Day 21 humidity low

[BuckNBark Farm]

Your hygrometer is probably off... humidity will naturally rise as the chicks begin to hatch.. wet chicks = high humidity
so long as there isn't a fan blowing directly on them then they should hatch just fine (assuming the humidity has been correct during incubation).. IF they start getting stuck in the shells you can assist.. but assisting too early will only cause problems (broken blood vessels and un-absorbed yolk).. so it's best to wait until it's absolutely necessary

also... don't plug vent holes.. they are there to help with fresh air exchange. (fresh air helps prevent carbon dioxide poisoning). For large hatches or for things like goose or emu eggs it's best to make sure there is plenty of fresh air exchange going on..
as the chicks grow in the shell they need more oxygen than a newly set egg.. not enough oxygen = dead chicks


Just think of it this way.. when a hen hatches out her chicks she doesn't run over and dunk her behind in a dish of water to make the humidity rise..
So relax and just observe.. no need to rush in unless there is a serious problem.

yinpu,

I'd like to use your signature line as my FB status. I don't have anything yet- cuz all I can think of are bad words at this point!!!
Pam

 

[FenDruadin]

If the temp spikes, do whatever it takes to reduce the temp! There's not much that can kill chicks as quick as over-heating will do it. Better to have shrink-wrapped chicks (which can sometimes be rescued) than dead ones.

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Thanks!

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

Thanks!

Well, as I was reporting that they are stable, they went to 104 temp 33 humidity. I opened the lid and turned the temp down, but lost some humidity. I plan to stay up 24/7 for 3 days.

Pam
Ps- now we are at 101 with 37 percent.

Maybe I'll leave the sponges, and not mist.

 

[yinepu]

P.S. YOU THREW AWAY A BRINSEA???????? AAAAAaaaaacccckkkk! lol I'd love to try one out. I hatch in a Hova. A Brinsea is on my "want" list. I'm assuming, however, that you mean you actually sold it... not just threw it away... right??!?

no.. I didn't throw away A Brinsea.. lol.. I threw away FIVE of them!
Three were defective (thermostat issues where the temp would jump up to over 120 and stay there) The others were from pure frustration of dealing with the fans. They all took a ride in the truck to the dump... I wouldn't have wished them on anyone.

I had a couple of others that my husband gave away to a friend of his.. I think they eventually threw them away too...

 

[yinepu]

yinpu,

I'd like to use your signature line as my FB status. I don't have anything yet- cuz all I can think of are bad words at this point!!!
Pam

This? "I don't have poultry.. I have mini feathered velociraptors"
lol.. go for it

 

[BuckNBark Farm]

This is the beginning of day 23. No babies yet, no pips. Sometimes, I think I see an egg move; but it might be because of wonky eyes staring at them too long. Still can't keep humidity up above the 30's, but I'm misting, and adding water to sponges and papers towels thru a dropper. Sometime the temp is too high or low, and I have to open the incubator to adjust it. Some people said that if the temp ran cold (which it did during the power outages- never below 90), that they might hatch late. I "think" I only saw one move. I don't want to do the float method, and move them out of hatching position.

Pam, wanting very much to be a motherclucker.

 

[atrox31]

put water warm water directly on eggs and if you can see a tiney hole or crack they started help them open it just big enough to breath good luck

 

[nok13]

hi, dont give up,. our bator was on low temps and high humidity for almost a week until we got the hang of it, plus some of the eggs were older then 7 days and yesterday on day 24 we had one hatch and i have one advanced pip and one new pip; the rest of the eggs of that batch are probably duds, but i will do a float test to check them all...
everyone told me not to give up and they were right .!!! i would have trashed the whole lot; now have a brooder sitting on my sofa with one tiny blacka nd yellow thai fighting chick in there.

 

[Greasydog26]

Just curious did you get your eggs to hatch Hstlwombat? I am dealing with similar problems...