2 incubators - 1 needs to go out the window!!

[kittykat2003uk]

Right, We have 2 incubators one is the Brinsea Hatchmaker (still air) one is the Octagon 20 advance. The hatchmaker we have have done 2 hatches and had a 90% hatch rate then a 100% hatch rate. The Octagon is a completly different story. Chicks were hatching last night and 6 had hatched, so we go to bed and get up then the others we found were all dead in shell with most of their yolks not absorped. What is the reason for that?

We also were wondering why the still air incubator Brinsea Hatchmaker says in the intructions to keep it at a higher temp then the Octagon 20 says?

 

[Stacykins]

Still air incubators have temperature gradients, the top of the 'bator is hotter, but down by the eggs it is cooler. That is why the temps are different. The Octogon 20 circulates the air meaning the air inside is the same all around.

What is your humidity level? I'd venture to think your humidity was too high in the 20.

 

[kittykat2003uk]

The humid was 45% during incubation in the oct. Then when lockdown came he put them into a hatchmaker that he brought especially for the stage of lockdown. Lockdown we raised humidy to 55% and dropped the temp by half a degree (just like we always do)

 

[amosygal]

I think 55% for lock-down is too low. Do you know if the chicks have shrinked wrapped. That is, was the membrane white and tough? I wouldn't blame the incubator based on a single hatch...

 

[kittykat2003uk]

No they werent skrink wrapped. everything was fine just dead and still had yolk to be aborped. With no problems wth the other hatchmaker we have i am blamming the bator. Brought it from ebay

 

[amosygal]

Did those 6 chicks hatch early, late or just on time? That could indicate if the tempeture in the 20 was either too high or too low. It also might have been bacteria that heart them. Sorry for your lose, hope next time goes better.

 

[kittykat2003uk]

They were dead on time.

 

[amosygal]

I too had 95% success the first hatch (38 out of 40 eggs), but I'm now on my sixth hatch and all my previous hatches were no more than 60% (with the same incubator). So I'm still trying to find out how to hatch correctly...

 

[DAVE07]

Were the eggs from the same origin as the others? Did the hens diet change? Were the other eggs from the first batch of eggs for the season?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Was the Oct 20 calibrated before you tried hatching in? If not then the temp shown on the thermometer could have been off. 55% at lock down is on the low side, if too much moisture is lost the chicks have trouble moving to hatch. Where were they positioned? Head up and spon and pip/zip, or head down still?

Were they shipped eggs?
Were they hen or pullet eggs?

All of the above can and will effect the hatch out come.