Laree's "I CAN'T STOP MYSELF FROM HATCHING!!!" Hatch-a-long

[youngjedi32002]

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It's not the amount of water but the amount of surface area of water exposed to heat. Small deep puddle equals same humidity as small shallow puddle. You probably inadvertently drooped/spilled some taking it out. It will go down again as it evaporates some... At least this is my understanding/experience

Wow! And this is why I stick with you guys! In my panic, I did not remember that! I just put in a smaller dish of water and I think I did spill some too so I hope this helps. In my first go-round (with the higher wattage bulb), I had a humidity level of 40% but my temp was 106. Bad! I think I will throw a blanket on the eggs tonight and give them their full 24 hour rest, instead of putting them in before bed (at only 12 hours rest) and let everything regulate. These babies have to go in tomorrow though so I am glad I wake up early!!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

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It's probably better for them actually, as long as you aren't hatching gamebirds. That way they get their little clocks set right and actually sleep when it's nighttime.

 

[shelleyd2008]

youngjedi32002: I use about 25%-35% humidity for the first part of incubation then up to at least 50%. I don't try to go over that but if it gets higher during hatch-time I don't fret. You should use the air-cell chart (is it on this thread??) to determine whether or not your eggs need more humidity, that works better than any gauge.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Mrs.brown :

I candled today and saw an egg with a hair line crack in it. It is still developing. What should I do?

I use Elmer's glue on cracks, so far it's working well. I have 1 ringneck pheasant egg that I 'fixed' with Elmer's and it's developing right in-line with the rest of the pheasant eggs.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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I also keep mine in the 25%-35% range, I actually don't add water to the incubator at all. When they move to the hatching incubator is when they have added humidity. Works well for me.

 

[Mahonri]

On April 30th, started with 13 eggs under the broody hen.
On day 2 (May 2nd) an egg broke under her and there was gunky egg yolk over almost every egg. I tried to wipe it off as best I could.
Day 10 candle
.....

.....7 remain... 1 BCM and 6 w/bw Ameraucanas.

Judgement Day (May 21st) will be here before we know it.

 

[dsqard]

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youngjedi here is the chart that shelleyd was talking about

At the bottom of the chart, it shows what the air cells shoulld look like at different days of candling. The thing to remember about humidity is that the humidity that works for one person and place might not work for you. The first time I incubated, I kept my humidity between 45% and 50% until lockdown and then increased it to 65%. I had some problems with sticky chicks because the humidity was too low for where I live for lockdown and hatching. What I do is keep my humidity around 45% now for the first 18 days and compare the air cells to the chart when I candle. If the cells are getting too big too fast, you would want to increase your humidity some. How much is hard to say but I wouldn't do more than say 5% at a time. If the air cells are really big at lockdown time, you want your humidity up around 70%. The eggs won't reabsorb water into the shells so you won't have to worry about them drowning in the shell when they internally pip and inside the incubator should be moist enough so the inner membrane shouldn't get too dry and they get stuck in the shell. It is a trial and error thing to really get a feel for what is right for where you live. The right humidity for where you live can change as the humidity in the air changes as well that is why there are going to be so many different numbers that are "right". IMO you are better off going "drier" on the first 18 days to let more of the moisture in the egg evaporate.

 

[Justuschicks]

3 Chicks pipping this morning. 1 is pipping at the wrong end.

I have to take my daughter to an appointment this morning so hopefully they are further along when I get home.

 

[BHep]

7 Quail out as of this morning. I bought these eggs at a local auction, have never hatched Quail and they are so cute and tiny !

5 are yellow & 2 are chipmonk.

 

[youngjedi32002]

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This is helpful information. I know it is a trial and error thing. I don't mind the trial, I just want to minimize the error part! After tinkering with it last night and lessening the water area in the incubator to lower the humidity, I woke up this morning to a temperature of 97 (barely) and humidity at 52%. Baffling. With a larger water area, humidity was at 48% and temp was where I wanted at 100. I am removing the water completely now and just putting in a wet sponge. I have a barometer in our house that shows the humidity at 67% in the house. That's in the upper range of normal, lower range of humid, according to the device. I guess I was so focused on what was going on in the incubator, I didn't take into account what was going on in the house. Newbie mistake? I hope so. I am pretty nervous. I seem to be missing the obvious. I hope I can get it together so I don't mess this up completely.