Incubators Anonymous

[Tuhmu]

So just finished up with another batch, only got 3 chicks out of 7 eggs. My temperature is exact, I have 4 thermometers that are all calibrated and say the same thing. My humidity is 20-35% and 60-70 during lockdown but the remaining chicks were all dead in their shells...though they were all internally pipped. Do I maybe have humidity too low? Seemed like it was right judging by the weights and air cells. My last batch was the same thing.....not sure what's going on.

 

[Tuhmu]

Just got done candling 24 light sussex and Rhode Island reds, only 4 developing. I honestly think it has something to do with my Coolerbator, not sure what it is though I've reviewed everything about it countless times, same thing with hatching/incubating guides.......I hVe only been doing shipped eggs though I may have to set a dozen of my own and see what I get.

 

[ccr chickens]

Do I turn off the fan in my incubator during lockdown??

 

[Pooman]

No, just dont open it until they are fluffy

 

[sonderah]

I have a tray going in the hatcher today so set it up, re cleaned it and turned it on a few days ago. This is my 1st batch out of the new cabinet coolerbator we built. So I am going to be using my Hovabator genesis 1588 as a hatcher now. I was so excited because its been AMAZING at holding temps & humidity for months as an incubator, & the lg I WAS using as a hatcher was a 3 day struggle every time. Now my Genesis is ALL OVER THE PLACE! Temps jumping to 104, humidity dropping to 23!!!!! GRRRRR!!

 

[Dawnrenae]

Day 21. 15 internal pips. 1 external from a goss!

Super jazzed. I couldn't believe when I candled on lockdown, and every single babe was alive and kicking.

Can't wait to see what happens...

 

[luvmypets]

 

[CashandTracy]

My last hatch went quite well! I set 18 eggs and hatched 14.

Of the 4 that didn't make it to lockdown, 2 were not fertile the other 2 died. I tickled pink that I got all 14 that went into lockdown to hatch. We had to assist 3 of those, they were severely shrink wrapped. The membrane was dried to them and they were unable to move. I struggled to get my humidity up to 70%.

Now I just need to figure out why I'm having issues with splayed legs.

 

[Pooman]

Ive read the splayed legs are from slippery surfaces in the hatching area and brooder. I use one of those anti slip mats that you get for your car or chopping boards etc. theybare cheap,so chuck it away after each hatch they get a bit dirty and seem a little porous.

It might be something else though, nutrition of the parents, genetics passed on. Who knows.

 

[ladycat]

We had to assist 3 of those, they were severely shrink wrapped. The membrane was dried to them and they were unable to move.

I've discovered an easy fix for shrink wrapped chicks. I wrap a warm sopping wet paper towel completely around the egg except I keep a hole open around the pip hole so they can breathe. In a very short while the membrane is moist and pliable again and they have no trouble hatching out. Or rather, they have no trouble if you do that quick enough after catching the problem. If they've been struggling for two days already, they are too weak to get out of the egg.