Incubators Anonymous

[Faraday40]

How many people candle their eggs?

The science teacher in me must candle at 7, 14, & 18 days. We number each egg & write specific observations in our chart. My average hatch rates fall between 80-90% for local eggs & 60% for shipped eggs. I just can't explain my last hatch of only 20% in the shipped eggs. Ten looked great on day 18 but only 3 hatched. The other 7 never even pipped the shell.

Note: I used to leave all the eggs in the incubator until the end when we do the egg-topsies. I discovered that an egg can literally explode due to bacterial growth. Very messy stink on day 20 while 3 chicks were pipping. I believe they must have bumped the rotten egg. Because I had to do a rapid incubator cleaning at such a critical time, I only got a 45% hatch. (Many died mid hatch.) Happy to get any chicks after that mess. Now I always remove blood rings, clears, & definite quitters.

 

[Amykins]

I actually have a question along that vein - what are the candling days for ducks? I know between 7 and 14 days, chickens need to be left alone because that's when they begin to orient themselves in the egg and if they're handled a whole bunch they could turn the wrong way. But I'm not sure when that happens for ducks.

 

[misbhaven]

ducks, turkeys etc it is best to wait 10 days at least...i have some turkey in right now

 

[WeeNicole]

Im on my first hatch. I candled day 10-12 then 16. I went into lockdown about two hours ago so heres hoping!

But my humidity is being a complete b***h. Excuse my French im frustrated lol.

Had it up to 65 then it dropped for no apparent reason to 59 and isnt budging eeven tho ive added more. Id say its safe to say my reader must have issues

 

[misbhaven]

it will probably be alright as hens have no humidity gauge , I have had them hatch when dry Incubationg staggered hatches in the incubator lost track of days..opened it up to see a chicks siting in the turner..

 

[theresam22]

So I actually ended up doing exactly this....lol. I had bought some A & M cotournix a few days ago thinking I would give them a try. Well then today I (mysteriously blacked out, no recall at all) bid on some snowflake bobwhites today (thinking I will never get them because last time I had to fight tooth and nail in a fierce bidding war)......ended up winning it with just a random 1 bid.... LOL. So now I have cotornix and bobwhite coming plus some buff leghorns. Going to be a busy lockdown week, but I think it should all come out ok on timing. Will never learn I guess lol.

Well done! One bid...Gotta love it! I'd take that as a sign that you were indeed suffering from an acute case of quail deficiency. You know you really don't want to mess around with this condition. The blackout should have been the first clue. Happy to hear you are on your way to temporarily quelling this serious, chronic and contagious condition...I'm NOT going to check ebay....I'm not going to.....well...errrr.....maybe just a peek....

 

[CrzyChicLdy45]

I just got my incubator and hatched my first egg. One out of seven made it. I was reading this to my husband and told him I didn't know I was supposed to stop putting eggs into it. He laughed and told me to sign up as an addict too. He has to start building more coops now.

 

[Amykins]

I'd take that as a sign that you were indeed suffering from an acute case of quail deficiency.

Quick, she needs a shot of Vitamin Q! With an extra dose of cuteness!

 

[CrzyChicLdy45]

My first baby. Serama chick.

 

[debbiegt]

Lockdown drives me crazy! Definitely cutting a window into my GQF door after this hatch!