First time hatching question!

[fchan3]

No actually that is probably great.  A couple of things to remember... when you add water, the water spreads out.  Humidity is based on the surface area.  So if it can only go so far it wont matter if you add 5ml or 25ml if the surface area is the same, the humidity will also be the same.  If you are adding it to a trough in your incubator it can only go so far and will spread out all of the way.  The other thing to remember is that while 50s seems high and then 30s is a little lower than you are aiming for, the average will get you where you want to be.  You are aiming to lose so much in moisture from your egg to develop the air cell.  While the humidity is in the 50s you are not losing as much from the egg.  But when your humidity drops then you will lose more.  In the end it all averages out and you will probably end up where you need to be.  Mine is very much the same way.  I add about 40ml once every other day.  When I first add it my humidity shoots up to around 40%.  By the time it dries out and I need to add more water the humidity is usually down to 27%.  I try to get my humidity around 35%.  That is where I get my best results.  However the only way I have been able to get it right at 35% and keep it there is to add tiny amounts of water several times a day.  Honestly I don't have time to do that.  So by adding a little more and then letting it dry out, I get where I need to on average.  Keep an eye on your air cells.  Those are really the best indicator of where you need to be.  If they are too small, add less water.  If they are too large, add more water.  Right now I am hatching quail.  Because of the spots on the shells and how small they are it is near impossible for me to see the air cells - other than if they are there or not.  So I am having to trust past results and keep my humidity where it worked for me before.  Keeping records is a good idea.  I keep records with each one of my hatches.  I make notes if I had any temp issues even if they seem small.  I keep track of my highs and lows in humidity.  I keep track of where I got eggs from if they were not from my own barn.  I also keep track of where I lost eggs during incubation and what my hatch rate was.  That way if there was a problem or if my hatch rate is not as high as I was hoping I can look back and try to figure out why.  If the problem was related to something I did or did not do then I know I can change it with my next hatch.  If it was something beyond my control (like lack of fertility or shipped eggs that never developed) then I know that the low hatch rate was beyond my control.  If you are using eggs from your own barn you will also be able to tell how good of a job your roo is doing to find if he is getting those eggs fertilized or if maybe it's time to get a new roo.  Lots to learn from record keeping!

Thanks for the great info I did not think of that.. And did the the average and it's exactly where I would like it to be around 45%.

 

[fchan3]

No actually that is probably great.  A couple of things to remember... when you add water, the water spreads out.  Humidity is based on the surface area.  So if it can only go so far it wont matter if you add 5ml or 25ml if the surface area is the same, the humidity will also be the same.  If you are adding it to a trough in your incubator it can only go so far and will spread out all of the way.  The other thing to remember is that while 50s seems high and then 30s is a little lower than you are aiming for, the average will get you where you want to be.  You are aiming to lose so much in moisture from your egg to develop the air cell.  While the humidity is in the 50s you are not losing as much from the egg.  But when your humidity drops then you will lose more.  In the end it all averages out and you will probably end up where you need to be.  Mine is very much the same way.  I add about 40ml once every other day.  When I first add it my humidity shoots up to around 40%.  By the time it dries out and I need to add more water the humidity is usually down to 27%.  I try to get my humidity around 35%.  That is where I get my best results.  However the only way I have been able to get it right at 35% and keep it there is to add tiny amounts of water several times a day.  Honestly I don't have time to do that.  So by adding a little more and then letting it dry out, I get where I need to on average.  Keep an eye on your air cells.  Those are really the best indicator of where you need to be.  If they are too small, add less water.  If they are too large, add more water.  Right now I am hatching quail.  Because of the spots on the shells and how small they are it is near impossible for me to see the air cells - other than if they are there or not.  So I am having to trust past results and keep my humidity where it worked for me before.  Keeping records is a good idea.  I keep records with each one of my hatches.  I make notes if I had any temp issues even if they seem small.  I keep track of my highs and lows in humidity.  I keep track of where I got eggs from if they were not from my own barn.  I also keep track of where I lost eggs during incubation and what my hatch rate was.  That way if there was a problem or if my hatch rate is not as high as I was hoping I can look back and try to figure out why.  If the problem was related to something I did or did not do then I know I can change it with my next hatch.  If it was something beyond my control (like lack of fertility or shipped eggs that never developed) then I know that the low hatch rate was beyond my control.  If you are using eggs from your own barn you will also be able to tell how good of a job your roo is doing to find if he is getting those eggs fertilized or if maybe it's time to get a new roo.  Lots to learn from record keeping!

