First hatching

[Punkybrewster]

Does your incubator have a fan inside?

 

[Ab1010]

Does your incubator have a fan inside?

Yes. Which then I read was supposed to be lower temp..

 

[Punkybrewster]

Sounds like youre doing everything right. Lockdown humidity is a little high, maybe try 60-65% but still.....

Are these local eggs or shipped?

 

[BrinseaUS]

The humidity vrs temperature. It seemed like it was trying to say if you had more humidity or less then you change the temp. Which is not what I have read. I learned alot in it but couldn't figure out at all their temp humidity chart

Ah I see what you're saying. I believe that chart is just showing how much the temp affects the humidity. It's not something you should follow while incubating though, I think it is just for illustrative purposes.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes. Which then I read was supposed to be lower temp..

Correct, but only if measured at the top of the eggs. That is due to thermal stratification.
99.5 is the right temperature in a forced air incubator which 'theoretically' makes all parts of the incubator the same. Hot air rises so in a still air, measuring 100.5 at the top of the egg should make the temperature at the middle of the egg 99.5.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm going to buy eggs from someone else and try them! Does anybody know any good books on hatching eggs? I bought one called "hatching and brooding your own chicks" by gail damerow but a few parts about temp and humidity are confusing to me

I always recommend Gail Damerow books.
I'm getting ready to write an incubation book.

The variance in hatchability of different breeds can have multiple causes.
Are these eggs all from your birds? Breeder nutrition plays a big role in hatchability.
The Ayam Cemani would be expected to have a higher fertilization success than say a Brahma, Cochin or Orpington due to the amount of fluffy feathers around the vent which can inhibit cloaca to cloaca contact.

 

[Ab1010]

That is strange! I would guess that the temp must be too low if it's a problem with the incubator. Although of course it could be the eggs themselves that had a problem.

I bought them from a guy I know because I want the ayam cemani, so I'm super glad those are the ones that hatched. But he said that he's had 100 -90 hatch rate and everybody else has too... maybe the vent being open or closed or once my sister though she was being helpful and put the moisture up to 80+ half way through. She's 14 and doesn't always think she should listen

 

[Ab1010]

I always recommend Gail Damerow books.
I'm getting ready to write an incubation book.

The variance in hatchability of different breeds can have multiple causes.
Are these eggs all from your birds? Breeder nutrition plays a big role in hatchability.
The Ayam Cemani would be expected to have a higher fertilization success than say a Brahma, Cochin or Orpington due to the amount of fluffy feathers around the vent which can inhibit cloaca to cloaca contact.

None were from my birds. And they were all mixes. Maran, creme legbar, ayam, barred rock. Nothing too fluffy. I did have a few that never developed anything. So im a little shocked at him telling me its such a high hatch rate..

 

[Ab1010]

Sounds like youre doing everything right. Lockdown humidity is a little high, maybe try 60-65% but still.....

Are these local eggs or shipped?

Local eggs. Kind of. I had to drive to get them three towns away. I didn't think that was too bad. Should I have let them rest before I incubated them? I heard that can have an effect. I will try that next time! Im getting some cochin eggs from a breeder about 2 hours away.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Im glad you are a determined person!
This is how you learn.

With this new batch 2 hours away, try letting them sit for a couple of hours.

Make sure the incubator is keeping a steady temp between 99.5 and 100 for a couple of days empty before you add the eggs.

The temp will go down after adding the eggs but should go back up to proper temp in a couple of hours on its own.

Keep the humidity between 30 and 40 which prob means no water at all being its summer and bump it up to 60-65 at lockdown.

Monitor (candle) the air cells on days 7, 14, 18.
You can google a chart for that. It will let you know if you need higher or lower humidity.

Right before internal pipping you will see the aircell shrink and draw down in the egg. Dont be alarmed.

Thats about all i can think to tell ya.