Incubators Anonymous

[Tuhmu]

If you are trying the dry humidity hatch the lock down should not really be more then half again as much as it was during incubation .....

This is the first time I've heard this....

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
x2 So if my humidity is 20% then 30% for lockdown.... I don't think that would do it. Even if it was 35%.... 52.5% would not work for me either.

 

[gander007]

Quote:

Do you dry hatch there in North Dakota as I am sure elevation and humidity and temps change in every area but when I was a youngster back in the 1960's that was the way I was taught to do the dry hatching other wise the hatcher is going from a dry hatch to a normal humidity hatch but maybe I am not understanding the statement but I am always open to new ways of hatching and if it will improve my hatch rate I am really open to the idea ........

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
I dry incubate everything (10-20%) , but if humidity is less than 50% I get shrink wrapping bad.

every incubator is going to react differently. it's your job to learn what works best for your location and your incubators... even the same brand of incubator in the same location may react differently than the others... I have 4 hovabators. one retains humidity ridiculously easy while the others go dry quickly. that one is my hatcher, the rest are incubators. all have fans and the 3 incubators have auto turners. the hatcher is just bare styro. I removed the water reservoir from the bottom (and wire) and set the egg crate I hatch in directly on the bottom with a bowl (wire covered) full of water for my humidity. as long as the bowl is at least half full, the humidity is about 55%.

 

[Tuhmu]

Do you dry hatch there in North Dakota as I am sure elevation and humidity and temps change in every area but when I was a youngster back in the 1960's that was the way I was taught to do the dry hatching other wise the hatcher is going from a dry hatch to a normal humidity hatch but maybe I am not understanding the statement but I am always open to new ways of hatching and if it will improve my hatch rate I am really open to the idea ........

I have been yes, running from 20-35% then I have been putting them in my separate hatcher around the 65%. I am of course open to new ways because I haven't really been getting the greatest hatches. I was using a Styrofoam incubator as the hatcher but am switching to my brinsea with the humidity pump since it keeps everything so much more stable.

I've been having problems with 50% chicks being fully developed, sometimes internally pipped, that don't make it. So that's why I'm wondering if I've been doing it wrong all along.

I dry incubate everything (10-20%) , but if humidity is less than 50% I get shrink wrapping bad.

every incubator is going to react differently. it's your job to learn what works best for your location and your incubators... even the same brand of incubator in the same location may react differently than the others... I have 4 hovabators. one retains humidity ridiculously easy while the others go dry quickly. that one is my hatcher, the rest are incubators. all have fans and the 3 incubators have auto turners. the hatcher is just bare styro. I removed the water reservoir from the bottom (and wire) and set the egg crate I hatch in directly on the bottom with a bowl (wire covered) full of water for my humidity. as long as the bowl is at least half full, the humidity is about 55%.

I'm using my coolerbator as my incubator and just adding a little bit of water every other day, keeping the humidity between 20-35%. Like I said above, going to use my brinsea as my hatcher since its idiot (me) proof and keeps temp and humidity exact.

I've only done shipped eggs this year though, which may have something to do with chicks dieing fully developed. With this current batch I have 6 of my own from my mixed flock, looks like 5 are for sure developing, cant see in the green one. Maybe I will have different results.

If anything jumps out wrong with what I'm doing, feel free to scold! It's sad doing the eggtopsys and finding chicks inside.

 

[ladycat]

I've only done shipped eggs this year though, which may have something to do with chicks dieing fully developed.

That could definitely be a factor.

I've done LOTS of shipped eggs this year, as well as my own eggs.

Shipped eggs have been averaging maybe 30-40%. (never mind the extraordinary hatch on the shipped turkey eggs!). 2 different batches of shipped eggs had ZERO hatch.

My own eggs have been hatching at the rate of about 50% in the styros, and 80-90% in the Brinsea.

Unfortunately, I only have one Brinsea, and I use it for putting shipped eggs in. I only put my own eggs in there when I don't have shipped eggs.

I need another Brinsea or three!

 

[Tuhmu]

That could definitely be a factor.

I've done LOTS of shipped eggs this year, as well as my own eggs.

Shipped eggs have been averaging maybe 30-40%. (never mind the extraordinary hatch on the shipped turkey eggs!). 2 different batches of shipped eggs had ZERO hatch.

My own eggs have been hatching at the rate of about 50% in the styros, and 80-90% in the Brinsea.

Unfortunately, I only have one Brinsea, and I use it for putting shipped eggs in. I only put my own eggs in there when I don't have shipped eggs.

I need another Brinsea or three!

In a way I almost hope that that's what the problem is but then again....lol. Need to get my starter stock somehow and its hard to find chicks for some of the breeds. Or else about the same price for one chick as a box of eggs lol.

 

[ladycat]

In a way I almost hope that that's what the problem is but then again....lol. Need to get my starter stock somehow and its hard to find chicks for some of the breeds. Or else about the same price for one chick as a box of eggs lol.

I know, the good stock is so high! One show breeder has varieties of Marans I want, very high quality. She charges $25 a chick + shipping, But her eggs are only $60 a dozen, plus $25 for shipping/packing.

I ordered one dozen eggs of one variety, got several chicks out of the deal, much less than $25 each.

I'm going to order some more eggs from her later on, maybe this fall.

 

[Tuhmu]

I know, the good stock is so high! One show breeder has varieties of Marans I want, very high quality. She charges $25 a chick + shipping, But her eggs are only $60 a dozen, plus $25 for shipping/packing.

I ordered one dozen eggs of one variety, got several chicks out of the deal, much less than $25 each.

I'm going to order some more eggs from her later on, maybe this fall.

That's not too bad actually. A score there for sure.

 

[Lizz9311]

OK... happy moment here. I'm on my third clutch of eggs in my LG incubator. First two hatches resulted in zero chicks even though the eggs were confirmed fertile. After much research and implementing many tips I found here on the forums, I'm on day 14, candled last night on day 13 and saw definite movement in 5 out of 12 eggs! Another 5 show development but no movement. I had to pull two eggs (one wasn't fertilized and the other had a major blood ring). I'm so freaking excited!

I know not to "count my chickens before they hatch", but I never had such definitive movement in my previous attempts. I think I've finally got this LG 'bator figured out!