First Time Egg Candler Scared!

[coleson12]

Anybody know where a good place to get fertile hatching eggs online that are reasonably priced and give a good hatch rate?

 

[coleson12]

If your eggs are infertile do the air cells still grow? Because mine are like super small, but they have about 50% humidity

 

[WVduckchick]

If your eggs are infertile do the air cells still grow? Because mine are like super small, but they have about 50% humidity 

The air cells will still grow. 50% is usually too high, prior to lockdown. Do you live in a very dry area? Your local humidity, I mean.

 

[coleson12]

No, I read that before lockdown it should be 45-55%, but most of the time its been 45% but I added a little extra water this time...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No, I read that before lockdown it should be 45-55%, but most of the time its been 45% but I added a little extra water this time...

In my opinion anything over 45% is too high and if you are using a styrofoam bator 30-35% is generally the ideal range, but the real way to know is to monitor the air cells and adjust accordingly. Dry incubation method (or low humidity incubation) is what I swear by for the styrofoam bators. Even in your more pricier bators I think 50% is too high.

 

[coleson12]

Could the humidity have killed them?

 

[coleson12]

When you adjust does less humidity make the air cells bigger?

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes less humidity will allow the air cell to grow. Too much humidity doesn't allow enough air to penetrate the shell and air space to enter the egg, in turn causing the chick not enough air to breathe between breaking into the air cell, and breaking out of the shell. Too much room inside the membrane can also allow the chick to grow too large to be able to turn when it needs to zip.

 

[coleson12]

What is the dry incubation method?

 

[WVduckchick]

Its not truly "dry". It just means not adding any water. You will still get humidity naturally from the air. Most of us maintain 30-35% easily without extra water. Depends on where you live and your local humidity too.