So sad all my chicks died. graphic pictures included

[MisfitMarie]

Yes I am in South Texas near the Mexican border and it gets very humid down here. I've read a thread about using fridge eggs and was very intrigued. So I pulled out two of my newest eggs from the fridge (two days sitting in the fridge). I also got a fresh egg today from my hen. All three eggs are sitting on the counter waiting for a couple more eggs, then I'll start incubating again. But first a couple of questions. How long can I leave the eggs sitting out on the counter before I put them in the incubator? Should I just stick them in it when they reach room temp and then add an egg each day? How would I handle lockdown if I staggered the eggs for a couple of days or should I just wait a couple more day and add them all in on the same day?

Thanks
Sabrina

I wouldn't recommend a staggered hatch. I've done it before, and it can be stressful and rather tricky. The eggs can go ahead and sit for up to ten days... maybe seven just to be safe. I've heard turning them helps; although, while the eggs sit, you don't want them to get above room temperature. But seven days will be just fine!

Once you have enough eggs, go ahead and put them all in at the same time. =)

 

[KYTinpusher]

45% - 50% humidity during incubation is WAY too high, unless you are incubating duck eggs (even then a little too high). Should be around 35% or less. Increase to 65% for lockdown. 60% is not bad for lockdown - it will naturally increase as eggs start hatching. If you do need to raise it, try a sponge in a bowl of water - the more moist surface area, the higher the humidity.

 

[KYTinpusher]

Yes I am in South Texas near the Mexican border and it gets very humid down here. I've read a thread about using fridge eggs and was very intrigued. So I pulled out two of my newest eggs from the fridge (two days sitting in the fridge). I also got a fresh egg today from my hen. All three eggs are sitting on the counter waiting for a couple more eggs, then I'll start incubating again. But first a couple of questions. How long can I leave the eggs sitting out on the counter before I put them in the incubator? Should I just stick them in it when they reach room temp and then add an egg each day? How would I handle lockdown if I staggered the eggs for a couple of days or should I just wait a couple more day and add them all in on the same day?

Thanks
Sabrina

I have hatched eggs that have been sitting on counter for 2+ weeks.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'd be interested to see what other people might say...

I don't have tons of experience incubating just yet, it's been a HUGE learning curve.

But I will tell you: that is exactly what my dead clutches looked like when my humidity was high, and before I switched to dry incubation.

Now, with dry incubation, my hatch rates have drastically increased... and I don't see that excess liquid goo in my eggs anymore.

Just a suggestion. I'm sure there are varying opinions, but that was my first thought looking at your photos: high humidity.

Also, what are you using to measure humidity? Just one monitor? I was using one (again, in the beginning) before realizing it was reading about 20% too low for the humidity. Now, I have about four in every incubator. Probably overkill, but that's just what has worked for me. I don't add any water at all until lockdown... If I notice the air cells getting abnormally large early on, I might add a little. I let the air cells tell me what to do now for humidity. Otherwise, no water at all!

Sorry about your eggs. =( It is such a terrible feeling!

Xs 2 I switched to the dry incubation and for me, that's the way to go. I don't add water the first 17 days and I rely on monitoring the air cells to regulate my humidity. I do keep a hygrometer in the bator for reference, but it has never been calibrated for accuracy. It reads the ambient humidity relatively close to our weather reports, so I don't believe it's that off, but w/o water it reads 40-50%. I do make sure I up my humidity at lock down to around 75% though as I feel 65% is too low even though it is the recommended lockdown rate. I like teh security a higher humidity gives me if I have to open the bator for any reason.

Yes I am in South Texas near the Mexican border and it gets very humid down here. I've read a thread about using fridge eggs and was very intrigued. So I pulled out two of my newest eggs from the fridge (two days sitting in the fridge). I also got a fresh egg today from my hen. All three eggs are sitting on the counter waiting for a couple more eggs, then I'll start incubating again. But first a couple of questions. How long can I leave the eggs sitting out on the counter before I put them in the incubator? Should I just stick them in it when they reach room temp and then add an egg each day? How would I handle lockdown if I staggered the eggs for a couple of days or should I just wait a couple more day and add them all in on the same day?

Thanks
Sabrina

I would not recommend a staggered hatch unless you have a seperate incubator to use as a hatcher. Most people collect eggs over a week period for incubation. The "experts" say 10 days and under are the best for hatching and over 2 weeks you start lowering the rate of hatchability. I also in my last hatch stuck 2 fridge eggs in my hatch to experiment with....lol Just make sure you are turning the eggs that you have on your counter as you would if they were in the bator. "They" say this is also neccessary.

 

[tikilyn]

yesterday I ran out to petsmart and picked up a reptile hydrometer. I put it inside my dry incubator along with my digital one and they are reading almost the same. The digital meter is reading 16% and the reptile one is reading 20%. Is that too low or should I be ok without adding water? Will adding the eggs raise the humidity? It has been raining and cold for over two weeks now, does that effect my humidity also?


Thanks

 

[AmyLynn2374]

yesterday I ran out to petsmart and picked up a reptile hydrometer. I put it inside my dry incubator along with my digital one and they are reading almost the same. The digital meter is reading 16% and the reptile one is reading 20%. Is that too low or should I be ok without adding water? Will adding the eggs raise the humidity? It has been raining and cold for over two weeks now, does that effect my humidity also?


Thanks

Ambient humidity does affect bator humidity. I do dry incubation but w/o water my bator holds around 40%. Of all the articles I have researched for dry incubation they all quoted different humidity percentages but all were between 20%-50%. If it were me, I'd probably put just a little in to have my humidity at about 25%, but the main thing is to monitor the air cells in the eggs to make sure they aren't loosing too much moisture. If they are averaging the right growth then you need not worry about it. That's what I go by. I watch my humidity percentages, but I adjust by the size/growth of the air cells.

 

[AmericanMom]

Ambient humidity does affect bator humidity. I do dry incubation but w/o water my bator holds around 40%. Of all the articles I have researched for dry incubation they all quoted different humidity percentages but all were between 20%-50%. If it were me, I'd probably put just a little in to have my humidity at about 25%, but the main thing is to monitor the air cells in the eggs to make sure they aren't loosing too much moisture. If they are averaging the right growth then you need not worry about it. That's what I go by. I watch my humidity percentages, but I adjust by the size/growth of the air cells.

I agree 100%, I would also add though that I wouldn't add water until the eggs were in the bator for at least 24 full hours to see if the humidity changed.