Help with incubation

[Bluemildred]

Hi, I'm currently on my third set of eggs in incubator. I have one where I have to turn eggs manually...I do this 3 times a day. However my success rate is less than 50%
I have pipped two eggs (they are not well over) and these have dead chickens inside. What can I be doing wrong? Temp is fine, water level is fine....help!

 

[Pyxis]

What humidity percentage are you using? The most common cause of death later in incubation is the humidity being wrong for your area.

 

[Bluemildred]

Not entirely sure...my thermometer is set at 37.5 & then as per instructions I fill up both sides of water pot to increase humidity. My thermometer only has C ...how would I know the actual humidity?

 

[Pyxis]

Not entirely sure...my thermometer is set at 37.5 & then as per instructions I fill up both sides of water pot to increase humidity. My thermometer only has C ...how would I know the actual humidity?

You're gonna need to get a hygrometer. Filling up both sides sounds like too much. Is there an additional trough you are also supposed to fill for lockdown?

 

[Bluemildred]

You're gonna need to get a hygrometer. Filling up both sides sounds like too much. Is there an additional trough you are also supposed to fill for lockdown?

The additional water is the other side of water pot...it only gets filled up day 19.
The two I pipped...the membranes were really dry...not sure if this proves anything?

 

[Pyxis]

The additional water is the other side of water pot...it only gets filled up day 19.
The two I pipped...the membranes were really dry...not sure if this proves anything?

Well, that could mean it's too low and not too high. The only way to find out for sure is going to be getting a hygrometer to see what the humidity is at, and then also either tracking the air cell growth OR weighing the eggs to monitor moisture loss, which is the most accurate.