I am confused why shouldn't I open the cover?

[sara]

Quote:
It would be best to let it run a couple days to let the temperature come up, and make sure it is holding steady, especially since you have never used it before. You don't want to set yourself up to fail, especially with your first hatch. Stable temperature and humidity is very important to your success.

 

[speckledhen]

I do my vents the opposite way. I keep them closed till almost hatch day then begin opening them just a little to allow extra oxygen to get into the bator. Sometimes I'll remove a red plug then place it upside down partway across the opening. I never have trouble keeping the humidity up, but then, I dont live in the arid southwest, either. Too many hatches are lost from lack of ventilation when people are trying to keep the humidity up the last little part of the hatch.
It's hard to do a staggered hatch in one bator, that's true. It's why most of us who do them have a separate hatcher to move the Day 18-ers to.

 

[mmajw]

Quote:
Guess I should have thought of that sooner. I was just so addicted to those darn eggs.

Edited for: Well I rearranged the eggs and fixed it so I can see the gauges better. When I originally posted when starting this whole venture someone told me that they only turn their eggs the first few days then leave them alone until hatch. Do you think the other eggs that are not on the same day will be ok if left un-turned?

 

[PurpleChicken]

Some quick LG advice:

If you have the fan then the vent never gets touched.

At day 18 put some paper towels on the bottom tray and load the
base with water. Keeping up humidity is always a challenge.

As for adding eggs well yeah, you may have screwed up there. Sorry.
You can always run out and buy another bator as a hatcher. That's
how we ended up with 3 LGs.

I suggest you read through this post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=32402


Don't worry too much. You'll end up with some chicks.

 

[chickens4jojo]

I am also quite new to hatching. I just had 3 out of 16 eggs hatch. I broke apart the remaining eggs when I cleaned out the Bator this morning, I found that another 9 eggs developed wonderfully until right before they were supposed to absorb the yolk! :| What did I do wrong?? I even bought one of those new electronic styrofoam bators for incubating & a still air for hatching (both Hovabators.) I also see a lot of people who have a lot of different methods of hatching eggs: some use 50-55% humidity the first 18 days and 60% to 65% humidity. Then others say 60-65% humidity at first & then 70-75% humidity the last three days. (I tried the last method this time.

)
I really am happy with the three I have--just feel really badly about the others.
Any suggestions are very much appreciated as I really would love to learn how this all works so my next batch of eggs come out better.

Maybe its the SC weather that changes its mind so much around this time?! LOL

 

[Anne]

Quote:
Mine generally don't get off the nest for the last few days.

 

[VanSintjan]

Do you know anyone you can borrow a second bator from? Then you can lift over the eggs that are on day 18 to hatch in the other one. Your late eggs will need to be turned and they need lower humidity to have air in their air cells to breed the last days.

Have you candled the eggs so you know if you have chickens in them? If you have to choose between the first one you put in or the late ones I would candle the eggs to see where I have most chance. If not I would go for 65% percent humidity during the hatch and hope that it only take 24 hours. Then you can get humidity down again and turn the other eggs until day 19 even if the bator gets a bit messy.

Good luck.

 

[mmajw]

I may just go buy a 2nd bator today. Oh my DH will love that.

I could not candle the ones that are Day 18 today because they are blue/green and I couldnt see in them . The others I need to candle, they are brown and white.