Help please

[AmyLynn2374]

I just threw away 4 eggs. Seeping. I'm on day 22, and we thought we saw some rocking yesterday. No pips, yet. Temp has been fairly syable. Ranges 99.2 to 100.4 (briefly). Usually 99.5 to 99.9.
Humidity 55%, with one alarm for lower, very early on. Perfect 65% since day 18.
These are Jubilee Orpingtons, and cochins.
There were 12 Jubilees, & 11 cochins. 3 Jubilee down, 1 cochin. Hoping to get a few hens, and a rooster off each. What am I doing wrong? Oh, I did turn them, without knowing better, early days 19 for the Jubilee. The Cochins were almost a day later.
Advice?

If you ran 55% humidity in a table top incubator my biggest concern would be the eggs did not loose enough moisture. Despite incubator manuals, most hatchers find that higher humidity over the first 17 days results in drowning at hatch time. My second big question would be is this a forced air incubator and have you validated the thermometers/hygrometer?
You said you turned them without knowing better, do you mean you didn't stop at day 18? If so, that's not a big issue.
Letting us know what kind of incubator and make and model will help give us insight.

 

[Yukidongo]

It is forced air, My daughter tested it, then gave it to me.. temps, that is. It's a Chimera, with automatic egg turners. I removed the trays day 18. And, yes, turned them up til half day 19. I have not tested humidity. The first three days it ran at about 51 to 53%. Since then, except for the one alarm, it has been at 55%. I used it to hatch some "mutt eggs", before I put these in there that I ordered from a reliable source. I am worried, if turning didn't hurt them, that they might have been damaged in shipping. But, I'll give it more time. The two "mutts" didn't hatch on time either, but they pipped on day 22.
Humidity 65%, on day 18 1/2, as not to over humidity the Cochins put in a day later.
BAD IDEA TO CANDLE, NOW?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

It is forced air, My daughter tested it, then gave it to me.. temps, that is. It's a Chinera, with automatic egg turners. I removed the trays day 18. I have not tested humidity. The first three days it ran at about 51 to 53%. Since then, except for the one alarm, it has been at 55%. I used it to hatch some "mutt eggs", before I put these in there that I ordered from a reliable source. I am worried, if turning didn't hurt them, that they might have been damaged in shipping. But, I'll give it more time. The two "mutts" didn't hatch on time either, but they pipped on day 22.
Humidity 65%, on day 18 1/2, as not to over humidity the Cochins put in a day later

Ok, I see what you are saying. They were shipped eggs and you turned them right from the beginning. How did the air cells look when you received them? If they weren't detached, then turning them at start isn't a problem.
Pippers on day 22 point to slightly low temps. My advice there is add a trusted thermometer, up the temps a half a degree.
Barnyard mix eggs are often more resilient and easier to hatch. They've always been my highest hatch rates.
I strongly suggest running a low humidity incubation method the first 17 days if you are not in a high elevation. I'll give you a link to look at. It's the method I use, and I highly recommend it.
The low humidity alarms on those incubators can be reset so they don't go off at such a high humidity.

Over all though, shipped eggs have a lot less expectancy of hatch rates. Hitting 50% with shipped eggs is considered good.

 

[Yukidongo]

I would most definitely be interested in the link, as I am new at this, and those eggs were costly.
According to the thermometer on the incubator, they have been 97.2 to 97.9¤C. The top number usually briefly after the heater has kicked on.
I'm going to give it a little more time. I am crushed. I'll also get a hygrometer.
If, by some miracle I get any, I'd love to get 50%.
But thank you for answering. And I'll try the link, gladly, if you post it.

 

[brucifer]

It is forced air, My daughter tested it, then gave it to me.. temps, that is. It's a Chimera, with automatic egg turners. I removed the trays day 18. And, yes, turned them up til half day 19. I have not tested humidity. The first three days it ran at about 51 to 53%. Since then, except for the one alarm, it has been at 55%. I used it to hatch some "mutt eggs", before I put these in there that I ordered from a reliable source. I am worried, if turning didn't hurt them, that they might have been damaged in shipping. But, I'll give it more time. The two "mutts" didn't hatch on time either, but they pipped on day 22.
Humidity 65%, on day 18 1/2, as not to over humidity the Cochins put in a day later.
BAD IDEA TO CANDLE, NOW?

