I'm glad to be a member. I am trying to hatch Black Copper Marans eggs to go with the two birds that

[Flock Master64]

Oh, I didn't know. I've never bought fertile eggs not have my hens ever been broody enough to lay on them.

 

[JoeyCurrin]

That's the direction that I am going also. I am starting g my last batch of shipped eggs. I have day old chicks coming to grow with the one chick that hatched. I will try hatching my own next year. It is just too heartbreaking to take the eggs all the way into lockdown and have the babies not pip. Nonshipped eggs are suppose to be much easier. Thanks for your input.

 

[JoeyCurrin]

It has now been 14 days since I started incubating my shipped BCM eggs. I set my power humidifier at 25 so that I could do a dry incubation. At 7 days I could not see a air cell in the eggs, but there was a dark area in the bottom of the eggs. I left all the eggs incubating to see what happens on day 14. Last night I candled again and found that 6 of the 11 eggs had no development so I removed them. Now, the last 5 are developing, but they all have detached air cells noted by the saddle that I could now see. My air cell is a little over a third of the egg, so I increased my humidity to 30%. I have the eggs sitting upright in egg carton cups. The air cell is at the top at this point. I thought that I would increase the humidity after the first pip. Am I doing the right thing? Is there something else I could do to help my chicks? Thanks

 

[JoeyCurrin]

It has now been 14 days since I started incubating my shipped BCM eggs. I set my power humidifier at 25 so that I could do a dry incubation. At 7 days I could not see a air cell in the eggs, but there was a dark area in the bottom of the eggs. I left all the eggs incubating to see what happens on day 14. Last night I candled again and found that 6 of the 11 eggs had no development so I removed them. Now, the last 5 are developing, but they all have detached air cells noted by the saddle that I could now see. My air cell is a little over a third of the egg, so I increased my humidity to 30%. I have the eggs sitting upright in egg carton cups. The air cell is at the top at this point. I thought that I would increase the humidity after the first pip. Am I doing the right thing? Is there something else I could do to help my chicks? Thanks

 

[RubyNala97]

It has now been 14 days since I started incubating my shipped BCM eggs. I set my power humidifier at 25 so that I could do a dry incubation. At 7 days I could not see a air cell in the eggs, but there was a dark area in the bottom of the eggs. I left all the eggs incubating to see what happens on day 14. Last night I candled again and found that 6 of the 11 eggs had no development so I removed them. Now, the last 5 are developing, but they all have detached air cells noted by the saddle that I could now see. My air cell is a little over a third of the egg, so I increased my humidity to 30%. I have the eggs sitting upright in egg carton cups. The air cell is at the top at this point. I thought that I would increase the humidity after the first pip. Am I doing the right thing? Is there something else I could do to help my chicks? Thanks

Is there anyway you could take a pic of the size of the air cell? I know those BCMs are so hard to see into!! I incubate very light colored eggs, so that would drive me nuts!! Lol. A third sounds big for day 14 but it can be very hard to gauge size when the air cells are saddled from shipping. Are the air cells solid now or do they still move around?

 

[JoeyCurrin]

I increased the humidity to 30 from 25 and now the air cell is consistent with the 14 day size. I stopped the rotation on day 16 and have the eggs in a cut down egg carton. I read that there is better success with an early rotation stoppage on day 16. The cells do not move around so they are only partially detached. I'll candle them again on day 18 and then lockdown. I'm still leaning toward waiting til they pip before increasing the humidity, I'll try to get a picture on day 18. Thanks for your help,

 

[RubyNala97]

I increased the humidity to 30 from 25 and now the air cell is consistent with the 14 day size. I stopped the rotation on day 16 and have the eggs in a cut down egg carton. I read that there is better success with an early rotation stoppage on day 16. The cells do not move around so they are only partially detached. I'll candle them again on day 18 and then lockdown. I'm still leaning toward waiting til they pip before increasing the humidity, I'll try to get a picture on day 18. Thanks for your help,

That's good news! I also stop turning shipped eggs on day 16. Are you going to lay them down for lockdown? (I do). I've noticed that almost all of my saddle shaped air cells will correct themselves in lockdown when draw down takes place. So they should be ok, especially since they are firm now. I would candle on day 18 and then decide when to increase the humidity. I almost always lockdown late with no ill effects.

 

[FridayYet]

Can't add anything to what Ruby's already told you, but wanted to wish you the best of luck and hope you get some chicks out of this hatch!

 

[JoeyCurrin]

Thank you for all your help. I am going to candle them, double check the location of the saddle, and then lay them on their side with the saddle up. Hopefully, I will get a hatch. I'll let you know. Thanks again.

 

[JoeyCurrin]

Ruby, I have another question. On shipped eggs, I see where people are setting the eggs upright in carton with no rotating for the first 4 days in the incubator. I also have seen where they do a hand rotation daily during those 4 days to prevent the embryo from sticking to the wall, but still allowing the air cell to stabilize. I absolutely love incubating eggs so I am going to try it one more time after these come out. Instead of having eggs shipped 1900+ miles, these will only be shipped 630 miles. Much closer, so maybe less damage to the eggs. I would appreciate your input on the first 4 days with the rotator unplugged. Thanks.