Incubating Rhode Island Red Chicks

[LuminousWanderer]

43! Oh my. That would do it. Did you calibrate the thermometer you used? I know, I know, it can be off at one end and right at the other, but it gives a sort of baseline peace of mind if you have no other proof or idea that that one is correct either.

Yes, lower it, but I quite doubt they have hope if the temperature was truly that high or close to it. I accidentally ran at a temperature of 40.5C for my first hatch, and they did indeed all die, but mostly in the first five days. Interestingly enough some looked upon candling like they made it full term before dying but when eggtopsies were done they had little development, only dark fluid.

I don't know if the temperature reading is correct, and this may be adding more confusion to the issue that necessary because, remember, the interior environment will vary and that reading I took is a mere snapshot.

Am I right in saying that, given the choice, a lower-than-optimal temperature is preferable to slightly higher?

At the moment, my thinking is to leave things as they are. Having to constantly monitor the temperature is, for me, totally impracticable, so it's likely I will see this out and, if I have no hatchings, I will just buy the chicks.

 

[BantyChooks]

I don't know if the temperature reading is correct, and this may be adding more confusion to the issue that necessary because, remember, the interior environment will vary and that reading I took is a mere snapshot.

Am I right in saying that, given the choice, a lower-than-optimal temperature is preferable to slightly higher?

At the moment, my thinking is to leave things as they are. Having to constantly monitor the temperature is, for me, totally impracticable, so it's likely I will see this out and, if I have no hatchings, I will just buy the chicks.

Lower than optimal wouldn't hurt as much at this stage of the game, you are correct. Actually, I usually lower lockdown temperature to 36.6c. Yes, the incubator environment varies, but not quite that much. What type of digital thermometer? Probe, fully contained, or what? I'm not quite able to visualize it, my apologies.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Incubation's not easy to start out with.

 

[LuminousWanderer]

The thermometer is simply a probe of the type used in cooking. I don't have a medical thermometer to hand.

 

[BantyChooks]

The thermometer is simply a probe of the type used in cooking. I don't have a medical thermometer to hand.

Thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes, as well as candling at Days +7, +14 and +18, I also candled earlier today just before the Floating Test (which was also done today, Day +23, not yesterday as I mistakenly stated in my original post).

When I candled today, each egg looked pretty much the same: a large blackness along with a large air sac at the top of the egg. That would seem to me pretty normal, but I stress again that I am completely new to this.
That is OK, that is what you should see at this point.


One problem and downside with this model of incubator seems to be that there is no way of maintaining a high humidity without actually going through the drill of disconnecting it, opening the lid, taking the eggs out and pouring the water into the relevant trough, then putting the eggs back in, replacing the lid, and restoring power.
I believe the manufacturer is covering their butt by telling you to unplug it every time you open it so they don't get sued for burning or electrocuting someone. I never remove power when opening, regardless of what type of incubator. If it is built properly and the user isn't stupid, it isn't necessary.

I think the humidity was down by about Day +20, and today after I had completed my Floating Test and candling, I put some hot water in to restore humidity. Unfortunately that step would seem to be unavoidable.



I am a complete beginner, I don't have a flock, I bought these eggs online. This is partly the reason for my question (iii): I would be interested to know of testimonials from anybody on here confirming that use of these machines can lead to actual hatchings.
So the problem could easily be with the breeder flock. Late term failures can be a problem with breeder nutrition.
If it heats up and maintains temperature, it can hatch eggs.
This link will give you possible causes when you do your eggtopsy.
http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00008570/00001/3j


This is fair advice, however in reality I am not working in scientifically-controlled conditions and I suspect it would be near-impossible to achieve a reliable reading using a simple thermometer. Also, in fairness the machine itself does seem functional. My concern isn't that the machine doesn't work - it does - rather it's whether one can actually successfully hatch eggs using it.

Thank you for the welcome.

You're right that it is nearly impossible to achieve reliability using a regular thermometer.

Candling at Day +18 showed normal air sac sizes for chicken eggs, as per the diagram above, and the same when I candled today.

I have checked the incubator with a digital thermometer and the reading just now settled out at 43-degrees C (109.4 F), allowing for a 1-degree C margin of error either way. What, if anything, would you recommend? The incubator does allow manual re-setting, so my first thought would be to lower the temperature accordingly and re-check the temperature readings maybe three times daily from now on, but whether that will salvage the situation is anyone's guess.

I am not particularly interested in becoming a serious chicken breeder, so will probably pass on building my own incubator. If manual incubation doesn't work for me, my next move will be simply to buy live chicks and take it from there.

That temperature for any length of time would kill the embryos.
The following link give the results of various research studies as to the effects of temperature on the embryo.
http://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx
There are 2 thermometers I recommend that don't cost a great deal but are extremely accurate.
The Brinsea Spot Check http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
And this pocket thermometer from Thermoworks.
https://www.thermoworks.com/RT301WA

I know you just would like to know what happened, how to proceed, and don't desire to be a serious breeder. I have to echo what @BantyChooks said. You don't have to build your own or buy an expensive incubator. What we are saying is if you have something that provides heat that is controllable in a tight range of actual temperature and a reasonable humidity, you can successfully hatch in it.

 

[LuminousWanderer]

I lowered the temperature per the digital indicator earlier and left it for several hours, but when I then inserted the probe thermometer, that showed 43/44-degrees C still. I conclude from this that I will have to rely on the incubator temperature reading. There is simply no way of reliably measuring the temperature.

I'll probably just buy some chicks now.

 

[LuminousWanderer]

You're right that it is nearly impossible to achieve reliability using a regular thermometer.

That temperature for any length of time would kill the embryos.
The following link give the results of various research studies as to the effects of temperature on the embryo.
http://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx
There are 2 thermometers I recommend that don't cost a great deal but are extremely accurate.
The Brinsea Spot Check http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
And this pocket thermometer from Thermoworks.
https://www.thermoworks.com/RT301WA

I know you just would like to know what happened, how to proceed, and don't desire to be a serious breeder. I have to echo what @BantyChooks said. You don't have to build your own or buy an expensive incubator. What we are saying is if you have something that provides heat that is controllable in a tight range of actual temperature and a reasonable humidity, you can successfully hatch in it.

I just want to keep chickens. I'm not interested in messing around like this. I'll just buy some.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good luck with your future chickens.

 

[LuminousWanderer]

I just want to say, thank you very much for the responses, especially from ChickenCanoe and BantyChooks, but really from everyone who has added some insight on this thread.

It is rare to encounter a forum in which people are so courteous, patient and knowledgeable - often, those qualities don't sit together, but here they do. This is a good forum.

 

[BantyChooks]

I just want to say, thank you very much for the responses, especially from ChickenCanoe and BantyChooks, but really from everyone who has added some insight on this thread.

It is rare to encounter a forum in which people are so courteous, patient and knowledgeable - often, those qualities don't sit together, but here they do. This is a good forum.

I'm glad you've had a good experience. I hope you stick around and let us know how acquiring chicks goes.