When I set up the incubator as a hatcher I set it up the week before so I could figure it out with the humidity. I did try containers of water and it would never get above 40% humidity. I then tried sponges with the containers of water and still would not go past 50%. That's when I got the idea to "take down" the inside water well walls and use coffee lids. They are shallow and have a decent ammount of water surface. Even after putting all 3 and filling those it still would not go past 55% so along with that I was using 2 small metal cat bowls filled with sponges and that seemed to get it up. This hatch because it seemed so high in humidity and I had more eggs than befor I did not have the room for the 2 bowls so I took one out but put in a wet sponge on the wire mesh floor it seemed to work, for humidity. BUT there were 2 chicks who zipped then for some reason got stuck to their shells and sacs because they did not hatch fast enough, I am assuming this is what everyone calls shrinkwrapping? My husband says that he thinks the humidity isn't registering properly and he wants to get a "wet bulb" humidity tester. In the begining I was haveing serious issues with too high humidity, I was so affraid of the "shrinkwrapping" I over did it. There is some room next to the coffee lids I can just redrill the holes. I want to also put the whole incubator on blocks to try and let more air flow in. The feet don't let it sit very high. I so wish I had caught this sooner but at least I caught it now and hopefully it will help, again thank you so much.
Originally Posted by ozexpat
I don't put any water in any of the incubators anymore except the hatcher. I was for the first few batches but then someone said maybe my problem with my Marans eggs was too high humidity during incubation becasue they need it dryer. So now I don't add any water, which has helped. My Marans have decent hatch rates now. The humidity stays around 16-20% I have not used local eggs yet but have hatched just a few of my own. But it is hard to test something with only a few eggs though. I plan on trying hatching more of my own this summer.
I do think that is is mainly my hatcher at this point. I can get most breeds to develop well, it's the hatching part that is such a dark hole of despair! I have not used the Genesis as a hatcher because of issues keeping the humidity up and steady. The LG still air has been pretty steady right along for the most part no flucuating temps or humidity levels. It is usually me that makes all the mistakes with humidity, opening up the incubator and all. All my hatch rates go from 0%-75% I got 3 out of 4 Turkey eggs develop, then hatch-from 2 separate batches. On the other side I can't seem to get any Cochin eggs to barely develop let alone hatch, 9 chicks out of 82 eggs-but 9 chicks is pretty good considering only 18 even developed! For all other breeds I have been getting 25-50%, I usually get atleast 50% to develop then 50% of that to hatch. My development rate has been slowly creeping to near 100% but my hatch rates stay the same, only getting 50% to hatch. Although technically speaking the numbers are getting better, instead of 1 or 2 chicks I am getting 8.
I will try the weighing too. But I am going to try and fix my air issues first. I just thought it would be fine as there are 8 tiny holes and both the bigger holes are open so didn't think the 4 tiny holes in the bottom being covered would be an issue. I have a small batch of Cochin eggs going in next Wenseday, so far only a few have developed so it will be a very small hatch, I beleve out of 18 and 6 eggs only 5-7 out of the 18 and only 1 out of the 6 have developed. It must be a cosmic joke I swear though, the 18 eggs are all Lemon Blue and the 6 were supposed to be all Buffs but the person only had 5 buffs so tossed in a Lemon Blue and it's the Lemon Blue that is developing! I can't get a buff Cochin to save my life!
I am just giving up on hatching Cochin eggs at this point though I think, it seems no matter where or who they come from they just don't do well shipped. A lot of the eggs get the saddling. I have tryed 82 eggs and out of those only got 9 chicks, 1 of which my stupid cat ate! But 9 chicks isn't too bad when you consider only 18 even developed. I have most of all the Cochin eggs I have bought so I don't think I am going to do eggs again for Cochins. I am just waiting on a few dozen more after that I will just stick with chicks and adults. Maybe if I get one of those super duper expensive incubators I will try again but that won't be for a very long time.
