Ever had 0% hatch rate?

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Usually when they are close to hatch you will see shadow movements right along the edge between the "blackness" and the air cell...I hope your babies were just sleeping when you checked them!!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I would not waste my money on an LG at all. I had a hova bator 1588 really liked it but then decided I wanted even better and yesterday hubby ordered the sportsman 1502 for me

My hova did a really nice job but I just don't have the time to add the water etc...so I want one you don't have to babysit. The sportman seemed to be it.

Hope your next batch does better

AND hope your two babies survive!

 

[MuranoFarms]

ME ME ME!!!! My first hatch was 0%!

I had 6 Silkie eggs of 15 make it to lockdown. (most were scrambled in the mail) I decided to move them to a homemade incubator to hatch. My eggs were sent at different times so I had ended up with a staggered hatch and some were only about halfway through. So, instead of listening to DH and just buying another incubator I made one. I fiddled with it for 4 days till got it just right. Candled them, they were all moving. Put them in the homemade bator. Checked a few hours later and the temp was 106 I think. I snagged them out real quick and put them back in the regular incubator. I listened to DH and bought another bator in the morning and moved them there to hatch...but they were gone.

I'm sorry for your bad hatch

 

[Illia]

Okay, I'm going to watch them all night tonight, and see how things go. In the morning I'll say if things are doing great or not moving along at all.

So, a question: What is the most ideal humidity? It is hard to keep a steady one, but I want to try as hard as I can to get the best chances. Originally it sat around 36% during the first 18 days, and right now it is at 70% and falling - Where should I try and keep it?

And, if by tomorrow morning there is nothing going on - Should I just call it done? Because by then I'd atleast hope to see movement or hear some peeping.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
I put mine at about 70-75% at lockdown time, as it will go up a bit when they start to pip. Yeah, I'd say that if by the end of day 22 you see NO movement (look for a while) it would be safe to break a hole in the end of the air cell and take a look (start small just in case). If there's no movement with that, keep going to see where it went wrong. Good luck!

 

[Illia]

Thanks! I'll try and keep it around there. I checked it just a bit ago and the humidity dipped to 52%, so I had to pour more water in, stick a wire in the hole and fiddle with the cup to tip the water out, sop up the water that leaks from the incubator, pour it back in. . . And finally the humidity starts to rise. SO weird and such an odd thing to handle with.

The one thing I wonder is, with my new incubator (Hovabator 1588) - How am I to know the humidity, or should I use a seperate hygrometer?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
I got a digital unit from Fred Meyer (you have those up there, don't you?) that has temp, humidity, and outdoor temp (I put the "outdoor" probe in my brooder, so I know what the temp is right under the light). It cost me about $25, but it's awesome. I've used cheaper, smaller ones, but have found HUGE inaccuracies in the temps on those.

 

[kathyinmo]

I keep mine at 60 - 65% for the hatch. Too high humidity will cause sticky chicks.

 

[Illia]

I'm using a hydrometer/thermometer right now, not sure how expensive it was (should've remembered) but I'll look into getting a better one just in case. I want to make absolute sure my next hatches will be perfect - After all, they won't be "free eggs" from my current girls.

Well, tomorrow I'll post an update on the eggs - I'm really really really hoping they are not dead, or atleast if I do crack them some sort of miracle happens! Come'on CHICKS!!!

 

[ajablu]

Yes I had two 0% hatch rates. Both were shipped eggs. One batch was Cochins and only one egg was even fertile. The other was a different breed and set at a different time. Those eggs were almost all fertile, but none hatched . My daughter also had a batch of shipped eggs in and had maybe a 70% hatch and they were put in at the same time. I think it was something that happened to those eggs during shipment since they were packed really well and none were broken. The seller really did a nice job packing. She was so nice and offered to send more for just the shipping, which I really appreciated but didn't accept because I knew what happened was not her fault. Shipped eggs are always a risk, which I knew when I bought them. I am hoping to be able to buy more eggs from her when she starts to sell in the spring again.
I have had 90 to 100% hatches keeping the humidity at 35 to 40 % during incubation and only adding water when it dropped to 30% . That seemed to work better for me than keeping the humidity higher. I used two hydrometers and they were both reading the same so I assume they were fairly accurate and can't complain about 90 to 100% hatches. Now those were from eggs that could be picked up locally. Shipped eggs I get anywhere from about 40 % to 75%. I have never had a 100% yet on shipped eggs.