I don't know what i am doing wrong with incubating!

[Thatcher97]

Hello,
If you are reading this and help me out... Thank you! I am most grateful!

I purchased chickens and a rooster about a few months ago, And i decided to try to hatch them. What brought me to purchase the little giant incubator and egg turner. i put my first batch of eggs in and at day 26 i decided to crack them open, when i cracked the eggs open i had 3 of the six eggs had no formation... the other three looked about 16-18 days old but did not make it and it was Honorable to look at the dead baby chicks. After that i put my second batch in and day 28 of waiting i cracked them open and one was very developed and i decided to take a picture in case it would help me trouble shoot my incubating problem. (if it will help to see the picture of the chick, message me please and i will find a way to send you the picture). My incubator is usually staying at 99-100 Degrees and 45% humidity. Is there a certain time of incubation period i have to raise or lower the humidity? What are other factors? Also are there any other things i can do? It is just horrible seeing a dead chick and i want to prevent it.

Thank you, If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!

 

[bigred7469]

Hello,
If you are reading this and help me out... Thank you! I am most grateful!

I purchased chickens and a rooster about a few months ago, And i decided to try to hatch them. What brought me to purchase the little giant incubator and egg turner. i put my first batch of eggs in and at day 26 i decided to crack them open, when i cracked the eggs open i had 3 of the six eggs had no formation... the other three looked about 16-18 days old but did not make it and it was Honorable to look at the dead baby chicks. After that i put my second batch in and day 28 of waiting i cracked them open and one was very developed and i decided to take a picture in case it would help me trouble shoot my incubating problem. (if it will help to see the picture of the chick, message me please and i will find a way to send you the picture). My incubator is usually staying at 99-100 Degrees and 45% humidity. Is there a certain time of incubation period i have to raise or lower the humidity? What are other factors? Also are there any other things i can do? It is just horrible seeing a dead chick and i want to prevent it.

Thank you, If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!

Did you raise the humidity and stop turning your eggs at day 18?

 

[flappinhappy]

So sorry to hear this ..nothing sadder than waiting so long without a hatch

I haven't been hatching very long but found some great advise on here and several other sites on the web..
I have the same incubator and keep the humidity at 50% until the 18th day when they come off of the turner and are candled, after that I raise the humidity up to 65-68% until they hatch. I have had pretty good success with this.
I hope you don't stop trying as there is nothing sweeter than the tiny (or not so tiny) peep of a newly hatched chick.

 

[Thatcher97]

I stopped turning them, but i did not raise the humidity, what does it have to be at?

 

[bigred7469]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken

 

[ChickSter99]

I have an LG bator also. I've found that the slightest tweak in touching the temp control will send the temps out of control. What are you hatching? I've only hatched chickens and use 50% humidity with99-100% temps. I have a turner that turns the eggs and I stop turning at day 18. My hatches usually hatch around day 20. My hatches with the LG have not been as good as they are with the havo bator pre-set, but they are still 75-80% with the LG. I would definitely recommend getting a hygrometer/thermometer if you don't have one. Maybe someone with a lot more knowledge will come along and give you some more help. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here. I couldn't have hatched so successfully without this site and all the great advice. I still use it raising the ones I hatched.

 

[ChickSter99]

I have an LG bator also. I've found that the slightest tweak in touching the temp control will send the temps out of control. What are you hatching? I've only hatched chickens and use 50% humidity with99-100% temps. I have a turner that turns the eggs and I stop turning at day 18. My hatches usually hatch around day 20. My hatches with the LG have not been as good as they are with the havo bator pre-set, but they are still 75-80% with the LG. I would definitely recommend getting a hygrometer/thermometer if you don't have one. Maybe someone with a lot more knowledge will come along and give you some more help. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here. I couldn't have hatched so successfully without this site and all the great advice. I still use it raising the ones I hatched.

I do raise the humidity at day 18 to 70%. I forgot to add that very important detail.

 

[Thatcher97]

from what it seems my issue is i did not take the humidity up when they were at day 18, I will try that... Wish me luck!
Thanks.

 

[ChickSter99]

 from what it seems my issue is i did not take the humidity up when they were at day 18, I will try that... Wish me luck!
Thanks.

I fill up the tray at the bottom then add wet sponges. I also use food coloring in my water to help judge how much water I need to add. It will turn the bottom colors. I also use a flexible hose like for an aquarium & a turkey baster. I put the hose through the vent holes to the sponge or tray & filled the baster with water then connected the baster to hose. That way I don't have to open the lid and risk lowering the temp/ humidity. Someone on here shared that wonderful tip with me.

 

[phoenix912]

I also have a LG but no Turner. Do you have a fan installed? The temps are different with a fan then without. I leave my humidity between 30 to 40 day 1-18. Late day 18 I raise it to at least 65. Mine hatch day 20 thru 22. You also might want to calibrate you're thermometer.