Are 36 Eggs Too Many in a Still Air LG With No Turner?

[chicksgalore]

Only 12 hatched (and one of those I'm not sure is going to make it). My temp's stayed pretty stable this time (99-101) and humidity did too (38-45%) and then (68-74%). When I opened it up to turn them, the temp dropped but when I shut it, the temp went right back up to range within minutes so I don't think that hurt that much.

Last hatch I had more temp fluctuation and higher humidity but only 24 eggs of which 14 hatched. My DH thought maybe because it's still air, it was too crowded for air to circulate around 36 eggs.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Nope LGs work better when full

 

[chicksgalore]

That is frustrating as I have no idea what I could/should have done different. Tomorrow I will open the remaining eggs.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Look around at feed stores, you can usually find the fan for about $30.00. It is in a little broun box with black print on the outside. It could have just been you eggs or maybe they weren't turned enough.

 

[WalkingWolf]

It could have just been the eggs too, especially if they had rough handling in transit.

 

[chicksgalore]

They were my eggs so they ranged from 1-3 days old. There were 3 days that they were turned only 2 times instead of 3. I will find out today how many weren't fertile or had quitters or whatever.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Did you lay them on their sides to hatch or put them in egg cartons? Assuming on their sides because I don't think that 3 cartons would fit but I can't remember.

I tried to hatch that many in my LG (still air) last year and the problem I found was as they hatched, they rolled the other eggs around and the chicks that were pipping drowned. When I opened the eggs, the majority of the chicks were fully formed & mature but dead. For subsequent hatches, I set less eggs but placed them in egg cartons to hatch and had much better results. I did also notice that compared to the forced air bator I use now, the chicks that hatched from the still air had more liquid in the eggs but they were unaffected if hatched in the cartons.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
I don't use the dozen size egg cartons, you can get 30 egg holders from restaurants. Use one 30 and a reg egg carton bottom and you can get 42 eggs in the bator. This still leaves room for two small butter tubs filled with damp sand, and a sponge on top for humidity.

You can turn the eggs by blocking one side of the bator. I cut out the bottoms so the eggs can be leaned from one side to the other, and pull out six eggs at a time to rotate the eggs as turning, then replace the six. This is also when I candle, I just candle six at a time and mark them with a f when fertile. If you opt for the blocking method of turning you still need to rotate the placement of eggs because still airs more heat to the center of the bator.

 

[chicksgalore]

They were on their sides. I've read not to use cartons for turning in still air. WalkingWolf, have you done this in a still air?

The only drawback I have to hatching in cartons is on the last hatch, I had quite a few hatch from the small end of the egg successfully. Wouldn't they die if they pipped the small end in an egg carton?

I broke the remaining eggs today and there were about 8-9 non-fertile and a few that were quitters early-on. I did have quite a few that were fully formed, but I don't know enough of what I'm looking at to know what happened. A couple of them had pipped and their beaks were out but that's all the further they got. Their eggs had gotten rolled around though by the other chicks and they were facing down in the incubator.

 

[WalkingWolf]

CG, I use egg cartons for incubation only, I cut the bottoms out so the eggs lay to the side. Then I just move them from one side to the other for turning but I also rotate their location in the bator. I lay them on the side in a hatcher for the last 3 days of incubation.

I never have any problems from them rolling around. But after they hatch they usually rest for some time. I do a no no for most here. I remove them to a brooder once they are active. The setup in my hatcher has a water chamber at the top. When I remove the chicks I add hot tap water to the chamber and it instantly restores temp and humidity. I get close to 100% hatches and never have to help the chicks get out.

The only problem I have had on a couple occasions is a chick will hatch early and they usually are not healthy when they do this. Some will have foot or leg problems. This is only possibly a 1% occurrence.