be best to turn the fan off during lockdown?

 

[Akane]

Your temps will no longer be accurate doing that. A still air can vary several degrees from center to edge and from the mesh to a few inches up. I'll get 5-6F different between thermometers in mine. That's one reason for a fan. It evens out the temps. Be prepared to fiddle with the temperature and I would not suggest trying it with a large hatch that will be spread out because some are going to be cooler than others. The other problem is I just got a forced air and it has far less venting than my still air. The fan helps pull in air and hatching chicks need oxygen even more than during incubation. If you have a version that could be run as a still air or forced air this might not be as big of issue but I actually added holes to my still air. Both to increase air flow and to provide more humidity control. Now I have 4 vent plugs I can remove or put in based on the level of humidity throughout the hatch so if 20 quail hatch at once I just pull all the plugs. Toward the end of the hatch when few are hatching and humidity is dropping 10-20% I can put all the plugs back in.

 

[pascopol]

Many good and valid points in previous posts. I always had very good chicken hatches, but my ringneck hatches in the past were poor, now I understand why.

To remedy drying eggs in the final lockdown phase I just installed speed controlled fans in my homemade bator and my LG used as a hatcher, so I can reduce the speed of the fan to a gentle breeze just to barely mix the air enough to even the temp through the bator chamber, it seems to work for me. My last coturnix hatch 50% and still going, winter eggs from JJ , 14 days in Brinsea ECO at 45 to 50 humidity, lockdown in LG bator with fan at low speed at 70%+ humidity.

 

[darkfur]

I also found hatch rates improved dramatically by sitting my eggs big end up for their hatch. I use a hovabator with forced air and turning racks. For the hatch, I lower the temp slightly, raise the humidity to 70% and I disconnect the racks from the turning mechanism and sit them on the wire at the bottom with eggs in situ. You can see in my avatar - its an actual photo of one of my hatches. I also find that putting an ordinary (very clean, new) sponge in beside the eggs, saturated to dripping point, helps maintain humidity. It seems to me that once you have the eggs big end up, you can't overdo the humidity within reason. Drying out appears much more dangerous. That said there are some in-shell deaths you can't prevent, often due to problems such as the parents being a bit older for example. Scrupulous hygiene (clean incubator with Virkon S every time you use it, reject eggs with poop or yolk on them) helps too.

 

[_Randall_]

OK, I'm about to take the big "first" dive at hatching 120 BWs in a LG. And according to all this info, positioning eggs during lockdown with the big end up is very important to keep the chicks from "drowning". OK, I somewhat understand that. But, if I choose to do this, what can be used to position them this way (besides wood chips). I've got an auto-turner. Do I need to remove the eggs from the quail rails, disassemble the quail rails from the turner and put the eggs back in them, and put the rails with eggs back on the wire (like someone said they did --- I think?) How long should the eggs be out of their normal heated environment before it gets critical? Would it be worth my while to get a sheet of foam rubber big enough to position all 120 eggs on, and cut round holes about 1/2" in diameter (on 1" centers) so the small end of the egg will want to set snug, and allow the egg to set upright with the big end up, or..............am I reading this to be more important on hatch rate than it really is? And No, I don't expect a very big turnout, but would like to get as many as possible out of the first go-round

I know it's a lot of questions, but dang............this hatching stuff gets to be more scientific every time I get on here

 

[Schroeder]

I have cut down the cardbord cartons in which my eggs arrived, and cut holes in the bottom of each compartment, in which to set the eggs upright during lockdown. I'm wondering what effect, if any, the cardboard will have on the humidity. Will it initially absorb moisture from the eggs? Would it be best to mist the cartons really well before lockdown?

 

[jenjscott]

If you have a separate hatcher and have it up to temperature and humidity with the cardboard trays in them for a day or so before moving the eggs, they should have absorbed all the humidity they will. If you are hatching in your incubator, you may want to mist them first, but watch your humidity it will probably skyrocket first, then drop as the cartons dry.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
RANDALL yours is an easy fix--- watch the turner and when it gets to where the eggs are upright or at least close--- un plug the turner and let 'em ride!

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
If setting a new cardboard/ paper carton in the bator initially it will leach moisture out of the ambient air and drop your humidity. If you have the luxury of using a seperate hatcher as jen describes it is no problem... If not just move the eggs to the carton and just before placing them into the bator poor all of your water trays full of hot water--- this will give off alot of humidity and should help to maintain it even though the cardboard will soak much of it up. And personally i have never seen or have any knowledge of the cartons leaching moisture from the eggs themselves.

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
RANDALL yours is an easy fix--- watch the turner and when it gets to where the eggs are upright or at least close--- un plug the turner and let 'em ride!

You, Sir, just told me what I was wanting to hear, but just was visualizing big problems with'em being all jacked up in the air on that turner. Keep in mind, I'm about to experience what most of you have already seen many times! I figured at the very least, even though the quail rails would keep them upright in the right position, once they started hatching, things could get crowded with all the hardware in there. Guess I gotta have that brooder ready, to get'em out of there once they're dry enough, huh??