Incubators Anonymous

[silkiefive]

Quote: Hi Bazy, yes I know, I just had to open the lid for a little while on day 19 as HR started decreasing and when it was 60% I placed a wet sponge inside, but it took less than 2 seconds, do you think could affect? About the pattern, thats a possibility I thought of this time and every egg has a number and I have recorded the location on the tray, but the problem is that when I removed the tray for hatching I didn t keep the pattern...

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

Ordering eggs is a crap shoot. I have hatched exactly 4 chicks out of 56 eggs in 4 separate batches. And 2 of those were the wrong kind. Barred rocks instead of whites. My problem was allowing myself the opportunity to let me pay shipping on replacement eggs. They didn't change their way of packaging like I suggested. Definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.

Learned my lesson. Only reputable sellers that know how to ship. Bubble wrap and two boxes. I ordered two separate batches of Sapphires, the super blue egg layers, from DMRippy and got great hatches.

Well, these weren't shipped. The lady I got them from is very kind. If there was some sort of mix up, I'm sure she will be good with it.

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
Take a look at your diagram with the numbered eggs in the turner and compare to who pipped and/or hatched. You're looking for a pattern of possibly certain locations in the incubator that hatched vs. other locations that didn't. . Did you open the unhatched eggs to see approximately when they died? If so, what was the condition of the chicks? Were they large, small, excessively wet? Yolk sacks absorbed or not? Don't feel bad if you didn't open them. It's hard to do. But you can take your findings and figure out why your incubation is not successful. As for opening, My feeling is (and that's all it is..my feeling no scientific reason) that if you open the incubator, it doesn't matter how long it was for, what matters is how quickly and severely the humidity dropped and how long it takes it to recover. I don't ever open if there are pips present. This is what I would do. I would finish up this hatch, and sterilize the incubator. Set it to temp and put three or four thermometers in various places to measure the temps all over to discover if it's heating evenly and get it stable for four or five DAYS. THEN I would lock it down. Do whatever is necessary to give you as much external control over the humidity as possible. Sponges, paper towels, jars with sponges..whatever you lkie...I use bendy straws through ventilation holes to add water to my various 'humidity stations'. If the humidity drops due to the weather or whatnot, I have a backup sponge or two to add water to to accommodate. DO all this and practice manipulating the humidity. THEN. go pick up some barnyard mix eggs for a buck apiece and hatch some chicks you can give away for free. If the eggs are not valuable to you, you will relax a little, and build your confidence. You obviously have the desire to succeed at this!! I think you can do it!

 

[KendyF]

Ordering eggs is a crap shoot.  I have hatched exactly 4 chicks out of 56 eggs in 4 separate batches.  And 2 of those were the wrong kind.  Barred rocks instead of whites.  My problem was allowing myself the opportunity to let me pay shipping on replacement eggs.  They didn't change their way of packaging like I suggested.  Definition of insanity:  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.     Learned my lesson.  Only reputable sellers that know how to ship.  Bubble wrap and two boxes.    I ordered two separate batches of Sapphires, the super blue egg layers, from DMRippy and got great hatches.    

there are other great shipping methods. I am not a huge fan of bubble wrap. I find the eggs sometimes sweat. If they do bubble wrap which allows the egg to breath. They do better. Iam keeping records on my shipped eggs. I personally have not done well with overwrapped bubble wrap

 

[silkiefive]

Quote: Ok I will look for patterns when I turn off this time and test the temperature and hr as you advise.

Yes I have opened the eggs in the previous attempts and based on images I googled my guess is most of them (say 70%) died between 18 and 21st day, and by checking my notes posted here a couple of persons agreed that hr was too high and now I know they are right, so I believe they drowned, I will open unhatched eggs this time too and will try to be a little more carefully with my notes and observations.

You are right about humidity drop, I remember that it was more than 10% and it took about 15 to 20 minutes to recover I think, but by that time there were no pips, now I have a new concern, as I mentioned before one chick will be 48 hrs this afternoon and my wife just called and told me that 2 more just hatched, and 2 more seem to be piping, how will I take the old one out without killing the ones piping?

 

[ladycat]

there are other great shipping methods. I am not a huge fan of bubble wrap. I find the eggs sometimes sweat. If they do bubble wrap which allows the egg to breath. They do better. Iam keeping records on my shipped eggs. I personally have not done well with overwrapped bubble wrap

I wrap the eggs in newspaper first, and then I wrap bubble wrap around them but I keep the ends of the bubble wrap open. That way they can breathe.

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
DON"T open...First that chick will be ok for three days with no food or water. Second, here's the flip side to chicken math. You take him out, and six pips might die being shrink wrapped due to the drop in humidity. There you have it. Just leave him in there! Edited to say I didn't at all mean for that to sound so rude! I was in a hurry... I am supposed to be working!

 

[silkiefive]

Quote: Ok then I will wait 72 hours from first hatch to open the bator, its gonna be a long long time

, I suposse as a newbie being so eager is natural, really appreciate your advice to keep me from being rash and make a big mistake.
Thanks

 

[Bazy]

Quote:
The most valuable advice I have been given from these forums is 'don't worry too much, or think about it too hard' You are doing fantastic! Oh!! and congratulations on the THREE new chicks (almost FIVE new chicks!!!) YAY!

 

[TeaChick]

LOL...love the out look