1st time incubating day 14

[debsman]

So I am incubating chicke eggs for the 1st time and am on day 14. I candled on day 4,7 and tonight (14). The day after i started incubating the power went out and was off for 2 days. I did manage to hook up the bator to a temporary power supply but there were times that it cooled down for a few minutes but the temp was brought back to the original 99.5 relatively soon.
The chicks were moving a lot on day 7 but the air cells seemed to be a little small. Now on day 14 the chicks are still moving quite well and growing seems ok, but, the air cells haven't grown very much. I can see very well into the eggs and im concerned that it may be too much for this day.
Is this normal? I have read that i shouldn't be able to see much now and there shouldn't much room for movement.
Any advice?

 

[venymae]

Remove all moisture until day 19 or until you see a pip. You need the eggs to loose more moisture so they have room to breath, and so you don't have a "sticky hatch". Run a dehumidifier if need be. As soon as you see a pip, get the humidity up fast for hatching, use hot water and a sponge/washcloth to get it up fast. Hope this helps.

 

[drewskimac]

Venymae gave you some very helpful information about what to do. I will add that for your first time hatching, the air cell is not what what you should be the most concerned about. Yes, it is importsnt - but it’s more
Important to have success with your first hatch & become confident, so don’t get too caught up on it this time around. Improper humidity/air cell size will decrease your hatch rate but it’s not likely that it will be so far off that it will kill every egg.

 

[debsman]

Thank you for your reply.
I had been running my h level at about 44% until day 12 then i pulled both red plugs and dropped it to about 32%.
You think I should run dry?
How about the growth rate of the chicks?

 

[debsman]

By the way Im incubating 13 Lavender Orpington eggs and 2 Lohmann Browns that were bred to my buff/rir cross rooster. The hens were rescued battery hens and are getting quite old. Probably 4 or 5 yrs old as is the rooster. Out of 12 eggs only 4 were deemed fertile on day 7 but only 2 were showing signs of growth. Out of 15 lavender eggs only 2 has been discarded so far. Cant wait to see how many hatch. Im already plotting the next clutch lol.
These are all from my hens not shipped.

 

[drewskimac]

That’s awesome that you’re trying and excited about incubating! Have you researched the ‘dry incubation’ method? Honestly the way you do it is greatly impacted on your climate, trial & error, and what works best for you.

 

[debsman]

Thanks everybody . I have reduced humidity to 24%.
Is this good in your opinion?
Keep the advice coming yall.

 

[debsman]

That’s awesome that you’re trying and excited about incubating! Have you researched the ‘dry incubation’ method? Honestly the way you do it is greatly impacted on your climate, trial & error, and what works best for you.

Im researching now thanks