Day 10/Hatch Date Sept. 30th

[BuffsAndReds]

Hoping to get some advice. This in my first time to incubate. I started with 25 eggs. 6 RIR, 6 Buff over RIR, 3 mix Australorp, 3 Australorp, 6 Americaunas and 1 Buff over Buff&Cohin mix. I have had 4 clear and 1 quitter on day 10. The others seem healthy. I have a still air incubator. My temp has stayed between 99 to 100f by my digital thermometer and 101 by the thermometer that came with the incubator. I have read so many different things about humidity. My humidity at the beginning it was 55% to 57% but I brought it down a little to 45% to 52%. What should the humidity be while on lock down? I'm so worried. I don't want them to drowned or be shrink wrapped.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I always have humidity at lockdown at 65% and have had no problems with chicks drowning or being shrink wrapped. Day 1-18 I have it at 45% I feel this gives the egg chance to evaporate enough moisture and the air sac to grow large enough for the chicks to pip into. Wishing you the very best of luck with your hatch

 

[BuffsAndReds]

Thank you!

 

[HugHess]

I always have humidity at lockdown at 65% and have had no problems with chicks drowning or being shrink wrapped. Day 1-18 I have it at 45% I feel this gives the egg chance to evaporate enough moisture and the air sac to grow large enough for the chicks to pip into. Wishing you the very best of luck with your hatch

X2!

My first ever hatch I had lock down humidity of between 60 and 65 % and had humidity in the lower to upper 40's between day 1-18...(with a hatch rate of 6 of 7, thought 7 was a pre-lock down quitter, but didn't want to give up hope so locked it down anyway)....
I did the dry hatch method and bumped up humidity on day 18 using channels in thermal air 'bator.
Worked out for me...am currently on my second batch now and will have third setting in about a week...then I will see if there is any apparent pattern of success.
Best wishes for a healthy happy hatching!

 

[MichalBeth7]

Hatch day! How's it going? Any fluffballs yet?

 

[BuffsAndReds]

I hope so. When I left for work this morning I have 9 pips. Hope the other 10 pip soon. 2 of the 9 started yesterday. I'm headed home to check on them. So excited.

 

[HugHess]

I hope so. When I left for work this morning I have 9 pips. Hope the other 10 pip soon. 2 of the 9 started yesterday. I'm headed home to check on them. So excited.

Hope your hatch is well on the way to a successful conclusion !? Hope you have many fuzz butts !

 

[BuffsAndReds]

I had 19 eggs go into lock down. I have 14 hatched, 1 zipping now, 3 pips and one not pipped at all. One of the 14 that has hatched has issues with its legs but he's full of life. We keep working with him but don't think he's going to make it. I will have pic up soon.

By the way one has HUGE feet!!! We call him big foot!

 

[MichalBeth7]

That's awesome! I'll keep the little guy with leg problems in my thoughts and prayers. But you did awesome! Congrats!

 

[BuffsAndReds]

Here are just a few of my fuzzybutts. I had 18 of 19 hatch but the one with the bad legs didn't make it. I have one egg that hasn't pipped yet and I candled it and couldn't see any movement. I'm surprised that the last few made it with so many of the running through the incubator banging around eggs. They hit on so hard that they broke a big pice of shell off. I ended up having to help that one out. I had one that was a late hatch day 22 but it's healthy. I was nervous and worried but it turned out to be a great hatch for my first time.