It's offical I am the worst Hatcher

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
I think there's already instructions on how to candle on the thread & I would just follow them. If you're on day 18 I would take out both plugs for circulation of air. the eggs need the air to be cirulated well for developement & then for hatching. And yes that will help lower the humidity too. I know you say the temp is off by being 1 degree higher than the other but the question is how high is 1 degree higher...? I actually have several thermometers that are all inexpensive ones from sears, walmart & the ones that came with the bators of course. I try to get them in the middle of one another & use that as a guide so that they're all around 100.F so if one is a tade higher & another a tade lower they're all still in the ballpart & then I see where the digital is in it's ready & I'll try to keep to that just because it's easier to read when I need to be quick about it. So If you've got the bator set with one temp saying 100.F & the other is at 101.F I'd just keep it there. I think more important at this point for you is taking the plugs out & I would be candling to see if there's developement. There's actually videos on youtube you can watch to see others doing it & if you've got brown eggs you just need to do it in a real dark room like at night in a closet..

 

[twzlrwho]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think the problem might be that the eggs are Maran eggs. I have read several threads that stated Maran eggs are tough little buggers to hatch. Often needing a higher humidity and pipping at the wrong end. Just a thought and maybe something to consider.

Good Luck!

 

[speckledhen]

I think that the incubators were designed to be used a certain way. You may have the eggs upright at the beginning, but the last three days, while they are getting into final hatching position, they should be on their sides--that come from the belief that mimicking a broody hen as closely as possible is the best way to go. Her body temp is very steady, her plucked breast skin is against the eggs for humidity, they are on their sides and are gently moved around from time to time, the baby is always in hatching position, etc. Her body core temp is about 102, so the eggs are slightly cooler than that, being lower and outside her body and she can open or stand up slightly to cool them down if need be.

Though many use the cartons, I don't like one fact about them--chicks sometimes pip low on the upright egg and suffocate or just cannot get out becuase of the unnatural position of the egg, upright in a carton. Doesn't happen all the time, but one time is too much for me, so I don't use cartons to hatch. I don't allow any to hatch past Day 22, except in a rare instance where the chick is valuable and I need it more than usual. This is NOT a debate on the carton hatching method so let's not start on that, please, but this is my own slant on hatching methods.

The issue of pipping at the wrong end was one I began to have with my BBS Orp eggs. I upped their nutrition (they were molting) and the problem has stopped. Never underestimate the health of the parent stock!

 

[twzlrwho]

Speckledhen, would the health of the stock cause different needs of humidity? Just curious...

 

[speckledhen]

No, that shouldn't affect anything, unless you have very porous eggs, which I guess is more related to outside forces than the actual health of the stock, usually, and the humidity can't go too low over a long period of time. Eggs can become porous for various reasons, like in summer when their water needs skyrocket, etc. It's possible slight malnutrition could cause porous eggs, I guess. Humidity is something you have lots of leeway with, really. Mine ranges from 25% to 50% the first 18 days and I dont go nuts if it edges up to 55% or down to 20%. I just wait for it to go down or add a little bit of water.

 

[twzlrwho]

Ok thank you.

 

[the Old Rebel]

3 Chickens,

I'm still interested to know what you find out. I am sooooo hoping you will get a hatch today. But if not, your post has helped all of us learn some things, I think. If only I could tell you what I have learned over the years and just about all of it has been the hard way. Those unsuccessful hatches can be so painful. I can't help praying that you will have some success. Please let us know what you find out. Thanks!

the Old Rebel

 

[roche477]

Quote:
I have Cuckoo Marans and have had excellent development and hatch rates with them. I keep my humidity between 50 and 60% for days 1-18 and then bump it up to 70% after that. I do this with all of my eggs and have 85-100% hatch rates. Out of the last 42 Maran eggs I set only 1 pipped at the wrong end. The thing about the Maran eggs that is tough is candleing them because they are so dark.

 

[Mom2Cool]

On the topic of the carton method &/or the mimicking of the hen I found it inlightening with 1 hen with chicks & another still siting sitting the descriptions of what they do & the why relating to temps, humitdity etc. Having just watched the first one & now the one still sitting puff up as they're approached they almost look like they're on that lockdown of the lat 3 days. LOL

Having used the carton method for the actual hatch I didn't have any problems with the chick pippin low & not being able to get out I just didn't see all that much in the way of it being better. The bator still had to be cleaned out & still had shells etc. I do tend to try to stay as close to the nature way of things if I can & laying them down movement of the egg can be seen where as if they're in the carton it's harder. I mean the egg on the wire rocking can be heard & seen etc. So anyway I just normally lay them down at day 18 now. And none of this should be a debate it's just different experiences of different people.


And on your comment of eggs pipping on the wrong end & uping the nutrition, someone else her mentioned Marans being difficult to hatch. Do you think it's a difference in breed, enviornmental factors or a combo that makes some harder to hatch thatn others? I had my SS eggs along side the BO eggs in the batter a while back & they popped out with such ease. They started to pip on day 18 & they woud pip, chirp a bit & rest for a few hours & then just zip right out & then the BO's right next to them didn't start to pip until 2 days later. The first BO to pip was the last to zip & the handling & conditions where all the same. So would it be bloodline or nutrision or both the reason?



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[twzlrwho]

Ok, so that debunks my theory...LOL.

3chickens I wish I could have been more help as I am still learning too. I do wish you the best of luck and hope you get it figured out.

Quote:
I have Cuckoo Marans and have had excellent development and hatch rates with them. I keep my humidity between 50 and 60% for days 1-18 and then bump it up to 70% after that. I do this with all of my eggs and have 85-100% hatch rates. Out of the last 42 Maran eggs I set only 1 pipped at the wrong end. The thing about the Maran eggs that is tough is candleing them because they are so dark.