Incubating Shipped Eggs

[Saris]

Okay, you should get a few extra thermometers to check for Hotspot and one should go on top of the eggs when you put them in.

 

[Hawk12]

Ok,I will do that. I also ordered a spot check thermometer from Brisnea but it isn't here yet.

 

[Saris]

Awesome!

 

[beetandsteet]

I need more advice. I started up my incubator this morning to monitor it before the eggs get here. I have the thermometer in the corner and it has been holding steady at 100 degrees. Do I turn up the temp or leave it due to the fact that the thermometer is a little farther away from the center? Also, I haven't added any water yet and the humidity is at 37%. Do I add a little water or leave it dry?

I usually incubate completely dry until lockdown--which means less than 40% humidity. In a still air, any time you add water, the temp has a tendency to drop. You may want to adjust your temp up just a tad bit to get it to 102 degrees. Also, the spot check thermometer is a fantastic idea.

 

[kuchchicks]

Lots of good advice throughout this post. You definitely want multiple thermometers that you have checked against each other and confirmed that they are correct. You are not going to get any two thermometers to read the exact same. I have 2 digitals plus the one on my bator (but you should never go with the one on the bator alone as they are usually wrong). There are posts in BYC that will tell you how to confirm they are correct.

Humidity is something that I have really changed my mind on. I use to run higher - 45%-55% when I first started. My hatches historically were low - only about 30%. I too now run "dry" during my first 17 days. BUT I do add water if my humidity falls below 30%. Then when I am in lock down I raise it 75%. I do open my bator as the chicks hatch so they do not roll my other eggs around. By keeping my humidity that high I do not have to worry about it falling or shrink wrapping chicks. You are going to have to find what works for you. The best indicator of humidity and whether you have it set right are your air cells. That is why you candle on day 7 and 14. By day 18 you hope that everything is where it needs to be because you do not want small/overly large air cells to be you issue at that point.

I have never heard of not turning eggs during the first 4 days. I have always let my shipped eggs sit for 24 hours to allow them to rest and then I immediately start turning them. Shipped eggs in general have a tougher time. But you can still get a good hatch rate with them.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Hawk12]

Great advice. I checked my humidity last night and it was down to 20%. I added some water and I will check it this morning. I tested my thermometer against 2 others and feel good about its accuracy. I did however buy a second one for it yesterday. I put it in last night as well so I need to check it too. Eggs shipped yesterday so they should be here soon The recommendation about letting them sit is only for shipped eggs, I guess it helps the air cell attach better. What do you think? I've never done that before either.

 

[Hawk12]

I checked this morning and humidity was at 29% and temp was at 100 degrees on 1 thermometer and 98 on the other. I adjusted the knob and will check again when I get home from work.

 

[kuchchicks]

I always let my eggs settle. Even if I go pick them up somewhere. What I had never heard/never done before was not turning for first 4 days. That would make me nervous. Turning is for good development and to avoid anything "sticking " so to speak. I'm not sure what the point of not turning the first 4 days would be. Maybe someone with more experience with shipped eggs could chime in. I usually use my own eggs or locally picked up.

 

[Hawk12]

It has something to do with detached air cells. Many times the air cell will become detached during shipping and it is important that it reattached itself. Letting the eggs sit for 24 hours before putting them in the incubator helps but letting them sit a few days longer in the incubator helps even more I guess. I personally haven't tried this and I also question it. On the other hand I have incubated shipped eggs twice in the past and lost both hatches. The babies made it all the way to day 21 and then died If I can't get this batch to hatch, I probably won't try shipped eggs again until I upgrade my incubator. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong in the past and what I could do differently this time. I really appreciate your feedback, if there is anything else you can add, please do

 

[Saris]

It has something to do with detached air cells. Many times the air cell will become detached during shipping and it is important that it reattached itself. Letting the eggs sit for 24 hours before putting them in the incubator helps but letting them sit a few days longer in the incubator helps even more I guess. I personally haven't tried this and I also question it. On the other hand I have incubated shipped eggs twice in the past and lost both hatches. The babies made it all the way to day 21 and then died If I can't get this batch to hatch, I probably won't try shipped eggs again until I upgrade my incubator. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong in the past and what I could do differently this time. I really appreciate your feedback, if there is anything else you can add, please do

Are you getting your shipped eggs from the same seller everytime? And are you doing eggtopsies? Are most dying in the shell with an internal pip? Or with no pips? Or external pips?