8th-annual-byc-new-years-day-2017-hatch-a-long

[ronott1]

We are between storms in Woodland California. It dried out enough today for me to do some cleaning. The flock looks good after molting too!

 

[cutipatooti]

Question for all you hatchers. I have not been hatching long but when I do I do better with dry incubation. I have never hatched at this time of year and my humidity has been steady at 10%. I did a hatch a few weeks ago with the same results. I thought it was too low so I added water but when I candled it looked like the eggs did not have big enough air cells. To compensate I did not add water until the night before hatch day. By then they lost too much fluid in the shell and most did not hatch and the ones that did needed help and had foot/ leg issues which I was able to correct. This time I will be locking down properly even though it still looks like they could stand to loose a bit more fluid. Wondering if anyone else has had the same issues and what they do about it.

 

[cutipatooti]

Candled my 18 eggs Sunday. Only one quit. Going into lockdown tomorrow.

 

[cutipatooti]

We are between storms in Woodland California. It dried out enough today for me to do some cleaning. The flock looks good after molting too!

Beautiful birds.

 

[ronott1]

Question for all you hatchers. I have not been hatching long but when I do I do better with dry incubation. I have never hatched at this time of year and my humidity has been steady at 10%. I did a hatch a few weeks ago with the same results. I thought it was too low so I added water but when I candled it looked like the eggs did not have big enough air cells. To compensate I did not add water until the night before hatch day. By then they lost too much fluid in the shell and most did not hatch and the ones that did needed help and had foot/ leg issues which I was able to correct. This time I will be locking down properly even though it still looks like they could stand to loose a bit more fluid. Wondering if anyone else has had the same issues and what they do about it.

Hatching below 25% humidity is associated with higher chick mortality. 25% should be the lower limit for incubation.

next time weigh the eggs and go by weight loss. You do not need to weigh all of the eggs- though. Just enough to know how much moisture is lost. Measuring air cell development can be dicey sometimes.

 

[cutipatooti]

Hatching below 25% humidity is associated with higher chick mortality. 25% should be the lower limit for incubation.

next time weigh the eggs and go by weight loss. You do not need to weigh all of the eggs- though. Just enough to know how much moisture is lost. Measuring air cell development can be dicey sometimes.

Thanks! I actually hatch them at the 65% 70%humidity. Usually in the summer my humidity is between 15% and 25% during incubation. Maybe I should put them into lockdown tonight. I will weigh a few eggs just to check.

 

[ronott1]

Thanks! I actually hatch them at the 65% 70%humidity. Usually in the summer my humidity is between 15% and 25% during incubation. Maybe I should put them into lockdown tonight. I will weigh a few eggs just to check.

This is a guide for weight loss instead of air cell development during incubation:

https://poultrykeeper.com/incubating-and-hatching-eggs/weight-loss-method-forl-incubation/

Yes, put them into lockdown. The extra humidity should help them.

 

[lpyrbby]

Okay, I set up a heating pad to put the eggs on while I removed the turner tray and candled the eggs for air cell development. I think they look okay, but what do I know?? LOL

Anywho, dare I post the pics here? Eff it, why not? It may help the discussion regarding air cells and how they may or may not be a good gauge.

































Some of the air cells are moving along at an angle like is typical, but others seem to be going down the egg evenly on all sides. Not sure if that makes any difference lol

 

[N F C]

We are between storms in Woodland California. It dried out enough today for me to do some cleaning. The flock looks good after molting too!

Looking good Ron!

 

[cutipatooti]

This is a guide for weight loss instead of air cell development during incubation:

https://poultrykeeper.com/incubating-and-hatching-eggs/weight-loss-method-forl-incubation/

Yes, put them into lockdown. The extra humidity should help them.

Thank you very helpful. They have been locked down. Hopefully I get some to hatch. When I checked them 2 more were gone. When I opened one up it grew threw the center of the yolk. I have seen that before. Also had one once that had no head.