HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! INCUBATING QUESTIONS

[johnobnavy04]

I have a question about egg incubation. I am about 5 days out from my eggs hatching but I think I made a few mistakes. How critical is it if the humidity goes up to about 65% for a little while and what way should the eggs be positioned in the egg turner ( all mine are skinny end down, I had to flip 4 yesterday). Plus i made the mistake of adding 7 more new eggs into the incubator that are scheduled to hatch in 13 days. How much will the increase in humidity to 75% effect them for 3 days. All help is welcome.

 

[PlymouthRockBBredSebright]

55% humidity i think

 

[Jetblack2004]

Hi there!
The incubator should be between 45% and 55% up until Day 18 for chicken eggs. I do not think 65% is critical, but it is too high.

I always put my eggs in the turner pointy-end down.

You mentioned that it increased to 65% earlier....is 75% a typo?

Don't add any water for the time being-you need to bring the humidity down.

Good luck!

 

[oregonkat]

Are you incubating in an upright turner or a turner that keeps the eggs on their sides? If upright, then the pointy end always goes down. The fat end of the egg is where the air cell is. Are you using a calibrated thermometer and hygrometer or just the ones that came with your incubator? Adding eggs during incubation can be a little tricky because you have to raise your humidity quite significantly during the hatch which can give the remaining eggs a bit of a hard time. Did you candle the eggs at any time? How are the air cells looking?

Wait till you have your first pip and then raise the humidity to about 65%, hopefully, that way you will not compromise the other eggs too much. As soon as your initial hatch is done, do not add any more water. Unfortunately, your incubator water tray is going to contain the debris from the hatch which you are going to need to quickly clean and put back for your next eggs otherwise you might be exposing them to alot of bacteria. With any luck your first hatch will go quickly and you will not have to maintain the high humidity for days on end.