I Feel Like I'm Going Crazy

[xomaybekatie]

I just locked down my second (the first had to be discarded at day 8 due to a huge prolonged temperature spike) batch of eggs and since day one, these chickies are all I can think about. I am constantly checking the temp and humidity. While I'm away at work for up to 12 hours a day, I call my mom to check on the #'s when she gets home. I really just want at least a few eggs to pip and hatch. I'm so nervous something is going to go wrong while I'm not home. I can't even sleep until my alarm at this point because checking the humidity and temp is on my mind so I get up an hour or so early to check. The numbers were pretty perfect this morning though. *knock on wood* I'm so ready for hatch days.

So my biggest issue is keeping the humidity in the right range. I have a forced air and It's either been going high (70s) or low (40-50s) and rarely stays in the middle (60s). I just tried placing a moist sham wow in there and that seems to be keeping it in the 60s. Any other tips? This is the incubator that I have. I can't really see the water wells at this point or get to them because I put a grippy lining along the bottom. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-pro-series-circulated-air-incubator


I would prefer to keep my humidity at the lower end of the acceptable lockdown range due to some eggs I have in there that are a few days late. I didn't read enough beforehand and added eggs after I placed the first few eggs. I won't be doing that again.

I have three different polish crosses in there. Polish X Red, Polish X Barred Rock, and Polish X Bantam Cochin. I'm so excited to see how these turn out if they hatch. I just need to make sure that happens.

Anyways, thanks in advance for your feedback. Happy Hatching!

 

[1muttsfan]

there are many others here who have had good success with the dry hatching method

http://paraguinparadise.netfirms.com/Dry Incubation.htm

 

[kuchchicks]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I check on my bator it seems like a thousand times a day. And when I am at work I call my kids and make them check it every half hour. I am sure I am driving everyone nuts!!! The only other time I was like this was when I myself was pregnant. I was a nervous wreck until I could feel the baby move. And then if the baby went more than an hour without moving I would be doing everything that I could to get it to move. Then the first year of course I was worried about SIDS.... Classic Momma Hen Syndrome!!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! Good luck. Let us know what happens.

 

[Drewnkat]

Oh yes, I can relate. I was freaking out the whole time with mine. To the point where I kept having dreams about them hatching at weird times (day 16!) or otherwise having bizarre and not-actually-possible complications.

Then I couldn't candle my green-shelled eggs because of course not. Too thick/dark to see anything.

Then my humidity and temp went nuts as soon as I took the turner out. I ended up putting two sponges in the incubator, inside little cups of water. That did the trick, we achieved even humidity between 65-75% all through hatch.

After all that, they all hatched. I was planning on getting maybe 6-8 chicks at the most. I had to go out and buy another brooder box to house them, because they will run out of room QUICK.

I wish you great success. Keep reminding yourself you have done your very best for these babies. The rest is up to them!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I just locked down my second (the first had to be discarded at day 8 due to a huge prolonged temperature spike) batch of eggs and since day one, these chickies are all I can think about. I am constantly checking the temp and humidity. While I'm away at work for up to 12 hours a day, I call my mom to check on the #'s when she gets home. I really just want at least a few eggs to pip and hatch. I'm so nervous something is going to go wrong while I'm not home. I can't even sleep until my alarm at this point because checking the humidity and temp is on my mind so I get up an hour or so early to check. The numbers were pretty perfect this morning though. *knock on wood* I'm so ready for hatch days.

So my biggest issue is keeping the humidity in the right range. I have a forced air and It's either been going high (70s) or low (40-50s) and rarely stays in the middle (60s). I just tried placing a moist sham wow in there and that seems to be keeping it in the 60s. Any other tips? This is the incubator that I have. I can't really see the water wells at this point or get to them because I put a grippy lining along the bottom. http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-pro-series-circulated-air-incubator


I would prefer to keep my humidity at the lower end of the acceptable lockdown range due to some eggs I have in there that are a few days late. I didn't read enough beforehand and added eggs after I placed the first few eggs. I won't be doing that again.

I have three different polish crosses in there. Polish X Red, Polish X Barred Rock, and Polish X Bantam Cochin. I'm so excited to see how these turn out if they hatch. I just need to make sure that happens.

Anyways, thanks in advance for your feedback. Happy Hatching!

Oh yes, I can relate. I was freaking out the whole time with mine. To the point where I kept having dreams about them hatching at weird times (day 16!) or otherwise having bizarre and not-actually-possible complications.

Then I couldn't candle my green-shelled eggs because of course not. Too thick/dark to see anything.

Then my humidity and temp went nuts as soon as I took the turner out. I ended up putting two sponges in the incubator, inside little cups of water. That did the trick, we achieved even humidity between 65-75% all through hatch.

After all that, they all hatched. I was planning on getting maybe 6-8 chicks at the most. I had to go out and buy another brooder box to house them, because they will run out of room QUICK.

I wish you great success. Keep reminding yourself you have done your very best for these babies. The rest is up to them!

It's funny that you started with that because I was going to ask her if she had been dreaming of eggs/hatching yet...lol I know I do...lol

I use sponges in my bator. It is highly effective, for me at least. I myself prefer the "dry" or low humidity incubation method:http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity and shoot for 75% at lockdown, (but I don't do staggered hatches). How far behind are the other eggs?

 

[Rowsdower]

lol Chicken dreams...I have had so many. Just this week I dreamed that I was collecting DOZENS of eggs from my Silkie coop each day, despite only having a few hens of laying age. One of my all time favorites was coming upon the scene of an apparent chicken truck overturn and trying to save as many chickens as i could not so comfortably fit into my car. I just kept going back for more and the chickens kept getting smaller and smaller. There were full grown birds that were Serama chick sized. I was putting them in the glove compartment, in my pockets, etc.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

lol Chicken dreams...I have had so many. Just this week I dreamed that I was collecting DOZENS of eggs from my Silkie coop each day, despite only having a few hens of laying age. One of my all time favorites was coming upon the scene of an apparent chicken truck overturn and trying to save as many chickens as i could not so comfortably fit into my car. I just kept going back for more and the chickens kept getting smaller and smaller. There were full grown birds that were Serama chick sized. I was putting them in the glove compartment, in my pockets, etc.

lol

Got to love those chicken dreams!!!

 

[xomaybekatie]

Haha no memorable chicken dreams YET! I'm having my mom call me as soon as she gets home to tell me the levels since I'll be in the office for another 6+ hours

. My humidity was 64% when I left the house. As far as my staggered hatches go- Some eggs were added a day after the first set and some were added 4 days after.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Haha no memorable chicken dreams YET! I'm having my mom call me as soon as she gets home to tell me the levels since I'll be in the office for another 6+ hours

. My humidity was 64% when I left the house. As far as my staggered hatches go- Some eggs were added a day after the first set and some were added 4 days after.

Oh you got a triple staggered. The ones added the day after is no biggie. lockdown a day early or late doesn't matter (as long as it's before they pip) the others at four days later would be the kink in the chain, but they are close enough that stopping turning them isn't an issue, just finding a decent humidity level that will work for both is. I'd run the low end (65%) and just be careful about opening the bator too much, if at all.

 

[RubyNala97]

It's funny that you started with that because I was going to ask her if she had been dreaming of eggs/hatching yet...lol I know I do...lol

I use sponges in my bator. It is highly effective, for me at least. I myself prefer the "dry" or low humidity incubation method:http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity     and shoot for 75% at lockdown, (but I don't do staggered hatches). How far behind are the other eggs?

Great article! Thank you. I've read about humidity before but I really like the way the author broke it down and explained it in a practice way.