EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Uff Da]

I don't think your issue is with common sense.
How long did you let the eggs cool?

This particular study used 6 hours, though I've seen others that used 12 and even 18. I think the problem was keeping a steady temp--it was supposed to be at 24C, which is 75F, but the lowest my incubator would go down to was around 90F. So I kept opening the incubator, running it off and on, in order to try to keep it around 75F. But it swung back and forth between 70F and 80F. If I ever happen to be incubating eggs and a 75-degree afternoon coincides with day 16, I may try again. Otherwise, I don't think this will work for me as a home hatcher.

I may try the hour-a-day cooling cycle meant to mimic the hen leaving the nest.

 

[BullChick]

I just don’t think your experiment killed them. If your equipment was on point, it doesn’t sound like it was enough for a high impact.

 

[BullChick]

I have six chicks under my three broodies. I’m grateful to the angel that had a major part in that. Pictures tonight or tomorrow when everyone is done yelling and freaking out.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This particular study used 6 hours, though I've seen others that used 12 and even 18. I think the problem was keeping a steady temp--it was supposed to be at 24C, which is 75F, but the lowest my incubator would go down to was around 90F. So I kept opening the incubator, running it off and on, in order to try to keep it around 75F. But it swung back and forth between 70F and 80F. If I ever happen to be incubating eggs and a 75-degree afternoon coincides with day 16, I may try again. Otherwise, I don't think this will work for me as a home hatcher.

I may try the hour-a-day cooling cycle meant to mimic the hen leaving the nest.

Yeah, even 6 hours is way too long. Replicating nature, a chicken hen never leaves the nest for 6 hours regardless of ambient temperature, unless it is 100F out.
The internal egg temperature will lag way behind the ambient temperature but for cooling, I wouldn't do more than an hour.

 

[Uff Da]

Yeah, even 6 hours is way too long. Replicating nature, a chicken hen never leaves the nest for 6 hours regardless of ambient temperature, unless it is 100F out.
The internal egg temperature will lag way behind the ambient temperature but for cooling, I wouldn't do more than an hour.

See, what you say makes complete sense to me.

Why do you think the studies have had success with the extended cooling periods? I think one even did 24 hours....let me try to find the link again...ah, here it is. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/39d8/a3586012c88b80b9b7da8aecd5cbe8edf1d8.pdf

 

[BullChick]

 

[Pensmaster]

View attachment 2161513

Very nice picture

 

[ChickenCanoe]

See, what you say makes complete sense to me.

Why do you think the studies have had success with the extended cooling periods? I think one even did 24 hours....let me try to find the link again...ah, here it is. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/39d8/a3586012c88b80b9b7da8aecd5cbe8edf1d8.pdf

I remember reading that study several years ago. At the time, I thought that the time was excessive. The cooling to 24C brings the embryo into the zone of suspended development which is attained below 27C.
In your experiment, did you follow those guidelines precisely? Meaning did you do it on day 16 and drop the temperature to precisely 75.2F for 6 hours?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Shoot. I foolishly tried the day 16 cooling protocol as set forth in that study I posted a few days ago on my shipped eggs, and it cost me. Now I'm down to only 4 probable and 1 iffy egg out of 8 (originally down from 18). Why didn't I wait and try it with my own eggs?! Because I was seduced by the chance of an improved hatch rate. And instead I lost even more than I would have if I had just left them alone.

...

So, the moral of today's stories are: 1) don't experiment with expensive eggs that are already at risk of hatch problems, and 2) pay attention when your wife is telling you stuff!

I agree with all of that.
I see that you did stick with the protocol in the study.
That being said, the stated % improvement in hatchability was negligible.
You don't know what the hatchability of those shipped eggs would have been so you can't blame yourself.
You may want to try again with your own eggs with 2 identical batches and compare hatch rates.
Keep in mind that the study used 270 eggs, you used 18 eggs, don't blame your common sense for the results. I think your common sense is spot on.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is an awesome picture @BullChick .