I'm having the worst luck! :(

[newchickenfamily]

I'm really struggling with my hatch rate in my GQF Hovabator 1588 w/ auto turner.

I have a digital humidity/temp thingy and my temp and humidity stay steady throughout. I've been following the directions on the sticky thread here. For example on Day 19 I had 6 viable looking eggs with visible movement, good air sacs, etc... Then I have only 1 out of 6 hatch.

Not sure what is going wrong.

ETA: these are all shipped eggs.

Anyway, just venting my frustration here....

 

[Mahonri]

Welcome to my world.

I've used my 1588 twice.

Put in 41 eggs both times

Got 12 chicks both times... most of which were pullets.

Most of the time at Lock down I only had 24-30 eggs remaining and over half quit and died between day 18 and day 21. I think my temps were too high the second time and that my humidity at hatch was too high the first time.

this time I'm doing a dry hatch and i'm going to try and keep the humidity between 55% and 65% at hatch.

We'll see how I do.

Started with 41 + in he Hovabator... down to 31 after day 10 I hope I get more than 12 chicks out of there this time.

My insurance policy for chicks are the 23 I have in my new Brinsea Octogon Advance Ex

 

[newchickenfamily]

Thanks Mahonri...I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I may have to invest in a better incubator.

 

[mulia24]

well, i think even a polystyrene box can make a great bator as long as the thermohygro is a reliable one, one thing to remember is not the price or brand of a bator that can guarantee the result of incubating but the condition (temp,humid,turn and egg quality) decided the result but well, *usually* more expensive *device* guarantee better quality.

i use polystyrene and got 30% rate with egg traveled 2 hours journey and everyday power outages.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Are you letting shipped eggs rest for at LEAST 12 hours before setting so the yolks settle down? It could be shipping, it's extremely hard on eggs. Sorry you are having so much trouble. Shipped eggs are WAYYY lower hatch rate in the first place, just due to shaking and random mishandling.

 

[Ckn woman]

I got a hovabator for christmas and we have 10 out of 11 eggs to hatch, but they were from our own flock and not shipped. I am so sorry you are having so much trouble. I wish you lots of luck the next time around

 

[halo]

I have had great luck with my 1588. I dont hatch in it, but if I did, Im sure Id be fine. I actually hatch in a 1602, which is a lower quality Hova. If you are having problems hatching, and they are developing, your temp or humidity, or both, are off. If I had to just guess, Id say you're humidity is probably too high. That seems the most common problem in hatching. The 1588 is a great incubator.

 

[hinkjc]

I would recommend practicing hatching in your bator on eggs that have not been shipped. This will tell you reliability of your bator and if your settings are correct. Shipped eggs are a gamble, so that could very well be your only problem but you won't know until you confirm it with home hatched eggs.

I average 96-100% hatches in my Hovabators on home hatched eggs.

 

[magikchick]

Shipped eggs are touchy. Your lucky to get a 50% hatch at best. I had 17 that only hatched 2. Just threw out a whole dozen none were any good. On my own eggs I get 90% to a 100% hatch. I use a hoverbator with a fan no turner. The best I ever got was 50% on shipped most times I'm happy to hatch any at all.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Morning Halo. I haven't incubated any eggs yet...still waiting to get coop, etc., built. When I saw you mention that you incubate in the 1588 and hatch in the 1602 it caught my attention being as this is exactly what I intend to do.

Do you do anything to prep the 1602 other than letting it run for a couple of days prior to moving the eggs into it? Water bottles for heat sinks maybe? Take out all the vent plugs? ????

My apologies to the OP, I'm not intending to hijack the thread but I saw the incubator combination and was curious about it.

Thanks all, and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Ed