Is there any hope?

[le_bwah]

Looks like you're doing all you can, @MomFoldingLaundry. I just have to believe that theses things work out most of the time, at least in part, or else none of us would be here. Wishing you and your eggs luck!

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

Thanks for all the kind words. As of this morning, there’s been no pips. My humidity was up to 99% most of yesterday as well, So that didnt help.

But now I’m back to 99.5 degrees and 70% humidity. So...I’ll see if they hatch tomorrow.

the dip in temp, if they survived it, would likely have set them back a day.

I guess we will see. :/

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

It just occurred to me that they normally don't hatch until 2 days after lockdown, which would be day 17, as I normally lockdown on day 15. This time, I locked down more like day 14. which would only make today day 16. So...they're not even really "due" until tomorrow.

As for my other issues...I am never going to put eggs I care about in an incubator without humidity control ever again. The humidity today is going to be 95% where I live tofzy . So--do I leave the dehumidifier running or no? even with a dehumidifier running, I can't get the humidity below 44%, and if I add any water at all to my brooder, it goes to 99% humidity immediately. >.<

Luckily, the other hatch I have going is in my brand new nr360, where I don't have to worry about humidity. It's running a little damp, as Hawaii is gonna hawaii. But at least I don't need to worry about getting it right all on my own during lockdown.

I really wish I could candle these eggs, as it would give me more information. But I just tried one again, to no avail. That said, I felt like it was moving inside, squirming as if to say, "What the heck are you doing, lady! Put me back where it's warm!!"

So...watching and waiting.

Thanks for your support.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Hopefully with this next hatch I'll be able to tell you what effect humidity has in Hawaii. This time I concentrated on the temperature (which I'm guessing is a bigger issue than humidity) and let the incubator run dry (45-50%). I'll add water on lockdown and not fuss with the settings any more than that. After all, I can't change too many things about where I live. Best I can tell, all the feral chickens are doing pretty well despite not having an accurate hygrometer.

Will let you know sometime around Christmas, when my second attempt to incubate is due.

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

No kidding on the feral chickens, my ducks didn't have any trouble hatching ducklings, either.

My first two hatches, they were basically in a steam bath all or most of the time, and I still managed to get a few to hatch.

I think you're right that humidity doesn't matter as much as temp.

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

Still no chicks, But I lifted the lid to get rid of humidity, and accidentally dropped it and popped a hole in an egg, and the chick inside is poking out now. (Maybe it was pipped before, but I don’t know.

the good news is, they seem to be alive.

The bad news is, I should be arrested for quail-embryo abuse, >.<

 

[Nabiki]

Still no chicks, But I lifted the lid to get rid of humidity, and accidentally dropped it and popped a hole in an egg, and the chick inside is poking out now. (Maybe it was pipped before, but I don’t know.

the good news is, they seem to be alive.

The bad news is, I should be arrested for quail-embryo abuse, >.<

I've done that twice. Both times the chick hatched, but didn't grow. They were half the size of the rest of them until I sold them to a guy who has reptiles.

 

[MomFoldingLaundry]

I've done that twice. Both times the chick hatched, but didn't grow. They were half the size of the rest of them until I sold them to a guy who has reptiles.

Huh. I had a small one I helped out of the shell with my last hatch and he/she seems to be getting to almost normal size now. I have a feeling its a girl and she is just undersized.

I wonder if they lay smaller eggs. :/

 

[Kiki]

Humidity does matter.
Too high humidity throughout and the chicks will die.

I think the temp dropping to 90 shouldn't be an issue this late during the incubation but the Humidity that high will be an issue.

 

[Kiki]

Huh. I had a small one I helped out of the shell with my last hatch and he/she seems to be getting to almost normal size now. I have a feeling its a girl and she is just undersized.

I wonder if they lay smaller eggs. :/

Male quail are usually smaller than the females.