im soooo nervous!

[crazycluck86]

Ooooo! And breathe! were on day 16....and im so nervous! Its my first time and I candled earlier....7/7 are alive! (we had 3 unfertile eggs I tossed at day 7)the incubator is in the garage so that I can't keep messing! but will I need to constantly watch once they begin to hatch, or will they be ok in the garage? I'm worried the humidity will rise if one chick hatches while were not around! I no im probably being silly.....but im so nervous!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The humidity does rise as they hatch. With 7 eggs it wont be too bad as all 7 likely wont be hatching at once.

Some don't touch the incubator at all as chicks are hatching and I'm one of those that quickly opens lid now and then to get humidity back down to 60%-ish. I but don't know what your RH is but for reference I run 35% to day 18 then 60%. People use all different levels of humidity. I incubate drier and find it gets the air sac to proper size in my house. External environment humidity plays a factor so note your air sac growth and judge for yourself.

Chicks absorb the yolk prior to hatching so have plenty of nutrients without food or water for up to three days. It's not a problem leaving them in the incubator to dry out and awaiting all to hatch. But again, I'm one of those that takes them out as they dry off and release some of the humidity from incubator.

Here's a pic of expected air sac development for you to compare to your candling. If yours are significantly larger or smaller then raise your humidity to 60%% now or take all water out until day 18 to compensate. Good Luck.

 

[crazycluck86]

Oh thanks for the diagram-brilliant! The instructions recommend humidity at 55% upto day 18 then raise it to 60-65% for the last 3 days. Its ok to take the lid off to add water too isn't it? I have one of my own brahmas in there and im dying to see what colour it will be (father dark brahma-mother Columbian buff brahma) fingers Crossed!