Probably not a good idea to candle at this point, and it looks like you've done about everything right. I agree with AmyLynn that the incubator temperature was probably low, and that's most likely why you're having a late hatch. However, if you're going to miss the mark on the temp, it's much better to go too low that to go too high. I use a 12" glass analogue thermometer with my hatches. The one I use is a scientific Promo Lab thermometer. It's very accurate and about $8.50 at Amazon.

I know it's hard to be patient in a situation like this, but I suggest you wait a couple of days and see what happens. Best of luck.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I would most definitely be interested in the link, as I am new at this, and those eggs were costly.
According to the thermometer on the incubator, they have been 97.2 to 97.9¤C. The top number usually briefly after the heater has kicked on.
I'm going to give it a little more time. I am crushed. I'll also get a hygrometer.
If, by some miracle I get any, I'd love to get 50%.
But thank you for answering. And I'll try the link, gladly, if you post it.

97.2C is 206F. If it's 97.2F then it was significantly low which would cause a great delay in hatch times.

Probably not a good idea to candle at this point, and it looks like you've done about everything right. I agree with AmyLynn that the incubator temperature was probably low, and that's most likely why you're having a late hatch. However, if you're going to miss the mark on the temp, it's much better to go too low that to go too high. I use a 12" glass analogue thermometer with my hatches. The one I use is a scientific Promo Lab thermometer. It's very accurate and about $8.50 at Amazon.

I know it's hard to be patient in a situation like this, but I suggest you wait a couple of days and see what happens. Best of luck.

I candle all the way through hatch. She has no active pippers which carries no danger to the eggs at all, unless she drops it. Candling is going to help determine if they are delayed or if there is any life left in them at all. It will also help her gain the experience of knowing what she is looking for. And how to determine how far off her humidity was so that she can improve her future hatches.

I'm sorry, I meant to include the link in my last post.
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[Yukidongo]

OMG. ..that should be 37.2 to 37.9!
Using centigrade. That's the range. Averages normally 37.4 to 37.6. But I have seen 37.2 as the lowest. Oh my...sorry for the crooked thinking there. I was converting to Ferenheit and the "90s" got stuck in my head.

 

[brucifer]

97.2C is 206F. If it's 97.2F then it was significantly low which would cause a great delay in hatch times.
I candle all the way through hatch. She has no active pippers which carries no danger to the eggs at all, unless she drops it. Candling is going to help determine if they are delayed or if there is any life left in them at all. It will also help her gain the experience of knowing what she is looking for. And how to determine how far off her humidity was so that she can improve her future hatches.

During lockdown I don't recommend handling hatching eggs at all unless there is a true emergency of some sort.. If there are chicks that are alive and have yet to pip, then candling and handling the eggs are not a good idea because chick positioning and orientation can be disturbed. After a couple of days, then open all unhatched eggs and check embryo development and egg-cell size. Waiting isn't going to make a bit of difference except for a possible improved hatch.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

OMG. ..that should be 37.2 to 37.9!
Using centigrade. That's the range. Averages normally 37.4 to 37.6. But I have seen 37.2 as the lowest. Oh my...sorry for the crooked thinking there. I was converting to Ferenheit and the "90s" got stuck in my head.

Lol. That's much better... I thought maybe you meant 37..



We're just going to have to agree to disagree.

 

[Yukidongo]

I have sat here watching, now, for hours. The temp does fluctuate, so I set the set temp at 37.8, on day one. It seems to be maintaining well at the mid range. 37.4-37.6 awhile, then it drops to 37.3, and then "works". As it starts "working", it may hit 37.2, then goes right back up. Hits 37.9, then cycles again.
Question. ..can a "clear" seeping egg hatch? I threw one of those away earlier with the rest, so I am down 5, from 23 to start. You might think it odd I'm sitting here, but I have my "mutts" and 5 Americaunas in the next room, so if I'm not clise, I won't hear it, and I'm hoping the others will go to sleep here, shortly!