Delayed hatch expected: Managing Turning & Humidity?

[HollywoodHillsHens]

Hey gang,

Currently on day 15 of our first chick hatch! Incubating 18 eggs: 6 in a Brinsea Eco and 12 in an LG with auto-turner. We are dry(ish) incubating (30-40% humidity) though one day only it dipped as low as 20%.

I know it's important to stop turning eggs at the start of Day 19 of a NORMAL chicken incubation.

*BUT*

we had a brief (2 hour) power outage about a week ago, and I'm concerned the embryos may be developing late....

To complicate matters, we are hatching BCMs - and visibility into the eggs is slim to none!

So, eggs-pert panel of hatchers, ...when should I:

1) stop turning the eggs

2) crank the humidity level?

Thanks!! Couldn't' resist the chicken pun!

 

[alicefelldown]

2 hours w/o power won't be a delayed hatch. I bet it didn't even get that cold!

Yes, stop turning the eggs for normal lockdown (day 18, not 19) and raise the humidity (like normal).

We also dry hatch, and Marans as well. We run a bit drier than you (40% down to 12%, then back to 40%) and bump the humidity to 70% for lockdown. Been having better luck the drier we get. We monitor the weights of each egg and strive to reach a 12-14% reduction by lockdown.

Good luck!

 

[HollywoodHillsHens]

Quote:
Thank you for this advice!

Now, the plot thickens!

I got a new digital thermometer recently, and believe with that calibration that my temps may have been a little low throughout the first half of the hatch. I candled a few of the lighter marans eggs, but saw development that should indicate around day 10 or so.

Should I still stop turning them at day 18 and just cross my fingers, or turn them a day or two more?