Can't get my eggs to hatch

[cecornwe]

http://www.usa-gardening.com/hatching-chicken-eggs/pics/chicken-embyo-development.jpg

I have a little giant still air incubator. None of my eggs are hatching so on day 2-3 I crack them open and they look fully developed and alive. What do I need to do to help them hatch? They look like day 18 on the link. Thanks.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

http://www.usa-gardening.com/hatching-chicken-eggs/pics/chicken-embyo-development.jpg

I have a little giant still air incubator. None of my eggs are hatching so on day 2-3 I crack them open and they look fully developed and alive. What do I need to do to help them hatch? They look like day 18 on the link. Thanks.

Which LG are you using? The 9300? Do you have your own checked/accurate thermometers/hygrometer in the bator and what are you running humidity at for the first 17 days?

When you do your eggtopsies are they real wet, is there extra fluid in the shell?

 

[cecornwe]

Yes they are really wet, I have a 9300 and am waiting on the new humidity and thermometer sensors to come in. The humidity says 40% on the display but that's probably wrong.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yes they are really wet, I have a 9300 and am waiting on the new humidity and thermometer sensors to come in. The humidity says 40% on the display but that's probably wrong.

The 9300 is notorious for being off at least 3 degrees in temp and the hygrometer is worthless. My guess, especially if you are saying that they are really wet, is the humidity is probably too high and drowning them. My suggestion, have 1 or 2 good thermometers that you know are accurate and a good hygrometer. Make sure that you are taking the temps near the top of your eggs and shoot for 101/101.5ish for temps.

If you are not in a high elevation consider doing a low humidity incubation and check your air cells for proper growth and adjust your humidity by your air cells. (I will add a link on humidity for you to check out. It's the method I use and I have very successful hatches.) I use the LG 9200 and run my humidity around 30%. If I can stay above 25% w/no water, I'll run completely dry the first 17 days, if not I add a wet sponge and it holds it right around the 30% I prefer. Then I monitor my cells and that will tell me if and how I need to adjust the humidity.

http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[cecornwe]

Thanks Amy, I thought humidity was supposed to be around 50% but I will definetly try that! After you put the hygrometer and thermometer and adjust it is the little giant a good incubator? I'm just curious on what I should expect my hatch rate to be, thanks again.

 

[rottlady]

I think humidity desired depends very much on individual person and location.

Back in the 80's I hatched out a ton of Button quail and I kept humidity 40-55% the first part of incubation and 50-60% the last few days so that is what I have done with my chicken eggs. You guys have me all neurotic it is not going to work though. I have 30 eggs cooking now (tossed 5 clears so far) and my egg air cells vary wildly from egg to egg. some are right on target for age and others are small yet they have all been in the same incubator til today when I pulled the first batch due to hatch out and put in a LG still air at 50-60%

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks Amy, I thought humidity was supposed to be around 50% but I will definetly try that! After you put the hygrometer and thermometer and adjust it is the little giant a good incubator? I'm just curious on what I should expect my hatch rate to be, thanks again.

50% is a highly recommended range-and while there are people who still use it and are successful, many more of us have found that that high, especially in the styro bators doesn't allow the egg to loose enough moisture over the incubation time and the chicks drown in the excess fluid. If you can incubate at 50% and still have proper air cell growth, great, but it's one of the first things I would recommend changing after having a sub-par hatch.

IF you can get the accurate temps and humidity you could have great hatches with the LG's (though I'd never recommend buying one...lol) You just can't trust the digital displays on the newer ones. You also have to keep an eye on temps because they can spike. I don't usually see too much spiking with my 9200 unless the humidity has gone down. The sensor on the 9300 can be a pain though and if that gets bumped around you can see more temp flunctuations.

I just finished a hatch this morning had 12/14 SHIPPED silkie eggs hatch (my avatar pic is one of them), 7/8 Spitz and 3/4 green nn eggs. My last hatch last season was 100. My previous hatches since I started in 2014 (with the exception of the 1st hatch) have been 80's & 90's%

A lot of the success is learning what works in your bator and with your eggs. Different things work for different people.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I think humidity desired depends very much on individual person and location.

Back in the 80's I hatched out a ton of Button quail and I kept humidity 40-55% the first part of incubation and 50-60% the last few days so that is what I have done with my chicken eggs. You guys have me all neurotic it is not going to work though. I have 30 eggs cooking now (tossed 5 clears so far) and my egg air cells vary wildly from egg to egg. some are right on target for age and others are small yet they have all been in the same incubator til today when I pulled the first batch due to hatch out and put in a LG still air at 50-60%

You'll have to update and tell us how it worked for you. Some people have success with higher humidity. And sometimes chicks overcome their circumstances even when they aren't optimal.