crazysilkielady1
In the Brooder
- Sep 26, 2017
- 21
- 8
- 44
This is my 2nd time incubating silkie eggs. These eggs are even more precious, because a week ago the hens that laid these got eaten by a predator. Very traumatic. My first go round didn't go well. I have a hovabator 1602 I think the model is. When I took the egg turner out, my temp dropped and I looked the next morning and it was at 94. I panicked a little and turned the temp up.. and the next morning they were at 110. Pretty sure that killed that batch. Very sad. So I was hoping everything would go well this go round, especially since these are so precious.
So I've been reading on the forums and trying to figure out where exactly I should be. I have candled the eggs, but not sure if I can tell if they are alive or not... I started them late in the evening so I read it should be 24 hours to count 1 day. I have on my calendar that today is day 17, but I'm pretty sure I'm on day 16... I didn't write down on my calendar the day and time I put them in the incubator. I did mark their air sacs today. I have not been doing that. My humidity seems kind of high. it was at 65 or so.... I know it's supposed to be higher for them to hatch. I saw a diagram of how the air sacs should be progressing. I've only tried to candle a few times, and have made my at home candler here using a card board piece with a hole, put that on top of a coffee can with bottom cut out, and then propped on top of a light. I haven't seen any movement... but it still seems hard to see anyways. I can make out the air sacs. Should the air sacs be on top? Should I move them so that they are? I have the pointy ends up. The turner is on, and it does have a fan. I've had a very good steady temp of 99.5 to 100. No temp adjusting problems so far... I've had 2 thermometers in there so far, and just added one today with humidity. I will take some pics of the eggs of my attempt to candle to post. Should I empty out the water that's in there in order to increase air sacs. the eggs seem very dark. Half of them are silkie and the other half are my easter egger/silkie mix. The EE eggs are harder to see through cause of the color.
I can't find that diagram that I found earlier in these threads to show where the air sac should be, and I can't tell if what I think is the air sac really is. I see people putting an x on the eggs, but don't really understand what that is for..
So I've been reading on the forums and trying to figure out where exactly I should be. I have candled the eggs, but not sure if I can tell if they are alive or not... I started them late in the evening so I read it should be 24 hours to count 1 day. I have on my calendar that today is day 17, but I'm pretty sure I'm on day 16... I didn't write down on my calendar the day and time I put them in the incubator. I did mark their air sacs today. I have not been doing that. My humidity seems kind of high. it was at 65 or so.... I know it's supposed to be higher for them to hatch. I saw a diagram of how the air sacs should be progressing. I've only tried to candle a few times, and have made my at home candler here using a card board piece with a hole, put that on top of a coffee can with bottom cut out, and then propped on top of a light. I haven't seen any movement... but it still seems hard to see anyways. I can make out the air sacs. Should the air sacs be on top? Should I move them so that they are? I have the pointy ends up. The turner is on, and it does have a fan. I've had a very good steady temp of 99.5 to 100. No temp adjusting problems so far... I've had 2 thermometers in there so far, and just added one today with humidity. I will take some pics of the eggs of my attempt to candle to post. Should I empty out the water that's in there in order to increase air sacs. the eggs seem very dark. Half of them are silkie and the other half are my easter egger/silkie mix. The EE eggs are harder to see through cause of the color.
I can't find that diagram that I found earlier in these threads to show where the air sac should be, and I can't tell if what I think is the air sac really is. I see people putting an x on the eggs, but don't really understand what that is for..