Hatching help needed.

[Beckymca]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I last looked around or posted. Life has been super busy for good and for bad, but that is life.

I discovered chickens 2 yrs ago. I started by adopting a mixed flock of chickens. That I later re-homed to a friend, when I ordered a small flock of Light Brahma chicks. They have been wonderful chickens that I've enjoyed a ton.

So on year one, I had a few hens hatch out some eggs for me. The first hen did great but the second hen was confused so I pulled her chicks which did just fine being raised in a by hand.

This winter I bought an incubator, a LG with circulated air and auto turner. I took a chance and tried to hatch 18 eggs. By day 14 it was clear that 3 eggs were not good, so I pulled them. I successfully hatched 12 of the remaining 15 eggs. But I had a few struggles in the end.

I had a hard time keeping the humidity levels up. Was this because I pulled both plugs(on day 18)? What is the humidity level supposed to be? Any tips on keeping it up? I had 2 chicks that had a hard start, the eggs cracked but the membrane dried to them. I had to gently open these chicks up, ( the enamel had cracked away but the membrane stuck to them and had dried by the time I found them in the morning) in the end I left some of the membrane (mostly on their backs) as it was apparent I was hurting them and I had freed them enough to move, which was my goal. They hatched Sunday and Monday and all seem to be doing just fine now, even the that went stuck!!!

As you all know, chickens are a lot like potato chips, or so I'm told, you can't have just one. Or one kind in my case. I'm a bit of a freak about things and must not mix breeds, so getting a second variety took me a long time to commit too. I have ordered 2 dozen Salmon Faverolle eggs that I hope to start on 5/13. I'd LOVE any and all tips on keeping humidity up and any insight on if my hunch is right that the lower humidity caused the drying of the membrane once the eggs began to open.

I so want to learn and will try to read when time allows, but sometimes I just can't find time to look for all the info.

Thanks in advance to all for your help!!!!

 

[TaylorHobbyFarms]

If you are having a problem with humidity, I would definitely leave the plugs in. Also, on day 18 right before you lock down, if your incubator is a styrofoam, what I used to do when I had a styrofoam was to fill all the trays with water as I went for a lot of humidity and did 85% or better. If you need more humidity, you can do this and even add soaked, wadded up paper towels on the wire floor on day 18. I hope this helps...and yes, chickens are very much like potato chips.

 

[Beckymca]

Thank you!! I followed the manufactures directions to pull both plugs on day 18. Now I know to keep my incubator at a higher humidity in the end and have some good idea on how to make that happen, thanks to some good advice from this site!! Thanks all, be safe and happy hatching!!!