Help with Egg cell size day 10 chickens

[Lunah452]

I posted this on the hatch along but I want to get some opinions in case I need to change something.

Humidity has been 40-45% for the last 4 days. Initially I'd been running at 30-35% at the advice of the breeder. On day 6 my eggs, my eggs had lost way too much weight.

These are maran eggs, so very hard to see through. I could see 2 out of 12. I feel like these cells are a bit big for day 10, want to see what some experienced hatchers think. I also weighed them and they on avg lost 4 grams total, from their starting weight.

 

[JaeG]

I would rely on what the weight is telling you. Its much more reliable than comparing air cell sizes. But it depends on the percentage of weight loss you are using as I've seen every number between 11%-16% quoted as the number to aim for.

I make a simple line graph with the weight range I need up the side and days 0-18 along the bottom. I mark the average start weight on day 0, work out what 12% (the weight loss I aim for) is of that start weight, subtract that from the start weight and mark that on day 18. Then I draw a straight line between those 2 points. Then on any day I can weigh my eggs and see, on average, if they are close to the line or too far above or below it.

Every incubator set-up is different and you have to figure out what works for you and your eggs in your incubators unique little microclimate. If the eggs are more porous then they will lose weight faster. If they've been shipped they may have started to lose moisture already, so less weight loss is needed, whereas fresh eggs going straight in may need to lose more.

I'd re-weigh the eggs in a few days and see if the humidity needs adjusting again.

 

[Lunah452]

I would rely on what the weight is telling you. Its much more reliable than comparing air cell sizes. But it depends on the percentage of weight loss you are using as I've seen every number between 11%-16% quoted as the number to aim for.

I make a simple line graph with the weight range I need up the side and days 0-18 along the bottom. I mark the average start weight on day 0, work out what 12% (the weight loss I aim for) is of that start weight, subtract that from the start weight and mark that on day 18. Then I draw a straight line between those 2 points. Then on any day I can weigh my eggs and see, on average, if they are close to the line or too far above or below it.

Every incubator set-up is different and you have to figure out what works for you and your eggs in your incubators unique little microclimate. If the eggs are more porous then they will lose weight faster. If they've been shipped they may have started to lose moisture already, so less weight loss is needed, whereas fresh eggs going straight in may need to lose more.

I'd re-weigh the eggs in a few days and see if the humidity needs adjusting again.

Thank you for the detailed reply and info. I’m guessing every newbie hatcher wants a formula that will make it all work. There obviously isn’t anything that simple and it’s a learning curve that is gained with experience and plenty of mistakes.

I agree about the percentage the range I’ve seen quoted as optimal varies by a lot. I’ll run with 12% since that seems to be the most common and go from there.
Thanks you for the help

 

[MGG]

I would rely on what the weight is telling you. Its much more reliable than comparing air cell sizes. But it depends on the percentage of weight loss you are using as I've seen every number between 11%-16% quoted as the number to aim for.

I make a simple line graph with the weight range I need up the side and days 0-18 along the bottom. I mark the average start weight on day 0, work out what 12% (the weight loss I aim for) is of that start weight, subtract that from the start weight and mark that on day 18. Then I draw a straight line between those 2 points. Then on any day I can weigh my eggs and see, on average, if they are close to the line or too far above or below it.

Every incubator set-up is different and you have to figure out what works for you and your eggs in your incubators unique little microclimate. If the eggs are more porous then they will lose weight faster. If they've been shipped they may have started to lose moisture already, so less weight loss is needed, whereas fresh eggs going straight in may need to lose more.

I'd re-weigh the eggs in a few days and see if the humidity needs adjusting again.

Great post!

 

[JaeG]

Thank you for the detailed reply and info. I’m guessing every newbie hatcher wants a formula that will make it all work. There obviously isn’t anything that simple and it’s a learning curve that is gained with experience and plenty of mistakes.

I agree about the percentage the range I’ve seen quoted as optimal varies by a lot. I’ll run with 12% since that seems to be the most common and go from there.
Thanks you for the help

At the moment I have 10 eggs that we picked up in the incubator, along with 8 that were shipped. The shipped ones aren't losing quite enough weight according to my graph, whereas the ones we picked up are right on track. I'm trying not to worry too much because I figure the shipped ones are a bit older so would have already started losing moisture, but you always worry a bit (and by hatch day I'll be a basket case). I honestly don't know how hens sit and hatch with so much patience.

 

[Lunah452]

At the moment I have 10 eggs that we picked up in the incubator, along with 8 that were shipped. The shipped ones aren't losing quite enough weight according to my graph, whereas the ones we picked up are right on track. I'm trying not to worry too much because I figure the shipped ones are a bit older so would have already started losing moisture, but you always worry a bit (and by hatch day I'll be a basket case). I honestly don't know how hens sit and hatch with so much patience.

I've really begun to understand where the term mother hen comes from. My hubby frequently calls me that when he finds me anxiously peering in into the incubator