Little Giant Incubation Experiment - Day 21 - Hatch Day!

[AmyLynn2374]

Would that account for such small Air cells going into lockdown??

Is one hour sufficient amount of time to compare the two readings?

For reference... I use this one... that was suggested by many BYC members.

http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-remote-thermometer-hygrometer.html

45% is not extremely high, but if the eggs did not loose enough moisture, then, yes, it could have been lowered a bit.
Personally I say yes, it should be well over enough time to compare. It should not take that long after closing the lid for the hygrometers to catch up to the change of humidity.

 

[WVduckchick]

That's why I always tell people to start in the air cell. Make the hole and check for life. That way if there is any movement, they still have a chance because all you've done is tapped into the air air cell. If they are still alive you can wet the membrane and just like you would with an assisted hatch, put a wet paper towel aound it and put it back in the bator. Doesn't mean they will hatch, but at least it gives them a chance. It's also easier to eggtopsy if you start in the air cell.

I did open the air cell. I dampened the membrane and still saw no movement! It sat on the counter for an hour or so, before I finally decided I could break on into it. I was "sure" it was gone. So I slooooowly sliced across the membrane (maybe a half-inch cut)... it bled.... and then I saw the little beak moving. I wrapped it and put it back in, but it was too late. I felt so horrible! But I learned.

 

[Lynn Manes]

When you candle make sure that you are candleing from the top (air cell) down into the egg. If nothing else it'll give you a good picture of your air cell (unless it's vastly different w/quail) and usually you can at least make out the veining around the air cell. I don't have a straong light to candle and sometimes with the green eggs, that's all I can see to know that  they are developing is veinging around the air cell.  Glad you liked the article.

Thanks Amy. We did candle them correctly I think, but might try again today just in case. We are using a cool light candler but those quail eggshells are pretty dense. It will only be a few days now before we know if this is a success or not. So much to learn We have Americauna eggs too, so that's good to know about them when we get ready to incubate for chicks. And btw, one of our 2 female ducks went broody last week and is sitting, so we might be having ducklings soon. We're letting her and nature do the work

 

[Lynn Manes]

Chick update, all are doing great! In total I have 33, including the "Rhode Island Red" that are obviously mixed. Otherwise, I have both gold AND silver laced Wyandotte chicks... I'm so excited for them to grow! Gold Laced Chick. Silver Laced Chick

Congratulations. How cute the chicks are

 

[fiset94]

45% is not extremely high, but if the eggs did not loose enough moisture, then, yes, it could have been lowered a bit.
Personally I say yes, it should be well over enough time to compare. It should not take that long after closing the lid for the hygrometers to catch up to the change of humidity.

Well... I did the eggtopsy this morning... even though I said I'd wait a bit... But in my heart I believed that there was nothing going on in there...and I was right.

The first egg looked like the chick made it to day 14.... the 2nd egg had a chick with two wings but only one leg. The spot where the leg should of been had a *blister-bubble* in it's place.- diameter of your pinky finger. It was also small...like day 14 ish... they both were NOT shrinkwrapped....yeah for that... but they seemed really wet.- so possibly humidity too high for day 1-18?

I am going to have to figure this out before my silkie's go into lockdown! I have lost SO many eggs...some from shrinkwrapped-blood rings, early quitters, non fertile, wet chick, you name it!

Silkie go into lockdown on the 14th... Help me figure this one out...

I am going to go COMPLETELY dry in the incubator day 1-18 ... I had added a tad of water before... and see what my cells look like day 14.... If they look great at lockdown I will proceed with 65-75 humidity.. if not... I should lower the humidity.. sound like a winning combo?

 

[WVduckchick]

Well... I did the eggtopsy this morning... even though I said I'd wait a bit... But in my heart I believed that there was nothing going on in there...and I was right.

The first egg looked like the chick made it to day 14.... the 2nd egg had a chick with two wings but only one leg. The spot where the leg should of been had a *blister-bubble* in it's place.- diameter of your pinky finger. It was also small...like day 14 ish... they both were NOT shrinkwrapped....yeah for that... but they seemed really wet.- so possibly humidity too high for day 1-18?

I am going to have to figure this out before my silkie's go into lockdown! I have lost SO many eggs...some from shrinkwrapped-blood rings, early quitters, non fertile, wet chick, you name it!

Silkie go into lockdown on the 14th... Help me figure this one out...

I am going to go COMPLETELY dry in the incubator day 1-18 ... I had added a tad of water before... and see what my cells look like day 14.... If they look great at lockdown I will proceed with 65-75 humidity.. if not... I should lower the humidity.. sound like a winning combo?

What's your local humidity like? I mean do you live in a dry area or a humid area?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I did open the air cell. I dampened the membrane and still saw no movement! It sat on the counter for an hour or so, before I finally decided I could break on into it. I was "sure" it was gone. So I slooooowly sliced across the membrane (maybe a half-inch cut)... it bled.... and then I saw the little beak moving. I wrapped it and put it back in, but it was too late. I felt so horrible! But I learned.

Really??? That's sad. But I would bet that if you had it opened and it sat out for that long with nothing to give it away it had to have been a very weak chick and would not have made it.

