Disaster with broody and incubator

[Morrigan]

I never give up on eggs unless they are obvious clears or start to smell. My fingers are crossed. You might want to start looking for a place to buy baby chicks in case only one egg hatches. Brooding one chick by itself is hard on the chick as they are social animals.

I'm very sorry for your losses. Most of us here have, at one time or another, made costly mistakes when it comes to coop security. The important thing is to learn from your mistake and improve things going forward. It sounds like you are doing that.

 

[cmom]

Don't beat yourself up, it happens. We have all had some mishaps at one time or another. Watch your temperature and humidity and don't give up, I mark my eggs. This one was labeled as a possible quitter, you never know. If you have a game camera, put it up because the predator will most likely be back and you will know what you are dealing with. Good luck and have fun.

 

[starri33]

@cmom , so happy to see your baby made it, I've watched several that at the 7 day candle didn't look like they were good, but I left them and at 14 days, I had chicks formed enough I could tell, they get till day 23 before I shut the incubator off. some not fertile others quitters and a couple that have been shrink wrapped, but I never give up.

 

[cmom]

Several years ago I took some eggs out that I thought were quitters. I put the eggs in an egg carton but didn't close it. I went off for awhile and when I went back into the room with the hatchers and I had heard peeping but not coming from the hatchers. The eggs I took out as quitters had hatched. You never know...

 

[Stepfordhomestead]

I am pretty positive on my incubator temp. It’s brand new, and I stuck a meat thermometer in one of the oxygen holes and it reads right around 100°

I had put water down in the humidity chamber things at the bottom of the bator but I just dumped some out to see if that helps lessen the humidity.

The incubator is a still air. From tractor supply, the 9300 series which is very basic and doesn’t have egg turners or anything.

I think for now I’ll leave them as is and continue impatiently waiting to see what happens. I had never even considered what I’d do after the chick hatched if I only end up with one! I have a friend who’s mother hatches regularly and may have one or two I can have.

I’m trying so hard not to get attached and just maintain that whatever happens happens bc eggs are so delicate and even in the best days a lot of them don’t hatch, these two have been tossed around and almost eaten and laid in the dirt for a night, it would be a miracle if they survived.

 

[starri33]

I am pretty positive on my incubator temp. It’s brand new, and I stuck a meat thermometer in one of the oxygen holes and it reads right around 100°

I had put water down in the humidity chamber things at the bottom of the bator but I just dumped some out to see if that helps lessen the humidity.

The incubator is a still air. From tractor supply, the 9300 series which is very basic and doesn’t have egg turners or anything.

I think for now I’ll leave them as is and continue impatiently waiting to see what happens. I had never even considered what I’d do after the chick hatched if I only end up with one! I have a friend who’s mother hatches regularly and may have one or two I can have.

I’m trying so hard not to get attached and just maintain that whatever happens happens bc eggs are so delicate and even in the best days a lot of them don’t hatch, these two have been tossed around and almost eaten and laid in the dirt for a night, it would be a miracle if they survived.

Glad your friend might have a couple of chicks you can get, if there is just one, they will need a friend or two.. the only thing I can say is patience.. which I will honestly have to say isn't one of my stronger points..lol. My first hatch I was practically sleeping on the thing. I've eased up now, now sure how the still air works, I've got a little janeol 12 off ebay, auto turner, etc.. wasn't all that expensive, around 50.00

 

[getaclue]

The first place to start is a predator proof coop. 2 x 4's 1/2 in. wire mesh, hammered in staples that look like a U. Don't forget the pen skirt. That's wire mesh attached to the coop, that extends out about 2.5 - 3 feet. Bury it a little. This prevents predators from digging under the coop.

 

[cmom]

I am pretty positive on my incubator temp. It’s brand new, and I stuck a meat thermometer in one of the oxygen holes and it reads right around 100°

I had put water down in the humidity chamber things at the bottom of the bator but I just dumped some out to see if that helps lessen the humidity.

The incubator is a still air. From tractor supply, the 9300 series which is very basic and doesn’t have egg turners or anything.

I think for now I’ll leave them as is and continue impatiently waiting to see what happens. I had never even considered what I’d do after the chick hatched if I only end up with one! I have a friend who’s mother hatches regularly and may have one or two I can have.

I’m trying so hard not to get attached and just maintain that whatever happens happens bc eggs are so delicate and even in the best days a lot of them don’t hatch, these two have been tossed around and almost eaten and laid in the dirt for a night, it would be a miracle if they survived.

Are you hand turning the eggs? If you are turning make sure you move the eggs around. One thing with still air incubators is that they have cooler and hot spots. If you do consider hatching in the future you may want to incorporate a fan. How is the humidity. If it's too high during incubation and when the chicks internally pips, condensation can build up in the air cell and when the chick pips the air cell they can drown. Good luck...

 

[Stepfordhomestead]

My humidity was high, like almost 60%, which someone else commented on so I dumped some of the water from the humidity tray in the bottom and now it’s hovering around 45%. Is that ok?

 

[Chickassan]

My humidity was high, like almost 60%, which someone else commented on so I dumped some of the water from the humidity tray in the bottom and now it’s hovering around 45%. Is that ok?

Yes leave it! That is nearly perfect.
You need to turn 3 times a day up until day 18 or 19 then stop turning.
On the day you stop turning line the bottom of your incubator with paper towels, cut a small chunk of sponge and place on the paper towels preferably under one of the big air holes.
During lockdown drip water on the sponge to raise humidity without opening your incubator.
You'll want to try to bump it up slowly to around 60 to 65% during lockdown.