It's looking like we've failed at incubating our first ever batch. This is day 22 ( we put them in on a Wednesday and today is Wednesday) and no pips at all yet. I tried to candle mid term ( day 15) but thought I was doing it wrong. Couldn't see much development in the few I did ( not as much dark area as other people pics suggested) but put that down to lack of the correct equipment and me not knowing what I was looking for. The rooster has been in with hens for ages, surely most must've been fertile? And we have turned 2 times a day and rested since day 19. Temp was 38.2 for start, then 38, then down to 37.5 ( that's Celsius) as per incubator instructions. ( which are in chinglish so a tad difficult to follow) . But although I religiously filled water I had no way to measure humidity. We're in spring in Victoria, Australia now with widely varied outside temps, but bator was in the laundry, out of direct sunlight and should not have been to exposed to the variance so much).
Before I start again (after summer holidays) what should I do differently?
Make sure that your thermometers are accurate and I highly suggest ordering/buying a hygrometer. Temps for forced air (if there's a fan) should be 37.5 if it's a still air incubator, 38.6 taken near the tops of the eggs.
Usually I suggest starting with a dry incubator, but being in Australia, I'm going to say run at 30-40% and the important part- check the air cells for growth to know how to adjust humidity. I highly recommend giving this a look for better understanding of humidity and monitoring air cells:
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
One of the worst things you can do is fill water wells with no idea of what the humidity is and not monitor the air cells. Most likely the egg will not loose enough moisture, the air cell will not grow and chicks will make it to lockdown only to drown at hatch time.
Lockdown get the humidity up at least 65%, 70-75% if you are not a hands off hatcher.
For candling, a strong LED light in a darkend room will work just fine, just make sure you are canadling down into the air cell end not the bottom or side. A great candling resource:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation
Try to turn at least 3 times a day.
I stop turning day 14, most people stop at lockdown at day 18.
Many of us have bad hatches in the beginning. My first hatch was compromised because I never checked my (brand new) thermometer for accuracy and it was 6 degrees (F) off. Every hatch after has been a huge success, even had a 100% hatch. Don't give up and don't dwell on the bad. Focus on the good and what you've learned from both the good and the not so good.
and good luck on your next hatch!
