Help with my new hatch starting this week, PLEASE. Need some advice.

[humster]

Ok, I've had two successful hatches. I define them as successful because I actually hatched some healthy chicks, but only six in total out of probably 40 eggs. The incubator temp and humidity seems to stabalize very well and I stay on top of it. I have a forced air hovabator with an automatic egg turner.

NOW I've purchased some eggs for what is hopefully a very good hatch. Especially because these are auction chicks that I really want!
Four breeds.

I'd appreciate any input on how to improve the hatch...
Last time I kept the bator at around 45% for 18 days and 60% for three.
One pipped bird died hours after pipping. One chirped and rocked, then died.
Four made it wonderfully, but I was so freaked out I helped them with in a few hours of pipping. No problems there.
The rest of the eggs didn't seem to fully develop, but one was pretty far along when I opened it up. Whole chick, but very yolky.

I live in a very arid southwest climate. Like I said, according to my hygrometers I've been pretty stable w/ temp and humidity, with occassional deviations.
I might have been looking at things wrong b/c it was indoor/outdoor and a little confusing with two dif temps.
I think I will get two new ones and put in different spots in the incubator and make sure they are the right kind.

Any helpful advice before I start later this week????

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Although your humidity is not where I usually tell people to try it sounds like its working. If I understand you, you hatched 6 out of 9 that grew big enough to hatch.

How wet did the chicks that hatched look?

 

[humster]

Thank you for the response!

Do you think more would have grown though if conditions were optimal? Seems like some were fertile, just didn't develop. I am happy with the number of chicks for the dollars, although I did have one breed that hatched zero and I'm pretty certain it was not at all a fertilization thing, though I can't remember exactly how that went with candling. Yes, I think 6/9 on my last batch (although I'm sure more were fertile), but I did help them after the first two died because I didn't want to lose anymore. All the ones I helped made it.

The chicks were slick looking when they came out...like soaked through all the feathers, but not goopy or anything if that makes sense. Took about 24 hours to dry off.

I am seeing a very small bit of yolk left in the shells.

What humidity do you recommend???

Thanks again.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

On your hygrometer.. Is it the accurite which has indoor/ outdoor temps at the top and humidity at the bottom? If so did you put the unit in the bator. That device measures humdity on the device itself not the extra probe with the tab on it. That was the first thing I noticed. I have also notice differences with my hygrometer in with the outdoor probe which tends to get off easy. So watch out for that. I keep the old school thermometer in there as a back up. I am also using Hova's.
I am in Middle TN and I run humidity around 35% first 18 days and 55% at lockdown till someone pips then I bump it up to 65%. I have found that works best for me and my location. When you opened the unhatched eggs did you candle first? If so what did the air sacs look like? Also did the inter membrane looks dry?

 

[humster]

Yes, same hygrometer and I think I experienced some of the things you mentioned, so that means that my humidity and temp could have been different than what I thought they were. I'm thinking about ditching it for something a little more user-friendly for this purpose. I did not candle because on each egg I helped along I waited for pip first. This last batch was not the first time I've lost a chick that had already pipped and seemed ready to go. Should I avoid doing this next time? The membrane looked a little dry to me, though not "shrink wrapped" to my untrained eye. I'll have to look up some pics of what it should look like. I'm not sure about the air sack, but I've also had a couple of chicks chirping, but unable to pip, so they are getting to the air sack?

I'll do a bit of research on starting (looking at pics) to get a better idea of what to look for on the membranes and air sack. I'll also pick up a couple of hygrometers and put them in different spots so I can make sure to even out temp and humidity overall instead of one area.

Also, thanks for your humidity suggestions.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

I use the Accurite hygrometer but I know mine are off so calibrate the one you have. I would calibrate all hygrometers I have only ever have one be right and it was the Flukers at Pet Smart. If your device was outside the bator then you were measuring the humidity where the device was. Sorry! Far as pipping and then not making it I really can't help you there. If it pips it always hatches at my house. That would make me think shrink wrapped or ventalation issues but I don't know. Which Hova you using? I have a 1588 and a 1602 both of which I love. I have had 100% out of both but usually pretty good hatches either way. I alway candle before opening unhatched eggs it will tell you alot. And I usually open all unhatched eggs for my own learning. If it pipped and did not hatch within 24 to 36 hours I would think something is wrong and the chick needs help. I would not step in before 24 hours, and for me that would depend on how far my hatch was from being done and if that egg was worth jeoprodizing the other eggs. Some chicks were just not meant to make it.

 

[humster]

Thanks so much.

I had the hygrometer inside the bator and also the outdoor cord part inside the bator. I think I was getting competing information. I can designate the accurite for my brooder cuz it's a less delicate job and works well for it temp-wise. I like to put the outdoor cord in the brooder and just read the outdoor reading with the digital display away from the brooder. Much easier.

Hmmm, I'll have to check on ventilation information, hadn't thought of that. Because I am at about 7000 feet I leave both of the plugs open. That makes humidity a pain because ours is soooo low here and it dries out QUICK.
Do you think I need to change something there? I am using the circulated air. I think it is the same as your 1602, but with the fan and egg turner?

My orignial plan was to wait 24 hours before helping, but I found that two of the chicks seemed to die just before that, so I missed my chance.
And earlier I said 6/9 chicks, but that was not exactly correct since two died on hatch, so actually 4/9 which is disappointing. I think my hatchibility rate was about 50% and it was December/Jan, so I am very happy with that for mail order eggs. Not so happy with my hatch rate because I think it is error on my part

.

Yes, I have opened all unhatched to see if my earlier candling was accurate and to see what's going on. I'm finding that my candling is going pretty well and the eggs that I thought were not developing actually weren't, so that's encouraging.

I'm going to check out that Fluker for sure. Thanks for all your input, I'm feeling optimistic and have a couple of adjustments to make. Let me know if you have any input on the vent holes. If I lose my amazing shamo eggs I'm getting I will cry!

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Shamo

I am Jealous! I love that breed. As far as the vents go no I only leave the one vent under my fan kit open. I do have a fan and turner in the 1602. So ventelation was not the issue. I have heard great things about the spot check which you can find on ebay around 23 bucks for temps. I don't worry with humidity too much as long as it stays under 40 and above 25 during incubation. I never saw a hen sitting on a hygrometer. Sorry I couldn't resist.

Good luck with your hatch.

 

[humster]

Yeah and I was waiting for Illia to post some specifically

. Very excited.