FIrst time a total failure.....

[GaNewChick]

9 for 9 dead. No movement when candled and checked each one. A few developed but died at some point. I now know that humidity was the problem.

I've cleaned the bator out with warm soapy water and sprayed with a light coat of bleach, rinsed well and is now drying.

I'm going to start it up again tomorrow morning and get the temp right. There are 10 eggs outside under an old lawnmower *I know ~ redneck it sounds*. It is raining with a low of 49 in the morning. Will they be ok until tomorrow? She has been laying 1 a day, should I take 5 and leave her 5?

Thanks everyone....y'all are a knowlegeable bunch and it is much appreciated!!!!!!

 

[Irajoe]

I know the feeling...I dwindled down from 14 to 6 in the hatcher...and not a single one hatched!

But, oh how things change! Tonight, I've got 3 new silkie chicks, 3 new frizzle chicks, and 2 more that have pipped.

Regulate that humidity and off you go!

 

[lockedhearts]

I think they will be fine until then. That is up to you if you want to leave any under the hen or not. Better luck this time.

 

[jenjscott]

Those eggs should be fine. Is she broody? If not, she won`t care. leave her one so she won`t start somewhere else and you~re good to go

 

[needtohatch]

How wet will they get? If they get too wet it will wash off the potective coating. If they will stay dry they should be fine. I have 6 eggs in the bator now that were out in the barn on the ground under some boards for almost a week with cold (almost freezing) temps and they are all looking good on day 14.

 

[GaNewChick]

Quote:
She is what I consider a wild hen. A rooster and hen showed up here last year and this hen is one of their offspring. They won't let you near them. This is her first time laying. I'll leave her some, I don't want to freak her out.

Thanks!

 

[GaNewChick]

Quote:
They are under the lawnmower *that sounds so redneck

* and are staying dry ~ so I'll gather them tomorrow.

Thanks ~ everyone!

 

[TriciaHowe]

Are you sure it was humidity? What was your humidity at? I am in North FL (just above Gainesville) and I do dry incubation with no problems. You should be pretty humid there too. What type of incubator do you have (still air or fan?), what temp did you run?
Thanks and I am sorry for the bad hatch.....hope your next one is great!!!!

 

[GaNewChick]

I have a LG ~ forced air. When I read the directions, I stayed more focused on the temp setting (99.5 give or take) vs the humidity. I never checked the humidity during the 18 days and it wasn't until I found this site and started researching did I find out what it should have been.

During days 18 through 21 I didn't check it either. When I finally did, it was in the low 40's, I could get it up to the 50's and overnight it would drop back to the 40's. I just found the secret today on how to keep it in the 60's to 70's. I believe the sudden up and down is what did it. I can't think of anything else other than I did open it one time to put a sponge in there, and then fed it lukewarm water with a straw through the opening.

So, I have several mistakes on my part as a first timer. But this site is awesome

~ if there is a question, there is an answer.

 

[Jamie821]

Make sure when you bring the eggs in you put them small end down and let them set for a few hours to get them room temp before you put them in the bator.