Im a newbie to it all HELP!!

[ChickenCanoe]

 

[bwolfe]

IMHO, if there isn't an external pip (break in the shell), it's up to the embryo/chick. At day 22, it may mean the temperature was a bit low during the whole time. I wouldn't try to do anything special until you have more progress.

well I keep it at 99.5 and I used 2 thermometers one being the glass mercury style that comes with the incubator and a digital one that also tells me the humidity as well. But I guess maybe I need a 3rd one to check the glass one, because I know my digital one is a little off according to the glass one and my husbands laser temperature gun he uses to check the heat on tires and other semi parts. When the digital one says its 97 according to the glass thermometer it's 99.5 and the laser temp gun says 100. But maybe I should just get me a second glass thermometer and see What it says.

That and I am using a still air incubator so I probably do have it to low. I read it should be 102 in these. But my last batch I keep it at 102 or at least I tried to and out of about 10 eggs I had one survivor. I cried and cried over them poor babies, so this time I have tried to keep temp at 99.5 to 100 and I have 3 hatchlings and 4 that hasn't hatched but that as of yesterday they where still alive, so hopefully they will Pip today.

Let me ask could the fact that I'm incubating bantam eggs and regular sized eggs play a part in the temp or hatching rate. I have 2 bantams hatched and only one regular sized egg.

https://instagram.com/p/0BRFcqqGXI/

 

[bwolfe]

And thank you all sooooo much for the help,you don't know how much I appreciate it

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Egg size can affect the time it takes to hatch. It's best to incubate like size eggs together.
Generally speaking, early hatch indicates higher temp during incubation. Late hatch indicates lower temp.

I always had problems and the mercury one that came from an incubator company proved to be wrong.
I bought a brinsea spot check but didn't trust it because it was so far off from the others.
Then I bought a thermoworks fast read guaranteed to be accurate to ±0.9°F. It turns out it agreed exactly with the brinsea spot check so those are the only 2 I trust now.
The spot check is accurate to ±0.2°F.

Almost all other thermometers are supposed to be accurate to ±2°F which is too far off for incubating if it were true but I've found some off by as much as 5F.


http://thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html

https://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx

 

[bwolfe]

Egg size can affect the time it takes to hatch. It's best to incubate like size eggs together.
Generally speaking, early hatch indicates higher temp during incubation. Late hatch indicates lower temp.

I always had problems and the mercury one that came from an incubator company proved to be wrong.
I bought a brinsea spot check but didn't trust it because it was so far off from the others.
Then I bought a thermoworks fast read guaranteed to be accurate to ±0.9°F. It turns out it agreed exactly with the brinsea spot check so those are the only 2 I trust now.
The spot check is accurate to ±0.2°F.

Almost all other thermometers are supposed to be accurate to ±2°F which is too far off for incubating if it were true but I've found some off by as much as 5F.


http://thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html

https://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx

ok thanks so much I'll definitely get me one of each of these for future use.

 

[Widderpincess12]

I love this group!!! everyone is so helpful!!! ok so when is DAY 1?? I put my eggs in on Feb 22...and I calculated that this Thursday is my day 18 and stop turning and to do "lockdown"

you say not to open the bator on lockdown, so how do I keep the humidity up??? because mine seems to go down if I don't keep adding water....I have iot at 99.5 humidity is always about 40-55% no less no more. So just add 2 sponges and fill the water??? and let it be?

im so excited!!

 

[KelseyBoxer]

Day 1 for your hatch is the 23rd. Think of the day you set the eggs as day 0. The next full day is day 1. Your lock-down date is Thurs March 12. Your hatch date will be Sunday the 15th. Three full weeks or 21 days. You set on a sunday, they hatch on a sunday.! As far as humidity goes, I pushed a straw through the styrofoam wall and can add water to the wells without lifting the lid. I squirt it in with a turkey baster. Other people have used rubber tubing or aquarium tubing to get the water inside without wetting the eggs or lifting the lid. If the humidity needs to be higher (65-70%) you need to add a sponge or papertowels. Anything you can wet to get more surface area. The water droplets should form on the inside of your viewing windows. I hope this helps.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Kelsey's info is good.

When confused, just remember - if you set on a Sunday, they'll hatch on a Sunday.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

I think the short month of February messed up alot of people who are hatching, esp those who are new to it. There are so many things to worry about. Tomorrow is my hatch day. The eggs have been in lock down since Sunday, sweating it out under 70% humidity! I'm chirpping at them but no reponse yet. (that means no internal pips yet)

 

[Widderpincess12]

Thank you everyone...yeah Ok im excited I just moved my bator to my bedroom lmbo that way I can heart and be ready!! Is it possible for them to hatch between day 18-19 and 20? my little son he is 7 and he is just beside himself!! we candled lastnight and I took 2 eggs out that had nothing and cracked them open and I was right there was nada and they weren't fertile...but im so excited for my first hatch to hatch!! my son was so excited...we are going to put a H on his egg so he can watch his chick hatch...My oldest is 12 and he is having a bday party sunday at our house because I wont leave this weekend I told my hubby im staying home!! watching my eggies! I hope atleast half of my eggs hatch...all of them were moving lastnight....

when Do I set up my brooder??? and is my bathroom OK to put the tub in? and Shavings are those ok ? or hay? and I need baby chick feed??? what type of feed is best to start them on and what type of waterer???

how long do they stay in the brooder for???