Help Humidity

[SilkiePuff]

okay so I'm on my 3rd batch of eggs on lock down, yep that right I keep losing them during lock down.. so this time I open the shells on the end so when they pip they can breath..since I lose them at that stage all the time..

how do I know the humidty is high enough.. ?? i don't have a humidity control on my Brinsea eco 20.. so what I did was put hot water filled paper towel in the incubator.. i have condinsation on the walls is that good

help I want these to hatch and make it..
Janine

 

[rebel yell]

you relly need a hydrometer, but sounds like your on the right track.

 

[SilkiePuff]

so since the ends of the eggs are cut off I can actually make sure they are moving and alive, they are peeping, but thats it.. the membrane doesn't look shrink wrapped at all, but one does look a bit more drier then normal.. I actually added sponges that were boiled to boost the humidity and that seemed to help loads.. I wish brinsea made a hydrometer for the octagon 20 eco you could just plug in or what ever.. i'm hoping they will zipp the rest of the way out for tomorrow.. at least I know they won't sufficate like all the others..

hatch babies hatch!!!

on a side note.. my silkie hen has gone broody over 12 eggs!!! so I know they should hatch.. but during the fall..ugh.. birds!!

 

[tuesdays chicks]

forgive my ignorance, I'm new to this chicken and incubating thing you're the 1st person I have heard of opening the egg at the top where did you hear that from? just interested to understand why you're doing it, are they drowning? isn't that dangerous to chicks? when I read what you were saying my eyes popped out lol.

 

[joe17]

I dont think your problem is low humidity but too high of humidity. If you humidity is too high, thats what causes them to drown. Also, if they are shipped eggs, they generally die one of the last three days.

 

[SilkiePuff]

no these were my own eggs.. I could here them peep all the time, but they would die..and then when I eggcropsy'ed the eggs they were super dry inside,

I know my old incubator sucked major in humidity.. so this time when I heard them pip.. I chopped the end of the eggs off.. and yes I was careful and the minute I could see in side the membranes were super dry..so I misted them, stuck them in the incubator with some hot steamy water to bring up the humidity and vala.. 2 came out last night!!

one is still working on it.. and the other died.

.the membrane was too dry so its super dry now.. but the last chick is working hard and the membrane looks moist enough that he may make it out tonight sometime.. I don't want to open the incubator since the 2 little hatched babies will get chilled..

i'm wondering if I should stick these two with my broody hen tomorrow.. even if she is laying on 7 eggs..any ideas.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

SilkiePuff I watched your video it looks like you are holding the eggs with the pointy end up? If so that could be your problem. I would not pop the top on eggs anymore that will only add to the problems IMO. The one chick may be stuck if you popped the top. You can pick up a hygrometer at walmart for less than 7 bucks well worth the cost. What day are you popping the tops? If your temps are low it can cause the chicks to hatch late. I heard peeps well before the chicks pipped the shell. They may just need more time. Listen to see if that chick still sound strong and if not you may have to help if the inner membrane is dry. But you have to know what you are doing there, it is very tricky, at the first sign of blood stop take a break, allowing the shell to send the signal to the membrane to stop producing blood. Oh and go in a circle as they do it naturally. (I am new and may have the termanology wrong but that is the idea) I have not had to do this but was ready if something came up. So this is not first hand knowledge just from reading around on this site.
Hoping others chime in with better advice.

 

[SilkiePuff]

Quote:
no they are pointy end down, thats when I was candling them.. that was the very first batch.. with my hydro-beter that didn't work to well none of them made it to lock down.. all of those got like bacteria infections and such.. .

I popped the top of those shells right on day 23.. if I had waited any longer they would have suffecated, they had piped but shrink wrapped in the shell..so I had to open the shell for them to breath,, the two hatched so I'm happy about that..just waiting for the last one.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Silkie Puff sorry for the misunderstanding. I am scared to even hold my eggs upside down. That is the only reason I posted at all.
Good luck with the last one

 

[SilkiePuff]

Quote:
last one got stuck so I helped him out of his egg.. out of 28 eggs, only these lucky 3 are alive

Here are the pics.. the white one I got from a breeder.. the two darker ones are from my birds a black and a self blue.. woo

i have yet to figure out how to get the membrane off of them that is stuck to them.. i'm too scared to get them wet.. any thoughts?