Air Cell/ Humidity

[amynrichie]

Thanks for posting, I had 7 eggs, discarded 3 on day 10, four looks good today, day 15, but 1 of them has a small air cell, this post helped me to figure out what to expect, thanks agai!The

The white egg with the small air cell never did hatch. The other 9 did. I candled the white egg before discarding it, and the air cell had grown considerably after lock down. I'm still not sure why it didn't hatch.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The white egg with the small air cell never did hatch. The other 9 did. I candled the white egg before discarding it, and the air cell had grown considerably after lock down. I'm still not sure why it didn't hatch.

Did you do an eggtopsy on the egg? I highly recommend eggtopsies. they aren't the easiest things to do, but you can gain a lot of knowledge and sometimes improve whole hatches by figuring out what might have gone wrong with a previous hatch. I didn't do them on my very first hatch and regretted it.

You'll find with hatching you loose chicks for no apparent reason. My last hatch I had 3 out of 16 that did not hatch. All three made it to day 20/21. 2 of them I could pinpoint what I thought caused their demise. The third- no idea whatsoever. He was perfectly formed (a little turken-two of them were turkens), in position, not too wet, not shrink wrapped, yolk fully ingested....and just died. I saw the egg rocking day 19/20 and that was it. Did not even make an internal pip. It's sad.

 

[farnorth]

I find eggtopsies are a little easier to do if you first seal the egg in a zip lock baggie....that way you don't have to worry about a mess or smells...and you can have a look thrugh the plastic or toss it if you find you just can't do it...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I find eggtopsies are a little easier to do if you first seal the egg in a zip lock baggie....that way you don't have to worry about a mess or smells...and you can have a look thrugh the plastic or toss it if you find you just can't do it...

So far I have taken mine outside to do with the exception of the first two from this hatch that were early 2/3 day quitters. I am going to get me some latex gloves though for after hatch eggtopsies. I tap into the air cell first to make certain that there are no living chicks.

 

[coachYania]

The white egg with the small air cell never did hatch.  The other 9  did. I candled the white egg before discarding it, and the air cell had grown considerably after lock down.  I'm still not sure why it didn't hatch. 

I am keeping my humidity in the mid 30 to see if that help with the air, but 3 of them looks great, it is just that one. Crossing my fingers.

 

[coachYania]

@AmyLynn2374 do you lower the temperature at lockdown?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

@AmyLynn2374 do you lower the temperature at lockdown?

No I do not. I do have to lower my heat in order to stay at the 99F area because as the eggs get more developed they start producing their own heat and pushing the heat up in my bator. (I have an older Little Giant w/no thermostat). But I don't lower the temp. If it does dip during lockdown I don't worry about it though.

 

[coachYania]

Thanks, I added a thermostat, still air, home made, keeping it at 101.5. But a lot of people recommended to lower the temperature, I wasn't sure if I should.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks, I added a thermostat, still air, home made, keeping it at 101.5. But a lot of people recommended to lower the temperature, I wasn't sure if I should.

I don't know of anyone personally that actually lowers it at hatch. I have only seen it suggested in one place of my readings as well. I don't think it would matter either way.

 

[amynrichie]

Did you do an eggtopsy on the egg? I highly recommend eggtopsies. they aren't the easiest things to do, but you can gain a lot of knowledge and sometimes improve whole hatches by figuring out what might have gone wrong with a previous hatch.  I didn't do them on my very first hatch and regretted it.

You'll find with hatching you loose chicks for no apparent reason. My last hatch I had 3 out of 16 that did not hatch. All three made it to day 20/21. 2 of them I could pinpoint what I thought caused their demise. The third- no idea whatsoever. He was perfectly formed (a little turken-two of them were turkens), in position, not too wet, not shrink wrapped, yolk fully ingested....and just died. I saw the egg rocking day 19/20 and that was it. Did not even make an internal pip. It's sad.

I find eggtopsies are a little easier to do if you first seal the egg in a zip lock baggie....that way you don't have to worry about a mess or smells...and you can have a look thrugh the plastic or toss it if you find you just can't do it...

I appreciate the input from you both. Maybe I'll be able to suck it up and do one the next round!