First Time Questions!

[KDB91]

Hey guys! This is my very first post and I have a couple questions! I have a hovabator 1588 and Friday was day 21. Out of 30 eggs, 1 pipped yesterday morning and finally is out of its shell. The other 29 show no activity! Any advice?
Thanks!

 

[Marilynszoo]

Hi CM, Welcome to BYC! I have not used that incubator, but I have been incubating for the last two years. It's hard to give advice without more information, but I would wait another 24 hours and see if more pip. When did you last candle the eggs?

 

[KDB91]

I candled them on day 18 which would have been Tuesday of last week! I started with 35 and 5 looked clear and undeveloped but the other 30 looked dark, had veins and an air sac!

 

[Marilynszoo]

Okay then, just be patient. If nothing else pips after 24 hours, I would take the one chick out and candle at least some of the eggs looking for internal pips or movement.

 

[KDB91]

Ok thank you! What is the likelihood of 1/30 being it?

 

[Marilynszoo]

There are so many variables with incubating; things that could go wrong. It has happened. I once had a temperature spike that killed everything. I've had chicks that were fully developed but died in the shell just before hatching. Were these shipped eggs?

 

[KDB91]

These eggs partly came from my flock, and a neighbors flock! One thing I did have trouble with this round was my humidity the first 18 days. It's my understanding you want to run between 45-55% and the last 3 days run 55-65%. Some of my first days I had higher humidity than called for.

 

[Marilynszoo]

Yes, humidity can cause problems; it is such a pain! How do those hens do it? I just had three broodie hens hatch clutches; 28 out of 30 eggs hatched! So much easier! But I had a bunch of eggs I wanted to hatch so here we go again with the incubator. Sometimes you can figure out what causes a low hatch rate, but many times you never know. I hope you have lots more hatch!

 

[KDB91]

Thank you so much!