Holly, Lisa's and Lexa's Silkie Hatching Egg Countdown

[MissPrissy]

Let's see if we can figure out the incubator issues and get some eggs to hatch.

Do you have a digital thermometer/hydrometer you can use instead of the wet bulb? If not, walmart usually carries an accurite over in the section with a/c filters, lightbulbs, dimmer switches etc. You'll want to get the $12 or better model. NOt one of the cheap $5 ones.

Clean your bator. Turn it on. Put the therm/hydro in and document the reading flunctuations over the following 24 hours. Make sure the incubator has not water in it to start. Just an empty, running bator.

 

[hollymh]

Quote:
Ok, will do that today! I bleached it out and let it sun dry yesterday after the hatch so I'm hoping any bugs that may have been in it are dead. I don't think that was an issue though because it sat cleaned for 3 weeks after the last hatch.

 

[hollymh]

I had to cull my only baby

... I want to thank everyone for thier support though and I know the lil baby is better of now, he was so sick

 

[MissPrissy]

It is never easy.

 

[MissPrissy]

I was thinking after you listed all the issues of the chick on the culling thread - it sounds to me like you had some humidity issues - all of those deformities can be related to improper humidity. The slow development would also lead me to suspect there is a temp issue. Medical thermometer are great but I would still caution you to get the digital one and don't depend on a wet bulb just yet.

 

[hollymh]

Quote:
I totally agree, in fact I know it was my humidity because I did break-outs on all the eggs and they looked like they were shrink wrapped inside the membrane. I also think the temp was a degree off like you said and that lead to the late development

I know it's my fault and it makes me feel awful, but I know we live and learn as well so I am trying to keep my head up and make sure I don't make the same mistake again. I am going today to get the new digi therm/hydro so I'm hoping that will help me alot in future hatches...

 

[MissPrissy]

Just keep trying. We all have to figure out what combo works best for us in our own differrent environments. Don't kick yourself too much. Better to have shrink wrapped chicks than to have an entire hatch you have cull because they hatched with serious issues.

That is one reason I advocate not helping chicks to hatch. It is often better that they go so I don't have to cull them.

 

[hollymh]

Most definetly, you don't have time to see them and get attached if they don't hatch! I think it will be okay now, bator is holding steady and I plan on adding water as soon as I get the digi Therm/hydro to see how the humidity holds.

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
Holly, do not feel bad. My last batch that I had shipped were the same way. My problem is my incubator keeps drying up the water and I cannot figure out what is going on.

If anyone has any ideas throw them at me. I am having to fill mine 2xs a day. I did check for the leaking and there is none and my temp is set between 99.5 and 100.

 

[Chicken Woman]

We all have good hatches and bad. I had 12 showgirl eggs all developing got 3 healthy chicks. Had 12 silkies 8 were clear and 0 hatched. 4 wellsummers and 1 hatched. All shipped eggs.

I had 8 local eggs all hatched.

My last hatch was 80 % so I am dissappointed but each hatch is different and I believe that where you live (humidity,elevation etc) has alot to do with it so we just have to find out what works best for us individually. The only way we can do that is to try different ways each time until we find what is best for our incubator and area.

IM very happy with my 3 showgirls

but of course I wish I had gotten more.