Hands on hatching and help

[HeyHey]

what is the cool down cycle?

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

anyone keep the humidity up at 65 for the entire process ( day1 - day21) ?? I got a shelf at the bottom i use for lock down (day 18)( new incubator ...homemade ..used a deep freezer). With my old small incubator i always kept the water topped up from day 1 to day 21 and never had a problem !

The plan is :
week 1 - load eggs top shelf
week 2 - load eggs second shelf
week 3 - first place top shelf eggs on 3rd shelf then reload top 3 days later
week 4 - first place eggs from second shelf on 3rd then reload

I took this a few weeks ago ... the first batch was supposed to hatch 6 days ago ...not one hatched ... i opened a few after 23 days ..they were still yolk !! 1 or two had small embryos ...so ... took the rest and placed them right at the bottom below shelf 3 .. hoping for at least a few to hatch ....nothing, nada hatched. (hoping the first batch was a dud because i used old eggs - i had been saving them up for a while- maybe 2-3 weeks )

Next batch due tomorrow (day 21)... got temp at 37.5 degree c (got 2 therm) , humidity around 65-70% (got 2 hygro ) .. got two vent holes (12 mm /half inch --- one at the top and one at the bottom .. thinking hot air will leave through the top and cooler fresh air will be sucked in through the bottom !) also have 3 fans ... one right at the back with the heating element --- one below the 3rd shelf -- one above the first shelf ...

Only thing that concerns me now is the humidity levels for days 1 - day 18 being at 65-70 ... will this have such a profound effect ? batch two were fresh eggs so hoping to see something at least .... or will this also be a dud !!

 

[ronott1]

anyone keep the humidity up at 65 for the entire process ( day1 - day21) ?? I got a shelf at the bottom i use for lock down (day 18)( new incubator ...homemade ..used a deep freezer). With my old small incubator i always kept the water topped up from day 1 to day 21 and never had a problem !

The plan is :
week 1 - load eggs top shelf
week 2 - load eggs second shelf
week 3 - first place top shelf eggs on 3rd shelf then reload top 3 days later
week 4 - first place eggs from second shelf on 3rd then reload

View attachment 1144169

I took this a few weeks ago ... the first batch was supposed to hatch 6 days ago ...not one hatched ... i opened a few after 23 days ..they were still yolk !! 1 or two had small embryos ...so ... took the rest and placed them right at the bottom below shelf 3 .. hoping for at least a few to hatch ....nothing, nada hatched. (hoping the first batch was a dud because i used old eggs - i had been saving them up for a while- maybe 2-3 weeks )

Next batch due tomorrow (day 21)... got temp at 37.5 degree c (got 2 therm) , humidity around 65-70% (got 2 hygro ) .. got two vent holes (12 mm /half inch --- one at the top and one at the bottom .. thinking hot air will leave through the top and cooler fresh air will be sucked in through the bottom !) also have 3 fans ... one right at the back with the heating element --- one below the 3rd shelf -- one above the first shelf ...

Only thing that concerns me now is the humidity levels for days 1 - day 18 being at 65-70 ... will this have such a profound effect ? batch two were fresh eggs so hoping to see something at least .... or will this also be a dud !!

It is a bit high for the first 18 days. Upper end is closer to 55%.
Humidity does not explain dead embryos in the firs week though.

This might help

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

It is a bit high for the first 18 days. Upper end is closer to 55%.
Humidity does not explain dead embryos in the firs week though.

This might help
View attachment 1144249
View attachment 1144250

Thanks ronott ... i think the first batch were just old ... doing little better on second

 

[ronott1]

Thanks ronott ... i think the first batch were just old ... doing little better on second

Yep! old will do that--not develop

 

[HeyHey]

I was wondering, can you open them on their due date without any pips?
All of mine were malformed last time, so I lost them all.

 

[WVduckchick]

I was wondering, can you open them on their due date without any pips?
All of mine were malformed last time, so I lost them all.

Do you mean open the egg after you have determined they are dead? Or do you mean open to start an assist?

 

[Amanita]

I will add for Marans eggs, find the brightest (highest lumens) flashlight you can find, because they will be difficult to candle. But a good bright light does make it possible.

It was driving me crazy not being able to see anything, so I ordered a 1000 lumen light which arrived with perfect timing this afternoon (day 7). I wouldn't say it's still easy to see, but I can definitely tell that there's something going on in most of the eggs. This just got very real!

Have you calibrated the reptile thermometer?

So after the calibration chat I got to wondering about the reptile hygrometer too... With two of the four weeks filled it was saying 17%, which didn't seem at all right. I tried the salt test and it settled at 43%, so I figured I was doing the test wing and bought a cheap analogue one to double check... The cheap one said 72%!!
I've now taken out all of the water and put a dehumidifier in the room and it's settled around 35% in the incubator. I can't get it any lower and I'm still horrified by how out of whack the expensive hygrometer was... Really hoping I haven't doomed these poor eggs, especially now that I can see they're developing.
I'm so glad I have this thread, I don't know anyone in real life who can relate!

 

[ronott1]

It was driving me crazy not being able to see anything, so I ordered a 1000 lumen light which arrived with perfect timing this afternoon (day 7). I wouldn't say it's still easy to see, but I can definitely tell that there's something going on in most of the eggs. This just got very real!


So after the calibration chat I got to wondering about the reptile hygrometer too... With two of the four weeks filled it was saying 17%, which didn't seem at all right. I tried the salt test and it settled at 43%, so I figured I was doing the test wing and bought a cheap analogue one to double check... The cheap one said 72%!!
I've now taken out all of the water and put a dehumidifier in the room and it's settled around 35% in the incubator. I can't get it any lower and I'm still horrified by how out of whack the expensive hygrometer was... Really hoping I haven't doomed these poor eggs, especially now that I can see they're developing.
I'm so glad I have this thread, I don't know anyone in real life who can relate!

Good job!

It is always a good idea to calibrate both the thermometer and hygrometer.

 

[WVduckchick]

It was driving me crazy not being able to see anything, so I ordered a 1000 lumen light which arrived with perfect timing this afternoon (day 7). I wouldn't say it's still easy to see, but I can definitely tell that there's something going on in most of the eggs. This just got very real!


So after the calibration chat I got to wondering about the reptile hygrometer too... With two of the four weeks filled it was saying 17%, which didn't seem at all right. I tried the salt test and it settled at 43%, so I figured I was doing the test wing and bought a cheap analogue one to double check... The cheap one said 72%!!
I've now taken out all of the water and put a dehumidifier in the room and it's settled around 35% in the incubator. I can't get it any lower and I'm still horrified by how out of whack the expensive hygrometer was... Really hoping I haven't doomed these poor eggs, especially now that I can see they're developing.
I'm so glad I have this thread, I don't know anyone in real life who can relate!

I assume you would have noticed, but some of the hygrometers can be adjusted or dialed to the proper number, so that they read right. Make sure the one you have isn't adjustable.

edit to add - careful with 1000 lumens. Some of those can put off some massive heat! Candle quickly! Lol