It's not easy incubating eggs

[natemoore1986]

The eBay seller I bought my original 8 FBCM eggs from sent me 10 replacement eggs because only 1 hatched out of the first ones. I did more research on how to treat the eBay eggs specifically, and incubating eggs in general. I let them rest pointed side up for a day, remembered to count day zero, weighed and candled them a couple of times during the first 18 days to check viability and weight loss, and set an event on my iPhone calendar for day 18 lock down. I calibrated the thermometer in the incubator with two other digital thermometers, and kept the temperature at 101F for the entire time.

As it happens, I was getting an MRI on Aug 12th when the event alarmed, and I somehow missed it. Then I got it in my head that August 18th was the 18th day and lock down. Geez! So it looks like I'm three days past hatching day!

I candled them this morning. Seven eggs still look good to me. Definitely developed with a decent air sac. It's hard to see what's going on in those dark chocolate eggs, though. They all lost a couple of grams in the past 8 days.

What advice do you have for me? They're back in the incubator with motion turned off. It's Florida in the summer, so humidity is good.

 

[NatJ]

Not sure if you're joking or not, but that would be a pretty dumb thing to do. I have a Titan Incubators bright LED candler.

I agree that would be a pretty dumb thing to do. But when you said, "I have a very bright candle," I was afraid you might be trying to use an actual candle. (Of course you would have trouble seeing inside eggs if you were!) So I asked, just in case.

This site has plenty of people that know a lot about chickens, but there are also plenty of people that are just starting to learn about chickens. So I try to ask instead of assuming.

 

[MGG]

The eBay seller I bought my original 8 FBCM eggs from sent me 10 replacement eggs because only 1 hatched out of the first ones. I did more research on how to treat the eBay eggs specifically, and incubating eggs in general. I let them rest pointed side up for a day, remembered to count day zero, weighed and candled them a couple of times during the first 18 days to check viability and weight loss, and set an event on my iPhone calendar for day 18 lock down. I calibrated the thermometer in the incubator with two other digital thermometers, and kept the temperature at 101F for the entire time.

As it happens, I was getting an MRI on Aug 12th when the event alarmed, and I somehow missed it. Then I got it in my head that August 18th was the 18th day and lock down. Geez! So it looks like I'm three days past hatching day!

I candled them this morning. Seven eggs still look good to me. Definitely developed with a decent air sac. It's hard to see what's going on in those dark chocolate eggs, though. They all lost a couple of grams in the past 8 days.

What advice do you have for me? They're back in the incubator with motion turned off. It's Florida in the summer, so humidity is good.

101 is too high. That could be your issue. Eggs need to be incubated at 99.5 degrees. What day is today for them?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I calibrated the thermometer in the incubator with two other digital thermometers, and kept the temperature at 101F for the entire time.

Shipped eggs suck. Was the seller NPIP certified? How far did they come from?

What bator are you using? Forced or still air? Where WAS your humidity during the early days of incubation?

My favorite incubation resource..
Incubation guide

Suggestions..

Still air bator.. 101.5 is good. Forced air should be set at 99.5.

Make sure ALL air plugs are open.

Humidity @ 30% first 18 days for DARK eggs. Then 65%+ for lock down.

So what day did you set your eggs on?

 

[natemoore1986]

101 is too high. That could be your issue. Eggs need to be incubated at 99.5 degrees. What day is today for them?

August 12 was day 18, so probably day 24. I say probably because I forgot to note the day I put them in the incubator until a couple days later. Yeah, I know. Beat me with a wet noodle.

I don't have a forced air incubator. Just a simple 8 egg Brinsea Octogon with the glass thermometer and cradle rocker.

 

[ShaylaFox]

Shipped eggs suck. Was the seller NPIP certified? How far did they come from?

What bator are you using? Forced or still air? Where WAS your humidity during the early days of incubation?

My favorite incubation resource..
Incubation guide

Suggestions..

Still air bator.. 101.5 is good. Forced air should be set at 99.5.

Make sure ALL air plugs are open.

Humidity @ 30% first 18 days for DARK eggs. Then 65%+ for lock down.

So what day did you set your eggs on?

I don’t mean to take over this thread but what are some tips for successfully incubating shipped eggs? I have been googling and combing through threads on BYC. I am considering buying lavender Orpington hatch eggs in October.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think all brinsea are forced air

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh, and I was saying that $25/egg was outrageous because I paid $25 for eight. But I guess $25/egg is cheap for certified eggs?

Oh, I thought that was for a dozen.. per egg, ridiculous! They must be smoking the good stuff!

Perfect birds will never happen.. but we strive to keep them good so they don't lose features like their lovely chocolate eggs.

If chocolate eggs are the main drive.. hatcheries are selling midnight majesty Marans and other varieties. The splash sold at Meyer is gorgeous. To me, a better option than *possibly* shady ebay sellers.

 

[natemoore1986]

Shipped eggs suck. Was the seller NPIP certified? How far did they come from?

What bator are you using? Forced or still air? Where WAS your humidity during the early days of incubation?

My favorite incubation resource..
Incubation guide

Suggestions..

Still air bator.. 101.5 is good. Forced air should be set at 99.5.

Make sure ALL air plugs are open.

Humidity @ 30% first 18 days for DARK eggs. Then 65%+ for lock down.

So what day did you set your eggs on?

They shipped from Joshua, TX. I'm in Pensacola, FL. I got them in two days in both cases. Don't know about any certification.

I borrowed the Brinsea Octogon incubator from a teacher who hatches eggs every year for her kids. She told me to fill one of the little pockets with water. It's about 3/4" x 3/4" x 1" deep. That was the extent of my "training." If it worked well for her, figured it'd work for me too. No idea what the humidity was.

I have a very broody buff orpington, and she's a good mom. The first time I let her sit on eggs, she gave me three roosters! The second time, I let her sit on one egg. Got a pullet this time, but a hawk killed it right after it started laying. This last time, I've got a EE pullet that looks like a cuckoo maran in the feathers.

Too bad she abandoned the first batch of FBCM eggs when our cuckoo maran egg hatched. Timing was just off.

Maybe the next time she goes broody, I can order some more FBCM eggs and just do a switcharoo.

When should I abandon ship on this batch?

 

[natemoore1986]

I think all brinsea are forced air

Nope, not the Octogon.