Incubating and hatching eggs chat thread!!

[Butterflygirl50]

I have two farm innovators and one hovabator. I've also got the stuff to build a cabinet incubator that will hold 480 chicken eggs. Its on my "To DO" LIST that never seems to end!

 

[Butterflygirl50]

I just bought the Farm Innovator for my first hatch of Silkie, Sizzle, Frizzle, Bantam Cochin eggs.
It had the automatic egg turner and it's a circulated air model.

My incubation will start Wednesday. What should my humidity be four bantam eggs in a circulated air incubator? I read posts that say 35 to posts that say 50.

What should

 

[ChcknNurse]

I just bought the Farm Innovator for my first hatch of Silkie, Sizzle, Frizzle, Bantam Cochin eggs.
It had the automatic egg turner and it's a circulated air model.

My incubation will start Wednesday. What should my humidity be four bantam eggs in a circulated air incubator? I read posts that say 35 to posts that say 50.

What should

Everyone may start with something different in the lower range. The important part is that you trace your air cells at start (couldn't find them on one set, so I waited a couple days). Then after day 7 (at the latest), trace the new air cells. There should be good growth, but not excessive. There are air cell growth charts all over here. Generally, they are traced day 0,7,15,18 (before lockdown).

As an example, my first eggs, I was able to go with the dry hatch method (at least 30%). Air cells were perfect and all but 1 hatched. That worked very well in that location with those eggs. Lately, I've had to aim for more in the range of 40-45%, to allow slower loss, including dark eggs. Though there are some outliers.

I have a second incubator, so I put the ones requiring lower humidity into that one, until there is a lockdown.

 

[timon]

I just bought the Farm Innovator for my first hatch of Silkie, Sizzle, Frizzle, Bantam Cochin eggs.
It had the automatic egg turner and it's a circulated air model.

My incubation will start Wednesday. What should my humidity be four bantam eggs in a circulated air incubator? I read posts that say 35 to posts that say 50.

What should

What an amazing brood that will be !!!

I've always been told 50% humidity. For the first 2 weeks, then 65% for lockdown.
I'm on day 3 of my first incubation though.... so still v.new myself.

 

[ChcknNurse]

What an amazing brood that will be !!!

I've always been told 50% humidity. For the first 2 weeks, then 65% for lockdown.
I'm on day 3 of my first incubation though.... so still v.new myself.

Air cell growth is the most important. If you have sufficient air cell growth, you are good to go. If not, chicks Won't survive to hatch, unfortunately. The same can happen with excessive loss. I recall reading somewhere that in the beginning, moisture is drawn from the albumin, later it will be drawn from the chick (which isn't ideal).

(The last part, I'm pulling this from memory, so if anyone has better information or correction, feel free.)

I also weigh eggs from arrival and at days 7,15 days. I aim for 13-15% loss. However, this can make me a bit overzealous so I curb this sometimes. If air cells look good, I might hold back.

 

[Chevalia's feathered farm]

I bought 10 White call ducks eggs of Ebay and 5 were infertile 4 didn't make it ( I don't know what happened they just didn't hatch ) and then the last one hatched and died 4 days later. It was so hard to see that, I have been trying to get white calls ducks for a while now and thought hey I would get some eggs off Ebay. Not doing that again...........It was so sad, I have hatched Call duck eggs before and all have turned out great every time but these ones of Ebay were not so good.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi all, hoping you can help. I have a Brinsea mini Advance and I'm incubating my first clutch. I'm setting up the temp, and I have 2 thermometers inside. The Brinsea is showing 38.6, the thermometers are showing lower. Which temperature do I believe?

agree with Jessimom. Google how to test your meters. Lots of different ways, depending on the style you have.

In the past, my first 2 Brinseas were spot on, any calibrated thermo I put in, matched. So, I trusted them. But my 3rd, is off by 3 full degrees (F). So, you should calibrate the extra thermo - if it is calibrated, then the Brinsea is off. But, Brinsea prides itself on their calibrated machines.

Again, your best bet would be calibrating your thermo....

Good luck!

i have 2 Octagons, and one is 1.2 degrees low, so i have to set it high.

I have 2 Brinsea Octagon. But, when I got my mini, the temp said 104. So, no, it may not be that simple. My first 2 were perfect, 3rd was a bust. I'm hoping you are running the other 2. If you are, confirm the temps in those with the thermometers. Then you have the confirmation. But, if you have the option, the Brinsea Spot Check thermometer is the best double check. I can always be confident.

Everyone may start with something different in the lower range. The important part is that you trace your air cells at start (couldn't find them on one set, so I waited a couple days). Then after day 7 (at the latest), trace the new air cells. There should be good growth, but not excessive. There are air cell growth charts all over here. Generally, they are traced day 0,7,15,18 (before lockdown).

As an example, my first eggs, I was able to go with the dry hatch method (at least 30%). Air cells were perfect and all but 1 hatched. That worked very well in that location with those eggs. Lately, I've had to aim for more in the range of 40-45%, to allow slower loss, including dark eggs. Though there are some outliers.

I have a second incubator, so I put the ones requiring lower humidity into that one, until there is a lockdown.

x2 on watching air cells. different numbers work for different people.

What an amazing brood that will be !!!

I've always been told 50% humidity. For the first 2 weeks, then 65% for lockdown.
I'm on day 3 of my first incubation though.... so still v.new myself.

50% is usually high for most folks here, but could work if you live in a very dry location, or higher altitude. Again, watching air cells is the best gage in my opinion. I start with no water, and usually go all the way to day 18 without any, unless the air cells tell me to add a camp sponge along the way.

 

[WVduckchick]

I bought 10 White call ducks eggs of Ebay and 5 were infertile 4 didn't make it ( I don't know what happened they just didn't hatch ) and then the last one hatched and died 4 days later. It was so hard to see that, I have been trying to get white calls ducks for a while now and thought hey I would get some eggs off Ebay. Not doing that again...........It was so sad, I have hatched Call duck eggs before and all have turned out great every time but these ones of Ebay were not so good.

so sorry! Calls are a challenge, shipping makes them moreso.

 

[ChcknNurse]

I bought 10 White call ducks eggs of Ebay and 5 were infertile 4 didn't make it ( I don't know what happened they just didn't hatch ) and then the last one hatched and died 4 days later. It was so hard to see that, I have been trying to get white calls ducks for a while now and thought hey I would get some eggs off Ebay. Not doing that again...........It was so sad, I have hatched Call duck eggs before and all have turned out great every time but these ones of Ebay were not so good.

I'm so sorry.

 

[chicklette49]

We all make mistakes, but we learn from them. I had my humidity way too high last time I used my incubator. Only 3 eggs hatched, and in researching what I did wrong, it's a wonder those 3 made it. But now I know how to correct my mistakes and next time I'm hoping for better results.

Update: It's now been another week....the first chick is 15 days old and doing very well. Chick 2 hatched today and the first time I saw it; it was still wet but breathing; 45 min later it was dead. There are still 7 eggs under Big Bird and she is committed. Big Bird seems okay thus far but I worry about her sitting for so long. Thoughts??????