CALLING MISS PRISSY AGAIN!!~~New goose question page 5

[shelleyd2008]

Ok, update!!

I am now on day 21 for these eggs. There are only 3 pekin eggs, out of 5 total pekin and 4 goose, that are developing, but they are still going strong!!

New question....
I know I'm supposed to stop turning them on day 25 (Sunday), but I have read that they need lower temps after this?? Is this right or do I keep them the same?

 

[MissPrissy]

I do not lower the temps on my hatches.

I boost the humidity to 85% and hold on tight. Do NOT open that bator once you set those eggs to hatch on day 25.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Thanks Miss P!! Getting the humidity to 85% will be tricky, I have a hard enough time keeping it over 65% right now!!

But the 'hatcher' bator is on the floor, so maybe that will help! Wish me luck!!

 

[MissPrissy]

Good luck. If you have a humidifier put it in the room with the bators.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
OK you're scaring me. I've read this many times. What concerns me is that I'll almost certainly be putting eggs in at different times and will have eggs in the incubator ready to hatch when I get more eggs to start.

Is it REALLY critical if the temp drops for 5 or 10 minutes? I've tested my incubator and it will drop to about 85 degrees if I open it for 60 seconds (simulating me futzing with things). The incubator returned to 99 degrees with in 7 minutes and 100 in about 13 minutes. I've done it several times and it is pretty consistent. Am I gong to ruin my hatch rate?????

 

[MissPrissy]

If you only have 1 incubator the worst thing you can do is set eggs to hatch on different dates. To do that you need 2 incubators. One to move the eggs into as a hatcher.

when eggs start to hatch there is a lot of biological material left in there. It can and will grow bacteria that can the embryoes in your other eggs.

With one incubator you are setting yourself up for disappointment with a staggard hatch.

 

[Fudgie]

I don't think the crucial thing is the temp per say, it is the humidity. If they don't have proper humidity they stick in their shells and cannot get out! That is a big problem.

I have noticed too with earlier(in my really stupid days of hatches) that I removed the egg shells as each chick hatched....only 50% hatched....the first 50% that were ready.... I think that is my fault for opening the dern bator! On the goslings and ducklings I just hatched only 3 did not make it all the way out! I did not touch the bator, hubby took an egg shell out and I thumped him

 

[shelleyd2008]

I agree, I started with only one bator last summer, with staggered hatches. The first two hatches were pretty good, but after that the next 3 or 4 were terrible!! Miss P has a link in her siggy on her homemade bator, I have one similar to this that works pretty good. It is very inexpensive to make them!


Miss P, I don't have a humidifier, but I'm sure I can borrow a vaporizer from a friend, would that work?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Hope you thumped him good!! Silly man!

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Hmmmmmm I had a Humidaire Incubator fall into my lap . It has two rocker trays in the top and a hatching tray in the bottom. I was planing to move the eggs to the bottom tray and would clean it between hatches. Would that still cause a problem? I was thinking I would be safe with one bator if I kept the "hatching" eggs away from the eggs being incubated.

All good points but I put a lot of weight into what MP says about hatching she seems to have it down to t a science.