2nd round what to do

[redhd077]

Well my 1st hatch was a disaster! I stated with 17 eggs...lose one to a bloodring. One pipped and never did anything else and the rest i found were dead on day 25. So this is what I did last time and what I'm going to do this next time. All advise it welcomed!!

1st hatch

-a still air lg bator
-auto egg turner till day 18
-1 red vent plug out day 1-18
-temp was 99-100 (there were times when it went up and down a little, but i am a stay at home mom so i checked on it ALL the time lol)
-humidity day 1-18 i have no idea i added water every other day or every couple days. Figured out my hydrometer and on day 18 got my humidity up to 61%-63% when i put the red vent plug half over the vent hole and add water everyday sometimes more than once a day. Also had 1 1/2 cut up sponges in there to help with humidity.
- placed eggs on the wire day 18


Plans for next hatch

-get a fan for my still air lg
-auto egg turner
-find a new place for the bator (first time it was in the laundry room right around the corner from the back door)
-thinking of trying a dry incubation. Use paper towel in the little water things and over the wire to help keep up humidity
-taking out both vent plugs on day 18 like the book to the bator says!!
-using a couple of fish themometers


What do ya think??
-egg carton instead of on the wire on day 18

 

[midget_farms]

Sounds like your temps & humidity were good. Maybe it was the door? Too much cold air swirling around. You shouldn't need a fan - these bators have been hatching a long time.

If they made it to the end then you had an issue at the end. If the humidity was too high during the first 2 weeks then maybe not enough water evaporated from the eggs? Then laying them down caused them to drown? I'm guessing.

I use the carton method - has always worked. But honestly I don't know that it made any difference in the hatch rate.

 

[BrattishTaz]

I agree with the poster above. I think your humidity was too high early on. If too little water eveporates from the egg, the chicks drown.

 

[redhd077]

I don't think the humidity was to high because i add water every other or every 2 days and had one plug out for the first part and then at the end i had to put my vent half covered and added a bunch of sponges. i dont know maybe that was it.