First time hatching and Murphy's Law seems to be in full effect

[Naliez]

The way I've checked mine is take a small cap from coke or water bottle and fill it with salt. Then add a few drops of water to the salt without dissolving it and place the cap full of salt and hygrometer in a ziplock bag and leave for about 6 hours. Should reach a even 75% if it does not you just add or subtract the number your hygrometer shows from 75 and always remember that number. That number is how off yours is and just add it each time you do a reading. Hope I wasn't to confusing lol.

Can do! That's perfect! Thank you!

 

[Naliez]

The best way to check a digital is to test a mercury/glass incubator (using the ice water method) to find it's accuracy and then compare them inside the bator. Hygrometers are checked using the salt slush method usually.  As for staggered hatches, I'm not an advocate w/o a seperate hatcher due to the humidity needs, but many make it work.
http://www.cigarsinternational.com/cigar-101/article/29/salt-test  for hygrometer

I might have to get another incubator then. It's amazing how out of control chicken math can get so quickly.... I wanted another 2-3 silkies and somehow I'm ending up with 2 incubators and 40 eggs... Oops.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I might have to get another incubator then.

It's amazing how out of control chicken math can get so quickly.... I wanted another 2-3 silkies and somehow I'm ending up with 2 incubators and 40 eggs... Oops.

LOL.. Yes it's awful. I want to do another hatch so bad, but I don't need more or have extra room for more ATM. I have to wait until next spring to hatch more. Gonna be a long winter.....lol

 

[goats2chickens]

LOL.. Yes it's awful. I want to do another hatch so bad, but I don't need more or have extra room for more ATM. I have to wait until next spring to hatch more. Gonna be a long winter.....lol

Yes, It IS going to be a long winter! What do you chicken addicts DO in the winter?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yes, It IS going to be a long winter! What do you chicken addicts DO in the winter?

Sit on BYC and watch others hatch??? lol I made the mistake of hatching late last year and keeping the chicks penned inside for the winter....NEVER do that again!!! I'm still cleaning out chicken dust.

 

[Naliez]

A couple eggs have a detached air sac (I think) that rolls when the egg is tipped, but they're still developing with blood vessels and everything. They're on day 5 and sitting upright in an egg carton. I thought if they looked watery, they were done, so is there a chance for these? What is going on? Also, there's two that look like there's bubbles. These are definitely toss, right? Scrambled? How long should I wait before I toss the eggs I'm unsure of? I don't want any exploding eggs!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

A couple eggs have a detached air sac (I think) that rolls when the egg is tipped, but they're still developing with blood vessels and everything. They're on day 5 and sitting upright in an egg carton. I thought if they looked watery, they were done, so is there a chance for these? What is going on? Also, there's two that look like there's bubbles. These are definitely toss, right? Scrambled? How long should I wait before I toss the eggs I'm unsure of? I don't want any exploding eggs!

Unless it's clear, bloodring or smells I don't remove anything I am not certain about. The bubbles are most likely from ruptured air cells. As long as there is a decent size air cell and development I'd leave them in unless they start smelling.

 

[Naliez]

Ok, well, there's one little single Serama egg I am sure is developing because it's MOVING! This is pretty exciting for me because it's my first attempt and I was pretty sure all the eggs had been scrambled. There are still a few I am unsure of, but if I get a single hatch, I will be over the moon. Plus, it'll make my record hatch rate easy to beat the next time, right? I also added 12 more Silkie eggs. I'll have to get another incubator for hatching. This is quickly becoming a great passion for me! How exciting!!!

 

[Naliez]

Unless it's clear, bloodring or smells I don't remove anything I am not certain about. The bubbles are most likely from ruptured air cells. As long as there is a decent size air cell and development I'd leave them in unless they start smelling.

Thank you! That means there's a chance I'll get more than one hatch?! Lol

 

[darkbluespace]

I might have to get another incubator then.

It's amazing how out of control chicken math can get so quickly.... I wanted another 2-3 silkies and somehow I'm ending up with 2 incubators and 40 eggs... Oops.

I would just put them all together since you don't already have another incubator. If your humidity is around 50%, I would not worry about raising it for the first ones to hatch... just let them do their thing. You could just stop turning the second eggs for a bit after your first eggs pip. I have had chicks hatch easily at 20% humidity so I really don't worry about it anymore.