Day 18 using a Brinsea Eco 20 Question Please Help

[jlgoinggreen]

OK.... I haven't hatched anything since April of last year and I think I forgot how to.

I am putting 18 eggs into lock-down right now. They are Marans and I was not able to candle them, so they all went into lock-down.

I usually cut one of those mini plastic cups down (see pic below) and fill it along with both trays with water. I usually put something between the cup and the eggs so that none of the little chicks can get to it. This time I have no room to separate it. Do you think this is too dangerous. I mean.... can one of my chicks drown or do you think this is too small for them to drown? Also, if one of them knocks it over and the water falls on an unhatched egg, do you think the water would ruin the unhatched egg? Am I over analyzing this and stressing too much.

Edited to state: I apologize pic looks so fuzzy. I took photo with my cell phone and my bedroom light gives kind of a yellowish light. Also, the eggs are not dirty. What you see is fog on the bator from the humidity.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Somebody, please help. I'm wondering if I should take it out and don't want to wait till it's too late to open bator.

 

[gryeyes]

Is this your first hatch with an Octagon20? You don't need the water up on the same level with the eggs. The two reservoirs should give you enough humidity, and if it doesn't, then put a wet washcloth across the bottom with some of it down in the reservoir to wick the water up and create more surface area.

 

[CDennis]

For my first Eco hatch I used a maxi pad with a little water in the middle (down on the bottom where the wells are). I tried the wash cloth and it might just be my area but I didn't have much luck getting stable humidity. The maxi retained much better moisture. I don't think I would put water up where the chicks are, they might drown

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Thanks.

No not my first time hatching in my Brinsea, but the first time haven't it so full. I used a wash cloth in one corner last time, but I didn't want the eggs touching the wash cloth. Didn't think of putting it under. I used to use the small cup in a corner and then blocking it, but again there's not enough room.

The maxi sounds interesting. How much water do you put in it? Is it too late to open up my bator? I locked down at 5:30pm.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I know the eggs are in lockdown but up until they actually externally pip you can (If you need to) add more water to the wells. I do it all the time.

Once they pip though, don't open the lid. Do you have the vents closed? During lockdown it helps to close them off to stabalize the humidity.

I have also used tubing for a fish tank and a large syringe and fed it through the vent-into the water well and squirted water in that way. Just be cautious to not squirt the eggs.

A sponge, wet thoroughly and then placed in a shallow microwave dish was an idea that Speckled Hen gave me and it worked well.

Good luck to you.

 

[CDennis]

I didn't exactly measure the amount I put in, if I had to guess I would say 4 tablespoons and no its not too late to open it. After lockdown if the humidity started to drop, I just used a syringe and straw to put a little more water on the maxi pad between the eggs. Hope that helps.

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Great. Thanks.

Now let's just hope these babies come out and say hi.

 

[enggass]

I have read that it is better to have the vent more open during hatching because the chicks need oxygen...

 

[jlgoinggreen]

Quote:
I have only hatched with the vent hole closed before. I could be wrong, but I think if you open the vent hole during hatching you will bring humidity levels down.