Hands on hatching and help

[AmyLynn2374]

I do have, and have had back up thermometers and hydrometers in with them. So far the temp has been accurate but not the humidity. Thank you for your replies!

Alright, made it through another day. One more day closer to the 20th. Lots of peeping now. Some struggling, enough that they're tearing their membranes a bit. But the membranes near the shell holes don't have blood in them. Lots of head pushing and big yawns. Still don't want to get my hopes up, but....

 

[WVduckchick]

Awe. Thanks. Wait until you get that first pip and all you can do is wait...for hours...and hours....lol 

Have you ever checked the thermometer to make sure it was accurate or have an individual one inside?

Biggest mistake, following those manuals to a T. They recommend too high of humidity. I hate the manuals! I totally agree. 

If mine weren't pipped by day 22, (my hatches usually start early cause my bator is hard to regulate so I get it settled slightly warmer rather than lower,) I would candle day 22 to see if there was any signs of life, any internal pips. Any signsof life and they stay in. I can't pull the plug on anything I still know is alive. No signs of life and I'd pull one to eggtopsy by going in the air cell first to confirm.



Janoel knockoff? Chinese bator. My nephew bought one of those. The temp and humidity reading was off on both.

@WVduckchick
 I thought I quoted you too... anyway, I've never regreted the decision to keep Peep, as a matter of fact the leg problem wasn't noticeable until he started filling out and putting on weight. I will say, it's not so easy now and I have contemplated what would be better. He's not in any noticeable pain, never has been, but if getting him in his own pen doesn't lift his spirits and he doesn't perk up, we are going to have to consider the alternative, which will be very hard. He is my first ever chicken.

Well, he didn't do it for me so I had to. broke my heart, but I know it was the right thing to do. Poor thing was gonna be a frizzle too. Fact of hatching, some just don't come out right. But happily I have 6 beautiful ones.

ETA - my first ever cull, but I was proud of myself for doing it.

I do have, and have had back up thermometers and hydrometers in with them. So far the temp has been accurate but not the humidity. Thank you for your replies!

I have that bator too, and used it for several hatches until the heater sensor or something went out on me, on day 18!! I maintained temp with help of a heat lamp for the hatch, but got a Brinsea after that. I still want to repair it to use for a spare hatcher though.
And I totally agree, the temp was fine in it (although it works harder than it should to maintain temp...heater off and on alot!) but the humidity gage was waaaayyyy off.

Alright, made it through another day. One more day closer to the 20th. Lots of peeping now. Some struggling, enough that they're tearing their membranes a bit. But the membranes near the shell holes don't have blood in them. Lots of head pushing and big yawns. Still don't want to get my hopes up, but....

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Well, he didn't do it for me so I had to.

broke my heart, but I know it was the right thing to do. Poor thing was gonna be a frizzle too. Fact of hatching, some just don't come out right. But happily I have 6 beautiful ones.

ETA - my first ever cull, but I was proud of myself for doing it.
I have that bator too, and used it for several hatches until the heater sensor or something went out on me, on day 18!! I maintained temp with help of a heat lamp for the hatch, but got a Brinsea after that. I still want to repair it to use for a spare hatcher though.
And I totally agree, the temp was fine in it (although it works harder than it should to maintain temp...heater off and on alot!) but the humidity gage was waaaayyyy off.

Kudos to you for being able to do it. Haven't had to yet and don't know if I could myself. Yay on the other 6 though. Can't wait to see how they feather out!!

 

[casportpony]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words:


-Kathy

 

[AmyLynn2374]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words:


-Kathy

Yup!!! lol Scary, right there!

 

[jlashaw]

I am not sure the exact brand of the incubator, got it off Amazon. The temp has been 99-100, humidity was at 50-60, for the first 25 days. The automatic Turner turned every 2 hours. The air cells had been getting bigger at a nice pace so I didn't measure except one week when I couldn't be sure. They did get bigger after I had compared a few days later.

I did pull a couple out, at the recommendation of a friend and experienced hatcher a bit ago, to candle and saw that 3 had piped internally. 1 of which has what looks like a line where it may be trying to pip through. One small external pip on another.

Edited to add that the ducks are Pekin/Appleyard cross. Everything I read says 28 days is typical.

. I leave my chicken eggs in until they hatch if I can see they're moving and alive. I have a very bright led flashlight that I use because a candeling light doesn't cut for me. Also, once they've internally pipped and are in the air cell, you will be able to see their little head. Just remember that after they externally pip they do need a lot of time to absorb the yolk. Do you have another thermometer/hygrometer so you can figure out how far off your temp is? It's been my experience in this wet weather we've had all winter, that you really don't need the water until hatch because the humidity in your house, depending on where you live, is probably 30-40% if I actually set a hatch right now at 65% humidity I'd have very wet chicks with all sorts of problems. If everything is right on schedule, don't adjust the humidity.

 

[zmcolbert]

I live in Northern CA, it was 76 today.. I do have back up thermometers and hydrometers in with them. They are ducks, don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[FridayYet]

do you have another thermometer/hygrometer so you can figure out how far off your temp is? It's been my experience in this wet weather we've had all winter, that you really don't need the water until hatch because the humidity in your house, depending on where you live, is probably 30-40% if I actually set a hatch right now at 65% humidity I'd have very wet chicks with all sorts of problems. If everything is right on schedule, don't adjust the humidity.

Depending on where you live is right.

Humidity at my house is finally rising (because it's night) and we are up to 15%. Hatching "dry" at my house is a death sentence.

But I totally agree - If everything is right on schedule, you don't need to adjust your humidity.

 

[jlashaw]

Depending on where you live is right.    Humidity at my house is finally rising (because it's night) and we are up to 15%.  Hatching "dry" at my house is a death sentence.

But I totally agree  - If everything is right on schedule, you don't need to adjust your humidity.

lol yes I'm in Eastern Washington so winter through spring no water but summer is hot and dry so I will be using water if I need to hatch when it's in the triple digits

 

[jlashaw]

How long do you give your eggs past 21 days if they have not pipped- to candle/do something?


I candle them first because if you e had temp fluctuations ( low temps) it's going to take longer for them to develop. If I can see the blood vessels and see movement, I leave them until they hatch, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't need my help. If they're dead, take them out. I've never taken out a live egg just because it was past day21. There are so many variables when it comes to hatching. I.e. The type of bator you're using, the room temp where it is placed, if it's drafty, the relative humidity, if you run your dish washer and the bator is in the kitchen.... (At least in my case) you'll know when they're trying to get ready to hatch you can actually hear them chirp once they are in the air cell. Assisting with a hatch is scary for the first time but you have this awesome thread to come to for advice. I just found this thread today actually!