first time incubating please help.

[1876 Farm]

My humidity held pretty steady.. just kept water in trough 1 adding more every 2-3 days, but it could be because the general house humidity was good ( It was June & July when I did 2 hatches). I have humidifiers going all the time now and struggle to keep the house near 40%, I read someplace where someone added a wet sponge to help.

I noticed after the 2nd hatch that the window had a lot of moisture in it, wasn't like that the 1st time... either of you seeing moister in the window?

 

[IAEchickens]

Okay, wasn't sure. If I added more than a half a cup to tray one, the humidy would shoot yp to 50-60%, in 36 hrs it would be down to 10%. I tried to average 40-45%. I didn't know if 10% was too dry for "dry incbation". yes, our house is dry. around 10%. I had weights on each egg going in and weighed again on day 8. Lost 5.5% and air sac increased. unfortunatly, infertile eggs. Trying to figure out what to do when I get fertile eggs.

 

[1876 Farm]

Okay, wasn't sure. If I added more than a half a cup to tray one, the humidy would shoot yp to 50-60%, in 36 hrs it would be down to 10%. I tried to average 40-45%. I didn't know if 10% was too dry for "dry incbation". yes, our house is dry. around 10%. I had weights on each egg going in and weighed again on day 8. Lost 5.5% and air sac increased. unfortunatly, infertile eggs. Trying to figure out what to do when I get fertile eggs.

I just kept tray 1 full..... One thing you might want to do is to use food coloring to color your water, I had a hard time telling if it was full or not. I was so worried about the humidity during hatch time, I kept adding water to tray 1 and 2, at one time I had chicks hatching and in places the water was above the little screen that's in there. I was in there with paper towels trying to suck up the extra water. They still all survived...

Honestly, I just did my best to follow the instructions that came with the box, and where they were lacking followed what I found out on the web. There were times the humidity droped to around 10%, but they still survived.

What are you planning on hatching out ? and when?

 

[IAEchickens]

Buff Orpingtons. First time, part III will set Feb. 9 if I find some bullseyes, tommorrow night when I'm cooking supper. Part three cause set one and two were infertile.

 

[1876 Farm]

Buff Orpingtons. First time, part III will set Feb. 9 if I find some bullseyes, tommorrow night when I'm cooking supper. Part three cause set one and two were infertile.

Did you get any chicks from your Buff Orpington eggs?

 

[IAEchickens]

Yes, we hatched out first and only Sat night 3-1. Set another batch 2/22 had 5 of 14 on day 10. The best laying hen (6 eggs) is n't fertile on that set. Put another 10 or eleven in 3/1. Just candled tonight. About 76 hours - maybe got the third hen covered finally. but then my first covered hen went broody, haven't gotten here broke yet. Yes, I considered giving her some eggs but it's 80deg warmer in the house. LOL I had to read back to see what this thread was about. Did more of a wet hatch but made sure air sacs were growing. 45 to 55%. I used a still air LG to hatch. I really had to work to get that puppy up to 65%. If all goes well, have more the 15th. Thanks for asking

 

[1876 Farm]

Nice! Congratulations! You'll have to post pictures of your little chick.

 

[IAEchickens]

some of my humidity problem lend to the fact it was colder then blazes and humdity was about the same as the temp. ~ZERO

 

[IAEchickens]

4 more from this past weekend