Thanks Amy. We did candle them correctly I think, but might try again today just in case. We are using a cool light candler but those quail eggshells are pretty dense. It will only be a few days now before we know if this is a success or not. So much to learn We have Americauna eggs too, so that's good to know about them when we get ready to incubate for chicks. And btw, one of our 2 female ducks went broody last week and is sitting, so we might be having ducklings soon. We're letting her and nature do the work

Well... I did the eggtopsy this morning... even though I said I'd wait a bit... But in my heart I believed that there was nothing going on in there...and I was right.

The first egg looked like the chick made it to day 14.... the 2nd egg had a chick with two wings but only one leg. The spot where the leg should of been had a *blister-bubble* in it's place.- diameter of your pinky finger. It was also small...like day 14 ish... they both were NOT shrinkwrapped....yeah for that... but they seemed really wet.- so possibly humidity too high for day 1-18?

I am going to have to figure this out before my silkie's go into lockdown! I have lost SO many eggs...some from shrinkwrapped-blood rings, early quitters, non fertile, wet chick, you name it!

Silkie go into lockdown on the 14th... Help me figure this one out...

I am going to go COMPLETELY dry in the incubator day 1-18 ... I had added a tad of water before... and see what my cells look like day 14.... If they look great at lockdown I will proceed with 65-75 humidity.. if not... I should lower the humidity.. sound like a winning combo?

Just remember if you go completely dry and the humidity is too low it can cause damage as well, and with the development of the chicks. You want to stay at least around 25 (I do 30-35%). To insure that the egg and chick is getting some moisture. If at day 14 the air cells are to small, then you can run a night or two lower, but I wouldn't run lower for the duration of th 17 days.

 

[WVduckchick]

Really??? That's sad. But I would bet that if you had it opened and it sat out for that long with nothing to give it away it had to have been a very weak chick and would not have made it.

Just remember if you go completely dry and the humidity is too low it can cause damage as well, and with the development of the chicks. You want to stay at least around 25 (I do 30-35%). To insure that the egg and chick is getting some moisture. If at day 14 the air cells are to small, then you can run a night or two lower, but I wouldn't run lower for the duration of th 17 days.

I know, can you believe it? I agree, but also wonder if it sat that long outside the bator and was still alive, maybe it was a strong one? Maybe I just didn't hear it. But I swear it wasn't moving any time I looked at it. It was very wet though, I had the humidity too high through that hatch.

I'm keeping my current batch around 30-35 also. It will dip without just a small squirt of water though. About every 3rd-4th day. I think below 30 is too low for my comfort level. We'll see though.

Anyone have any experience with Orpington eggs? My new set of lavenders were put in on Friday morning. The shells are a beautiful light brownish...really more pink-ish color. But candling them is proving difficult. They all look very porous... speckled looking inside (outside shell is uniform color). I've never done them before and wonder if that is normal. If they happen to be porous, how will that effect my humidity numbers?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I know, can you believe it? I agree, but also wonder if it sat that long outside the bator and was still alive, maybe it was a strong one? Maybe I just didn't hear it. But I swear it wasn't moving any time I looked at it. It was very wet though, I had the humidity too high through that hatch.

I'm keeping my current batch around 30-35 also. It will dip without just a small squirt of water though. About every 3rd-4th day. I think below 30 is too low for my comfort level. We'll see though.

Anyone have any experience with Orpington eggs? My new set of lavenders were put in on Friday morning. The shells are a beautiful light brownish...really more pink-ish color. But candling them is proving difficult. They all look very porous... speckled looking inside (outside shell is uniform color). I've never done them before and wonder if that is normal. If they happen to be porous, how will that effect my humidity numbers?

I don't know about the breed in particular, but I have had some rather porous eggs and haven't had a problem. If they are all are at the same porosity, that's good. That way if they loose too fast you can lower the humidity and it won't affect other eggs. I'm betting though that 30-35% wil be fine.
Sometimes mine would dip down to 25% for a while and I could handle that, but once it went below I would dampen my sponge. (I use just the sponge days 1-17 instead of playing with filling the water wells.) At day 17 I candled... (oh yes I did!!! lol) and felt a good share of the air cells could stand to be a bit bigger, so I ran (completely) dry that night and checked them in the morning. Was happy with the results so I upped it back to 30% until lockdown that night. Candled, marked and we went up to 70-75%.

 

[WVduckchick]

I don't know about the breed in particular, but I have had some rather porous eggs and haven't had a problem. If they are all are at the same porosity, that's good. That way if they loose too fast you can lower the humidity and it won't affect other eggs. I'm betting though that 30-35% wil be fine.
Sometimes mine would dip down to 25% for a while and I could handle that, but once it went below I would dampen my sponge. (I use just the sponge days 1-17 instead of playing with filling the water wells.) At day 17 I candled... (oh yes I did!!! lol) and felt a good share of the air cells could stand to be a bit bigger, so I ran (completely) dry that night and checked them in the morning. Was happy with the results so I upped it back to 30% until lockdown that night. Candled, marked and we went up to 70-75%.

Yes, that makes sense. I'm only on day 3, so we'll see! Thanks!
The wells in the bottom of mine are different than any I have seen. There are 4 corner squares, then 1 long one that borders along each side wall (so 4 total lol) and the center is I think 7 of them, about 1-1/2" wide x maybe 8-10" long, all parallel to each other. I have found that filling just a small corner square (which is about 1-1/2" x 1-1/2") I can raise the humidity by 5-10%. So its easy not to raise it too much. I never fill up the long channels, unless I need one at lockdown.