Here we go again! Hatch # 4

[midget_farms]

You guys know I built my own incubator late last year / early this year.

My first hatch I set 56 eggs - 12 chicks survived the hatch - I was disappointed - but learned to refine the humidity mechanism's so I could bring the H up for lock down.

My second hatch was 12 of my own mix eggs - silkie rooster - aracauna/buff orp hens. I ended up with 6 & learned that it was too much airflow causing most of my humidity during lock down issues -

My third hatch I set 14 Black Copper marans - 2 hatched 1 survived. On this one I realized I had way too much airflow during incubation thus drying out the eggs - the one's that did hatch were very thursty - dry & stuck to the shells.

So - I'm back at it again. I sealed up most of the air vents on the incubator - Its not a thermos - there are holes where I add water (2 0.25" holes) and holes where my turner passes through the sides (I use tubing - so the hollow tube allows air flow) and there are general gaps and cracks where the door closes and the plexi window is.

I've noticed this time however - I have added almost no water - just 1 large cup of water at the very begenning and it's been @ 40% or higher ever since - This is what they call a dry hatch -

I have 38 eggs in there now but 2 are cracked so they will probably be tossed soon. I also have another dozen in route (mix up in delivery so I ended up with a dozen of the wrong kind) so it will be a staggered hatch.

in any case 50 or so - all shipped - I know these will not be too dry - I just hope they are not too wet by the end of it all.

I will monitor the air cells to see that they are developing -

Wish me luck - I need these to hatch.

 

[tmoore8595]

I put 28 eggs in my homemade incubator night before last. I hatched 21 out of 28 on 4/15 and 4/16. I think my humidity was too high for the first 18 days. I have not added any water to my incubator this time. I plan to keep my humidity around 40% until lockdown and then raise it to about 65%.

 

[just2rosey]

Well, I hope you like the eggs you got by mistake! Good luck with this round, Midget! I set 15 of my own eggs on the 13th expecting eggs from a breeder on the 14th, but they shipped today a week later than expected. So I will also have a staggered hatch, I hadn't planned on. I installed a thermostat in my homemade incubator since last hatch, time will tell how that's working for me.

 

[midget_farms]

Quote:
This will be my first staggered hatch - Its funny - I was planning to get the buff orp eggs to set with your frizzles & was worried they would arrive too soon. I'd planned to keep them out of the bator for as long as I could stand it. Then the same day as the BO's your eggs arrived! I was thrilled - you know the rest of the story - but in any case - thank you for being so good about it.

I had a batch of australorps killed by a opossum last week. Makes me sick. So I can definately use the extra birds. I cant wait to see how things turn out.

Like I said before - 4th time's the charm -

I finally had to add some more water last night - H had dropped to 35%. Its at 45% now with 1 cup of hot water.

I have a computer fan in there so the temps are steady all over - but I had no idea how it can dry out the eggs too fast. Its funny how you can read up on this stuff but some things just don't click in your brain until you have some experience with it.

I had read confederate money farm's info on air curculation but honestly was worried I didn't have enough ventilation - when in fact I had 20 times more than I needed.

So - half way through day 4 now. The tracking on the frizzles says they should arrive here tomorrow or Friday. So they wont be too far behind. I can't wait until Friday so I can candle & see what I have going!

Good luck you guys!

40% h should be right on the money - but keep in mind how often the air in the bator is replaced. CMF wrote that if the air turns over 1x per hour with a humidity of 40% you will have X evaporation from the eggs. But if your air turns over 2x per hour @ 40% you will have 2X evaporation from the eggs - but the humidity will look right.