Brinsea 20 Eco problems... Help!

[poularde]

I have a Brinsea 20 Eco and have had a few hatches with mixed results. They have always been shipped eggs so far. My last hatch I had 11 eggs go into lockdown. 8 hatched very late day 24. 1 died right at pip and two did not even pip. I ended up helping four of the eggs hatch they piped and zipped halfway. they were halfway zipped for 24 hours. 1 chick had a crooked neck and 1 had spraddle leg. I upped my temp for my next hatch just slightly. I have a hard time reading the thermometer, but it appears to be just under a hundred degrees. So I set my eggs (shipped eggs and a few eggs from my own birds) At 12:30 PM on March 3rd. if I count that as day 1 that puts me at day 22. Nothing is happening and I made a big mistake. I took out an egg and it felt to heavy to me. I decided to do an autopsy and the chick was still alive.

I killed the chick because I was not patient enough. The chick had not absorbed it's yolk sack yet. What is going on? This was 1 of the eggs from my own birds not shipped. Why are they so late? I guess I will leave the other eggs for longer, but is there something I should do? I put in another thermometer and the temp read 99.5. So why are they so late? It is so upsetting I can not believe I killed my chick like that. Just looking for any advice.

 

[jerseygirl1]

How is your humidity?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Please read my post on this thread on how to count the days. You were not on day 22, you were on day 21. It is a common mistake.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=464226

Unless you calibrated your thermometer, you really don't know what the temperature is. Manufacturing tolerances can easily have them off the correct reading. Do not trust the thermometer that came with the incubator. They can be off too.

If your average incubating temperature is a bit cool, they can easily be a couple of days late. I've had the other problem, mine was a bit high and they were two days early.

Please be patient. Hatching is not an exact science. There are several different things that can affect it.

 

[poularde]

You know I have not figured out a way to check my humidity. Does anyone know what kind of hydrometer would work for this type of incubator? I have a tophatch bator now also, but i would not be able to use the hydrometer I have for it in my tiny bator. I have just been following the manufactures directions and I keep one trough full until day 18 and then I fill both troughs. Could the humidity cause the late hatches?

 

[dsqard]

My guess is that on your first hatch your temps were low the entire time. I have almost the same model as you except it is the Advance so my temp/humidity are digital. I found out after a late hatch on my first hatch that the temps were low in my bator too. I believe the sensor for the temperature is in the top of the bator (in my model) so the temp was for the top of the bator not down by the eggs. I know that these are forced air models but with that plastic separator (so the chicks cant touch the fan or heating elements) effects the air flow. I used a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer on my second hatch and found that the temperature was at least a degree lower at the tops of the eggs so I adjusted the temp up until it was 99.5 at the tops. I just put the probe for the thermometer through the vent hole at the top of the bator. As far as hygrometers are concerned, I don't use one. I am just trusting that the digital read out is correct. Maybe someone who has put one in their bator will come along with an answer to that part of your question. Now, you have to just wait for them to start hatching. Good luck!

 

[jerseygirl1]

Quote:
OK, I have the same incubator - they hatch later in this one than any other incubator, trust me, they do. Mine hatch on day 22 and 23. As for the hygrometer, I did what you were doing, and I had HORRIBLE hatches. Never again - the humidty was just way too high. Go and get a hygrometer, calibrate it and trust it.
I had one trough full until day 18 then I added water to the second, big mistake

 

[poularde]

Quote:
OK, I have the same incubator - they hatch later in this one than any other incubator, trust me, they do. Mine hatch on day 22 and 23. As for the hygrometer, I did what you were doing, and I had HORRIBLE hatches. Never again - the humidty was just way too high. Go and get a hygrometer, calibrate it and trust it.
I had one trough full until day 18 then I added water to the second, big mistake

Thanks so much for the advice. What kind of hygrometer do you recommend?

 

[Lark Rise]

Quote:
I'm so sorry.

I'm using the Brinsea Eco 20 for the first time, but I did run it over the weekend without eggs to check on temps and humidity. I had a couple of thermometers that I trust (I have used them successfully with other hatches) and used them to compare with the glass thermometer in the Brinsea. What I found is that the Brinsea glass thermometer need to be close to 101F for the temps at egg level to read 99.5F.

As for humidity, I'm using a PETCO humidity gauge which I have calibrated, and right now the humidity is reading 46% with both troughs filled. I've read that others have trouble with keeping humidity high enough in the ECO 20 for lockdown, but many use a wet washcloth under the tray and that seems to work.


ETA: The PETCO humidity gauges are very accurate. I have calibrated 2 and they were both spot on.

 

[sben451]

I just bought my second Brinsea Eco 20 recently. I use the Brinsea Spot Check thermometer and a round hygrometer that is made for cigar humidors that I bought from Amazon (I calibrated it and it is very accurate). I usually run the first 18 days at 40% or a little less and then up the humidity to 60-65% for the last three days. I've had early hatches this spring. One batch of eggs is hatching today on day 20. I recently had another batch hatch early. I have also read that some breeds' eggs will hatch a little later (Welsummers and others).

 

[trinacliff]

I've had this incubator and had some great hatches in it...for awhile I used a different incubator as a hatcher...which, I guess I might need to do again since I am worried about humidity being high enough at lockdown. This time, I filled both troughs and added a soaked sock under the tray...as of early this afternoon, they have pipped, but not made any progress yet...I'm worrying about humidity and concerned they are being shrink wrapped...at what point do I intervene? The last hatch, I had a few pip and never progress...but I was out of town for lockdown (bad timing!!!) and forgot to add something under to help with humidity...chicks died in eggs.

So, anyone have advice on when I should intervene? I usually can watch egg and at least see a little pecking at the hole...but everytime I have checked today, I haven't seen any movement.

Thanks!

Kristen