Well, this was my worst hatch to date. I've started using egg carton tops to lay the eggs in the hatcher, which has worked well. But I had more eggs this time, so I had to use 2, 18 count egg carton tops, which took up most of the hatcher (LG still air). I've always used the paper cartons, but decided to use Styrofoam this time. I'm wondering if this was why I had such a hard time with temps. I've never had the floor of the hatcher reading so much cooler (95) than the top of the eggs, which fluctuated from 97 to 103. It would run well for hours, then drop or spike. Humidity stayed fairly good. I had about 10 eggs that were late quitters. Some looked like maybe 19 days and some looked ready to hatch. Only one pipped before dying, but it was only a hairline crack and not through the membrane. It was a questionable egg when I put it in. It might have been broken by another egg, who knows? None pipped internally, but I saw most of them moving. The ready to hatch ones looked to have turned.
So, I'm picking up my very important to me turkey eggs this week. I hatched a lot of turkeys last year and wouldn't normally worry, but now I'm worried. I've decided to take a few people's idea and fashion an egg corral out of the craft mesh. It doesn't need to be high, since it's only to keep the eggs from being rolled around. I think I'll make it the size of the hatcher and use the twist ties to adjust it to fit the number of eggs I have at the time. The egg cartons might not have been the problem, but this is a nifty idea anyway, so thanks to those of you who suggested it!
I hatched 9 LO's for a friend in this hatch. I've hatched all her shipped and home flock eggs last year and this. She just gifted me the 9 chicks as a thank you. She knows I'll sell them, since I only keep one breed, but it was so nice of her.
Congratulations to everyone on the chicks. Condolences to those of you who's hatch didn't turn out like you hoped and thank you to those who take the time to put on these fun events.
