Crazy hatching attempt

[LikeTurkeys]

One of my friends gave me a dozen BCM eggs last Thursday, and since she has a rooster and I've wanted BCM's for a while, I decided to hatch them! But there are some problems with that:
1. She said that they're around a week old
2. They've been referigerated
And, perhaps the most important, 3. I don't have an incubator!

So me and my dad were up late Thursday to throw together a makeshift incubator with a 57 watt bulb and dimmer switch, insulated box... etc. We managed to keep the temperature between 99 and 102 degrees (for the most part, amazingly). I put one of my fresh EE eggs in there also as a control.

My friend offered me her incubator (an older model HHD, from China) the next day, so I accepted the offer and put the eggs in there. The temperature seems to be about a degree Celsius off, because even though it is set to 38.5, my other meter reads 37.5... and so on. Humidity is currently 45% temperature currently reads 99.6, though that fluctuates between 99 and 100.5.

I'll be so happy if I even get one chick out of this whole thing, and it's my first time incubating too! I am so wishing for a broody hen right now...

 

[Kiki]

Good luck.
Watch your humidity...that's on the high side now.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Thanks, I'm trying to learn as fast as possible. It's so confusing with the humidity! Different websites say different things, for instance the first thing that comes up on google is "40 to 50 percent humidity must be maintained for the first 18 days" and in other places 35%-40%.

 

[Kiki]

I highly recommend 35%.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks, I'm trying to learn as fast as possible. It's so confusing with the humidity! Different websites say different things, for instance the first thing that comes up on google is "40 to 50 percent humidity must be maintained for the first 18 days" and in other places 35%-40%.

Those humidity rates are okay for most eggs. And a great starting point for most hatchers.

I bred FBCM for a few years... for very dark eggs... I ran incubation VERY low... at 15-25% as the heavy pigment reduces evaporation inside the eggs verses white eggs with just a bloom.

an older model HHD, from China) the next day, so I accepted the offer and put the eggs in there. The temperature seems to be about a degree Celsius off, because even though it is set to 38.5, my other meter reads 37.5... and so on.

Is your other meter calibrated? If not... trust neither.

I had one of those bators... and literally gave it away after considering sending it straight to the dump or stripping it's parts to make my own bator. It gave me ridiculously LOW hatch rates.

Week old eggs is NO big deal. Most my eggs are about a week old when sat. The refrigerated may have some impact... were they washed? Brought to room temp before setting, or any other special handling?

Many folks have hatched refrigerated eggs from trader Joes successfully. And honestly... depending on overnight lows... I consider all eggs hatched naturally to have possibly reached fridge temps before the hens started sitting on on their clutch.

Some have even successfully hatched... using the inside of their bra as the incubator!

Is your EE egg fertile or how is it a "control"? Are you allowed to have roosters or have a plan for the extras that hatch?

Best wishes and happy hatching!

ETA: I would go with the 35% suggested, should put you in good place.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I highly recommend 35%.

Okay! How do I reduce it??? (sorry for the silly questions)

Those humidity rates are okay for most eggs. And a great starting point for most hatchers.

I bred FBCM for a few years... for very dark eggs... I ran incubation VERY low... at 15-25% as the heavy pigment reduces evaporation inside the eggs verses white eggs with just a bloom.

Is your other meter calibrated? If not... trust neither.

I had one of those bators... and literally gave it away after considering sending it straight to the dump or stripping it's parts to make my own bator. It gave me ridiculously LOW hatch rates.

Week old eggs is NO big deal. Most my eggs are about a week old when sat. The refrigerated may have some impact... were they washed? Brought to room temp before setting, or any other special handling?

Many folks have hatched refrigerated eggs from trader Joes successfully. And honestly... depending on overnight lows... I consider all eggs hatched naturally to have possibly reached fridge temps before the hens started sitting on on their clutch.

Some have even successfully hatched... using the inside of their bra as the incubator!

Is your EE egg fertile or how is it a "control"? Are you allowed to have roosters or have a plan for the extras that hatch?

Best wishes and happy hatching!

ETA: I would go with the 35% suggested, should put you in good place.

The other meter should be I think, it's my dad's new Klein Tools CL800. I have another thermometer in it (cheapy that from 99 cents store) that reads 98 or so. I'm not entirely sure what to think now.

Did you ever figure out why it gave you low hatches?

The eggs were not washed and I did bring them to room temperature before setting. You drastically increased my hopes with this information about age and refrigeration! Thanks.

The EE egg is fertile, sorry, I should have clarified. It's a control because it's fresh and hasn't been refrigerated.

 

[Kiki]

Can you take a picture of your incubator real quick?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Sure! give me a sec...

 

[Kiki]

I have successfully hatched eggs that were stored in my fridge.
You can not trust a thermometer unless it has been calibrated.


You must calibrate at least one thermometer.

https://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/04/04/how-to-calibrate-your-food-thermometer/
You must salt test a humidity gauge.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-calibrate-a-hygrometer-1239116

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Here is my friend's incubator: