Help! Low 25% hatch rate - only 12 of 43 eggs

[LAChickens]

Hi, I'm using a new forced air auto-ambulating incubator from China. I live in Los Angeles and we have had overcast fairly damp weather for a desert area but humidity here is generally hard to control when it comes to hatching.

The evening of March 12th, I started with both my eggs and a friend's in one incubator. None of theirs were fertilized, and I had a couple that weren't developing so after candling on day 14, we were at 43 eggs.

I re-candled at Day 18 when I removed the auto ambulator and all the eggs were completely dark and seemingly getting ready to hatch. But only 12 have hatched. And it's been pretty slow. Five on Day 21. Six on day 22, One on Day 23. I can still hear cheeping in a few eggs but seemingly nothing else is going on.

I'm keeping the humidity between 60% - 70% and the heat at 37.7 degrees celcius.

The night of the 20th Day the humidity dropped down into the low-50s overnight and I started a vaporizer in the room to pump up the ambient humidity and have kept in between 60% - 70% since.

These are my personal birds, but people have been asking me to hatch out eggs for them and while I'm willing to start another batch, I want to see if there are any corrections I should make that might give me better results?

Thanks!
Laura

 

[cavemanrich]

I would first start by checking the accuracy of your temperature. You state 37,7°C which is correct. but if actual temps are different, then hatching times may vary.
Do you have a hygrometer inside your incubator, and is it calibrated to give correct reading?
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ihall26]

We bought that exact incubator and I couldn't hold the humidity stable for the life of me, it was awful. I ran it as a trial before putting eggs in and we contacted Amazon to return it. It was a huge hassle but they eventually refunded us and told us to keep the thing. Anyway, it is in my garage and I bought a Hovabator Genesis and I am at Day 19 with some eggs now. I am sorry you are having a hard time with your hatch.

 

[LAChickens]

Did you have a hatch at all? What percentage of eggs hatched? I had 31% hatch rate, 1died overnight after fully hatching. One egg pipped and still hatching on Day 25. Weird. I think the temp may be low and am looking into a better thermometer/hygrometer. Is the Hovabator Genesis Styrofoam?

 

[Ihall26]

Did you have a hatch at all? What percentage of eggs hatched? I had 31% hatch rate, 1died overnight after fully hatching. One egg pipped and still hatching on Day 25. Weird. I think the temp may be low and am looking into a better thermometer/hygrometer. Is the Hovabator Genesis Styrofoam?

I didn't even attempt hatching in it. After the setup and pre-run I wasn't going to risk it. I am currently hatching eggs in the Hovabator that belong to someone else but they didn't care if they got any out of the hatch, so a low risk experiment I guess. I started with 13 and 2 weren't fertile. One that was fertile and had a blood ring stopped very early on, I am guessing like day 1-2 based on what we saw when we opened that one. I locked down last night and am waiting. Seeing some eggs wiggling around but nothing else just yet.
The Hovabator is styrofoam. So far I've been happy with the consistency in the temps and humidity. We will see how this all turns out. I am glad that you had some success in it and I hope your last little one makes it out and does well. I just didn't want to spend decent money on the eggs I am hoping for and then have that one completely ruin the hatch. The Hovabator seemed like a decent investment that I can hopefully resale if I need to. Also, I have seen a thermometer,hygrometer recommended but can't remember the name. I believe it came from Amazon. If I see that link again I'll post it for you!

 

[LAChickens]

I didn't even attempt hatching in it. After the setup and pre-run I wasn't going to risk it. I am currently hatching eggs in the Hovabator that belong to someone else but they didn't care if they got any out of the hatch, so a low risk experiment I guess. I started with 13 and 2 weren't fertile. One that was fertile and had a blood ring stopped very early on, I am guessing like day 1-2 based on what we saw when we opened that one. I locked down last night and am waiting. Seeing some eggs wiggling around but nothing else just yet.
The Hovabator is styrofoam. So far I've been happy with the consistency in the temps and humidity. We will see how this all turns out. I am glad that you had some success in it and I hope your last little one makes it out and does well. I just didn't want to spend decent money on the eggs I am hoping for and then have that one completely ruin the hatch. The Hovabator seemed like a decent investment that I can hopefully resale if I need to. Also, I have seen a thermometer,hygrometer recommended but can't remember the name. I believe it came from Amazon. If I see that link again I'll post it for you!

Hi! Thanks for your response. I read up on dry hatches and think that might humidity have been a problem. I also upped the temp from 37.5 to 37.7 Celsius which I think might help. I have two incubators running currently this machine and a Hovabator someone loaned me. This machine is on lockdown today for a hatch this weekend. The Hovabator goes into lockdown this weekend for hatching mid-week. Fingers crossed I get some chicks out of this. I candled them and they are all fully dark with a small air cell at the wide end.

 

[Ihall26]

Hi! Thanks for your response. I read up on dry hatches and think that might humidity have been a problem. I also upped the temp from 37.5 to 37.7 Celsius which I think might help. I have two incubators running currently this machine and a Hovabator someone loaned me. This machine is on lockdown today for a hatch this weekend. The Hovabator goes into lockdown this weekend for hatching mid-week. Fingers crossed I get some chicks out of this. I candled them and they are all fully dark with a small air cell at the wide end.

How did your hatch go? I hope you had a good turn out.
My second batch is a week and a half out. I’m using my hovabator. Started with 22. 3 were unfertile and two were early quitters. Hoping the rest goes smoothly!

 

[LAChickens]

How exciting! I hope your hatch goes really well for you. What kind of birds are you keeping? Mine was much better thanks! Well over 50% I have another round of eggs in both the Hovabator (I borrowed one) and the Tupperware type incubator. Thetrick of keeping the humidy low in both prior to lockdown did help with hatch rate. I had one chick stick to the membrane and I had to free it, but it's fine now.

 

[Ihall26]

How exciting! I hope your hatch goes really well for you. What kind of birds are you keeping? Mine was much better thanks! Well over 50% I have another round of eggs in both the Hovabator (I borrowed one) and the Tupperware type incubator. Thetrick of keeping the humidy low in both prior to lockdown did help with hatch rate. I had one chick stick to the membrane and I had to free it, but it's fine now.

I’m glad you had a good turnout. Are you hatching for your own flock?
I am currently hatching to start my own mixed flock. I have Brahma, Dominique, olive eggers, ameraucana, standard and bantam Cochins, silkies and Polish. I’ll be adding at least one Orpington chick once these guys hatch.
I am running my humidity slightly lower this time but don’t think I had any issues last time related to it. I am happy just between 40-50% but trying to stay more around 45%.
I’m glad you’ve found what is working for you! This is a learning curve for sure.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I have the same Chinabator. Thermometer and hygrometer are off on the machine. I just use ones purchased online, but the machine works fine.

Crappy thing I found out though, it takes over a week for the damn thing to stabilize temperature wise. So it has to be running for a week before putting any eggs in. I have been getting over 70% hatch on shipped eggs and not adding water until lockdown. Just watching air cells to make sure they’re the correct size for day of incubation.

Glad that other hatch was better!