I incubate at 30-35% for the first 17 days (highly recommended for styro bators-not so muchfor Brinseas). I use this method: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity. I run with no water in the wells and use a sponge in the bator to add humidity if running completely dry is too low.

Thanks! That article is very helpful.. If I want to stop adding water now.. Will that ruin the eggs?? Without water the humidity stays around 28%.

 

[fchan3]

Hey everyone, I just candled my eggs (day 12) and I can see two of the eggs have a saddle? I was reading a lot about it today and I'm worried they will not hatch... I'm reading that a lot of people keep them upright in the egg carton, but all this time I have been laying it on its side, should I put them in a carton from now on?? Ahh help please..

Here's one of the eggs pic

Thanks for your help!

 

[WalnutHill]

That is WAY too much air cell for day 12. That's more like day 28 on a 21 day incubation.

What is your humidity level in the incubator? Is there a crack or chip in the shell?

 

[fchan3]

That is WAY too much air cell for day 12.  That's more like day 28 on a 21 day incubation.  
I try my best to keep it on the 40s.. i add water before I go to work and it will go up to the 50 and by the time i get off it will be in the low 30s....

what should I do? Should I raise the humidity? And I haven't notice any cracks...I'll go check again to make sure
What is your humidity level in the incubator?  Is there a crack or chip in the shell?

 

[fchan3]

I try my best to keep it on the 40s.. i add water before I go to work and it will go up to the 50 and by the time i get off it will be in the low 30s....

what should I do? Should I raise the humidity? And I haven't notice any cracks...I'll go check again to make sure

Sorry about the other post

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks! That article is very helpful.. If I want to stop adding water now.. Will that ruin the eggs?? Without water the humidity stays around 28%.

You can go dry at any point of the incubation (except lockdown/hatch). As long as your air cells aren't overly large.

Hey everyone, I just candled my eggs (day 12) and I can see two of the eggs have a saddle? I was reading a lot about it today and I'm worried they will not hatch... I'm reading that a lot of people keep them upright in the egg carton, but all this time I have been laying it on its side, should I put them in a carton from now on?? Ahh help please..

Here's one of the eggs pic


Thanks for your help!

Just twoo of the eggs are like this?? How many are in there and how do the air cells look on the rest?

I try my best to keep it on the 40s.. i add water before I go to work and it will go up to the 50 and by the time i get off it will be in the low 30s....

what should I do? Should I raise the humidity? And I haven't notice any cracks...I'll go check again to make sure

Sorry about the other post

It depends on what the air cells to the other eggs look like. You could have a couple eggs that are much more porous and therfore loosing more moisture and faster. You want to adjust your humidity to the majority of the eggs and not the minority. If the others look good or are too large, you want to adjust to them and not to two that are significantly different. Most hatches have eggs that do not hatch, often that are developed to at least lockdown but don't make it. It's too be expected, but you don't want to compromise the majority for the minority.

 

[fchan3]

You can go dry at any point of the incubation (except lockdown/hatch). As long as your air cells aren't overly large.


Just twoo of the eggs are like this?? How many are in there and how do the air cells look on the rest?

It depends on what the air cells to the other eggs look like. You could have a couple eggs that are much more porous and therfore loosing more moisture and faster. You want to adjust your humidity to the majority of the eggs and not the minority. If the others look good or are too large, you want to adjust to  them and not to two that are significantly different. Most hatches have eggs that do not hatch, often that are developed to at least lockdown but don't make it. It's too be expected, but you don't want to compromise the majority for the minority.

I only have four in there.. I just looked again and it looked like only one out of the four doesn't have the large air cell and look like it has a normal air cell.
Should I higher the humidity?
Here's the pics..
Egg #2.

Egg 3

Egg4

 

[kuchchicks]

Yeah humidity is way too low. Those air cells are really large. Are you seeing movement from the chicks? If it were me i would really raise my humidity to try to stop anymore loss. If you are having a hard time fill all the troughs and add moist sponges. You dont want moisture to collect on the top and rain down but maybe try to raise up to 70% and keep it there. Where are you located? Is it very dry climate?

 

[fchan3]

Yeah humidity is way too low. Those air cells are really large. Are you seeing movement from the chicks? If it were me i would really raise my humidity to try to stop anymore loss. If you are having a hard time fill all the troughs and add moist sponges. You dont want moisture to collect on the top and rain down but maybe try to raise up to 70% and keep it there. Where are you located? Is it very dry climate?

Yeah they all have movement. How long should I keep it raised for? For a few days? And I am located in Chicago. The weather is so bipolar here. One day it's hot ! Next is cooler..