Incubation Question. Please help!

[raisinghales]

We're new to hatching our own eggs and are attempting to hatch only 2 to start with. We have a home made incubator that our grandfather originally built to hatch emu eggs. We are unable to get the temperature above 105 degrees and the humidity stays on average at 25%. Is this a lost cause for hatching our eggs or do we need to just give them more time to hatch? Please help. Thank you!

 

[Nikkumz]

You dont want the temperature anywhere near 105, it needs to be around 100, preferably 99.5...
I used two mason jar lids full of water. Humidity is measured by the syrface water not the depth of the water

 

[ajacskr]

What kinda eggs are you trying to hatch?

Most eggs hatch at 99.5

 

[raisinghales]

One is a rhode island cross and the other I'm honestly not sure what kind it will be. The mama was a cross breed and the roo is a little bantam.

Our temp stays right at 100 degrees, but our main concern is the humidity. With it being so low will that affect our being able to hatch these babies? (If they're even viable that is...)

 

[miss_thenorth]

Chicken eggs? Temp should be 99.5 F. Humidity should be around 40-50% for the first 17 days, then increased to 65%.

 

[ajacskr]

Are the eggs already in there?

If so how long did you try to get the temp that high?

If you managed to get the temp to 105 for very long it probaly destroyed the eggs if they were in there.

 

[raisinghales]

The eggs weren't in there with the temp that high, that was when we were first getting acquainted with the incubator trying to figure out how it worked. It's probably 20 years old and designed specifically for emus. We're trying to figure out how to get it to work properly with chicken eggs. We know what the readings are supposed to be, it's getting the humitidy up we're having the problem with.

 

[ajacskr]

Does the incubator have vent holes. If so, you could plug them or cover them with tape.

You could try adding wet sponges, a water pan in the bottom.

Since I hate to open during lock down, I have some plastic bowls that I use.

I took a net bag (from oranges) and cut a piece and duct tapped it over the top , will with water and have a long lasting humidity supply.

Sorry did not mean that you did not know the proper settings, just misunderstood from the OP.

 

[raisinghales]

No, I'm sorry. I should have been more clear in my OP.

Unfortunately we've tried all those suggestions. Taping over vent holes, pans and sponges full of water, TRYING not to open the door during lockdown. I'm afraid I have a lost cause

Hubby is already talking about purchasing a NEW incubator from TSC to try next go round, which will be awhile unfortunately. Our 2 layers were killed by a chicken hawk a couple of weeks ago and we just got new babies in this past weekend so it will be awhile before we get any new eggs.

 

[Higins00]

just put water on the bottom. If they start piping day 21 and can't get out 24 hours later then I would crack the eggs. Just make a hole in the fat end and expose the beak at first so it can get air. Keep it moist with dabbing it with warm water with your finger. Do what makes sence to you.