Day 17 Candling...is this right?

[hokankai]

My eggs just started Day 17 and I'm not sure they look right. I feel like I'm seeing way too much in the eggs compared to others, but I am using a 162 lumen flashlight too so I need some help.

Here's a video I just took of what I'm seeing in pretty much all the eggs. The aircells are way too small and I'm working on getting them to lose weight by keeping the humidity around 20-25 and the temp at 100.5 to increase water loss. Lockdown will be postponed until they start pipping internally. Thankfully I'm not working so I have time to monitor them 24/7. Hatch is due on Sunday and I'm really hoping they wait until the last minute to pip!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

What breed is in the egg? what incubator and did you have your temps calibrated?

 

[hokankai]

They are all barnyard mixes. Incubator is a Hovabator 1588 and no I did not have them calibrated because I didn't know you could! Haha. However I've had a digital and glass thermometer in there as well and the temp was reading a little low compared to the digital (by a few degrees) but I adjusted it accordingly.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I would check them and see how much lower you have actually been running, this can cause alot of grief for you.

Check out the hatching 101 article in my signature below for calibration instructions and hygro links, its easy to do.... plus alot of info there for you to look at and refer too!

 

[hokankai]

My digital thermometer is one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Flukers-34134-Digital-Thermometer-Hygrometer/dp/B0009YJWW4

I have no idea how I would go about calibrating it either. However I'm looking at getting a different thermometer, one with a probe, because the hygrometer has been reading too low and the temp is variable.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Gotcha.... its easy to calibrate and you can do a hygro too this is a paste from the article

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TEMPERATURE
With a Forced Air Incubator (fan model) you can get the best hatch rate by keeping the temperature at 99.5º F. throughout the entire incubation period. HOWEVER, when using a Still Air incubator (no fan) at 102º F. The reason for different temperatures is that with a fan model the circulating air warms all around the egg while still air temperatures are warmer at the top of the egg than at the bottom. Therefore, increasing the temperature at the top of the egg will compensate for the egg's cooler parts. The temperature is measured at the level where the embryos develop (at the top of the egg). Minor fluctuations (less than ½ degree) above or below 100 degrees are tolerated. Temperatures only a degree or two above the recommended temperatures can kill chicks within 15-30 minutes depending on how high the temperature is and the developmental stage of the embryo. A high temperature tends to produce early hatches. A consistently cooler temperature tends to increase incubation times and produce weakened chicks. In both cases the total chicks hatched will be reduced. Prepare your incubator and run it for several days before adding eggs, to be positive you are maintaining correct incubation temperature. NOTE: It is common that when adding eggs the temperature will drop but should come back up to correct temperature within an hour or two. Don’t rest the thermometer's bulb touching the eggs or the incubator. Incorrect readings will result.

CALIBRATION! YES! It’s IMPORTANT!
Calibrate the thermometer/s you are using for your Incubator. I use 3 thermometers! You need to make sure your thermometer is reading correctly, Even one degree may cause serious problems with your hatch! A simple method without specialized instruments and knowledge is to compare your thermometer/hygrometer with other devices. If your thermometer (or the one you compare it with) goes at least from 0°C to 100°C you can also calibrate it with crushed ice. The thermometer should read 32 degrees in a mixture of crushed ice and a little water. If it reads, say, 30 degrees, then you can either adjust the thermometer until it is correct (if the style of the thermometer permits adjustment), or else you will at least know your thermometer reads 2 degrees too cool and adjust your thinking--and your incubator--accordingly.
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More information on Calibrating your thermometer/hygrometer ~
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-styrofoam-quotstill-airquot-egg-/step4/Calibrate-your-thermometerhygrometer/
http://www.swowea.org/Thermometer%20Calibration.pdf

Probe thermometer & water weasel (Water Wiggler, Water Snake) found on Amazon or Ebay make for EXCELLENT internal temp guides! The perfect internal temperature of an embryo is 99.5 degrees. If you can't find a water wiggler you can make your own with ziplock filled with water folded in half and insert the probe in the center middle.
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Examples of thermometers and hygrometers
I personally like to keep a digital one that also keeps track of “highs and lows” along with 2 incubator thermometers AND a PROBE! It depends on how scientific you plan your hatch!
More Important than make/model is CALIBRATION.
It NEEDS TO BE SPOT ON!

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[hokankai]

Well I managed to figure out how to calibrate it, I filled a ziplock bag with ice and water and folded the thermometer in it. It didn't go lower than 36.7...so +4.7 of what it should be. My aquarium thermometer was accurate and is equalizing on top of the eggs. We'll see what we've been running at in a bit.

I think I killed the thermometer, it won't turn on. However the aquarium thermometer was reading right at 100, so i don't think temp has been an issue. I'm wondering if it looks weird because the air cells are a lot smaller than they should be.