lockdown? I havent yet...i cheat!

[HickoryHollow]

I have been reading a ton of 411 on here on everyone's experiences and then compared to my own and drawn many conclusions: First thing, I had to forget trying to duplicate someone else's successful hatch...only use their experience for reference. What works for one will not work for another because there are too many variables. Environment is everything-From healthy hens to living conditions of the parent flock, genetics, the air surrounding the incubator, how ocd one gets with the whole process. Another thing...the more you worry about it and hover, the lower your hatch rate.

Reading some of these article I was afraid to drown a chick but what ended up happening is they all dried up. It was winter, the air is dryer. In say, Washington the environment is way wetter than Kentucky and the desert. Had a ugly started flock of weak genetics...out of 40 eggs I had 4 but a ton of experience for now when I successfully hatch shipped eggs of gorgeous strong stock that develops appropriately. It's all about genetics, environment, and no worring about that much specifics remaining constant Nature is not constant and the broody hen can leave the nest for a little while and those eggs are just fine. It rains and it drouts outside and chicks still hatch.

It just takes a while to figure out better ways. See, I read to put the eggs upright. I did that at first. Well that's good for the cabinet incubators on a big scale but not the little ones. I dont bother with marking x and o so i know a half turn. Turning them sometimes doesnt have to be on the dot of the clock. Some folks schedule their life on the time turning. Now I lay the eggs flat, give em a roll with the palm of my hand a couple times or a few times a day, never lifting them except an occasional candle. Keep half ish humidity give or take a little one way or another. I think at first we get to anxious for the process and just overthink it and try way to hard.

I also don't want to imply I don't raise the humidity the last few days, because I do and its necessary for them membranes...but I've also waited to day 20 to raise it as well...just judging the air cells.

AMEN!

 

[blucoondawg]

quote name="Spongegirl" url="/t/877679/lockdown-i-havent-yet-i-cheat#post_13338588"]I have been reading a ton of 411 on here on everyone's experiences and then compared to my own and drawn many conclusions:  First thing, I had to forget trying to duplicate someone else's successful hatch...only use their experience for reference.  What works for one will not work for another because there are too many variables.  Environment is everything-From healthy hens to living conditions of the parent flock, genetics, the air surrounding the incubator, how ocd one gets with the whole process.  Another thing...the more you worry about it and hover, the lower your hatch rate.   

Reading some of these article I was afraid to drown a chick but what ended up happening is they all dried up.  It was winter, the air is dryer.  In say, Washington the environment is way wetter than Kentucky and the desert.  Had a ugly started flock of weak genetics...out of 40 eggs I had 4 but a ton of experience for now when I successfully hatch shipped eggs of gorgeous strong stock that develops appropriately.  It's all about genetics, environment, and no worring about that much specifics remaining constant  Nature is not constant and the broody hen can leave the nest for a little while and those eggs are just fine.  It rains and it drouts outside and chicks still hatch.

It just takes a while to figure out better ways.  See, I read to put the eggs upright.  I did that at first.  Well that's good for the cabinet incubators on a big scale but not the little ones.  I dont bother with marking x and o so i know a half turn.  Turning them sometimes doesnt have to be on the dot of the clock.  Some folks schedule their life on the time turning. Now I lay the eggs flat,  give em a roll with the palm of my hand a couple times or a few times a day, never lifting them except an occasional candle.  Keep half ish humidity give or take a little one way or another.  I think at first we get to anxious for the process and just overthink it and try way to hard.

I also don't want to imply I don't raise the humidity the last few days, because I do and its necessary for them membranes...but I've also waited to day 20 to raise it as well...just judging the air cells.
[/quote]

environment does effect humidity differently of course, however 40% humidity is still 40% humidity Whether in a wet climate or dry, what changes is the amount of water if any you need to add in the incubator to maintain that humidity range. Here in Wisconsin in late winter it's quite dry and I was able to keep levels at 20 to 40 by adding and removing vent plugs and letting the egg moisture do the work. However if I lived in tropical areas I may have had to use a dehumidifier to get the humidity down to dry hatch levels or if I live in a desert I would have to add water even to get these low humidity levels because evaporation happens much more quickly there. What I am trying to say is the environment has an effect but you still need to incubate at whatever humidity level you feel is best, the environment is only going to change how hard it is to actually maintain you humidity as desired.
Some actually don't raise the humidity for lockdown until there is a pip which isn't a bad idea but I am not home to monitor them constantly so I just raise it at day 18. What do you mean you tab yours to dry? Did you have the humidity so low that the chicks were shrink wrapped and died?

 

[Spongegirl]

who? me? what? What I did is follow the dry method for styro incubating to a tee along with "directions" for turning and such, and it was no good for me at all, if you were just asking me. I guess maybe I did dry some chicks out, touch them too much, hover, worry, not roll right, whatever it was...now I have worked out all issues. See, a full incubator is also a factor versus using that same method for just a few eggs in a 45 egg incubator, another variable not mentioned for consideration. I know humidity is humidity but following that method with a few eggs versus a full incubator, when some people suggest 35%-50% humidity day 1-18 is ok, is not enough for me. That takes too much from the eggs too fast, they grow too big, undeveloped and die. Probably is all about blood circulation too. That is vital to the end process on day 21 and if the grow too big they will press against their own veins and the blood cant circulate.

 

[blucoondawg]

who? me? what? What I did is follow the dry method for styro incubating to a tee along with "directions" for turning and such, and it was no good for me at all, if you were just asking me.  I guess maybe I did dry some chicks out, touch them too much, hover, worry, not roll right, whatever it was...now I have worked out all issues.  See, a full incubator is also a factor versus using that same method for just a few eggs in a 45 egg incubator, another variable not mentioned for consideration. I know humidity is humidity but following that method with a few eggs versus a full incubator, when some people suggest 35%-50% humidity day 1-18 is ok, is not enough for me.  That takes too much from the eggs too fast, they grow too big, undeveloped and die.  Probably is all about blood circulation too.  That is vital to the end process on day 21 and if the grow too big they will press against their own veins and the blood cant circulate.

I prefer a full incubator as it is more consistent with everything however I would argue your point about the same amount of humidity effecting the eggs differently with a smaller amount of eggs. The only difference u have found is with less eggs, say a half load, I have to add water to maintain 20 to 30% with a full load I do not need to add water I actually need to lose humidity. I have found the air cells grow much the same with the same humidity levels without being effected by how many are in there. More eggs makes the temp far more stable too I even add water filled baggies under the screen for even more thermal mass. With all that thermal mass my incubator fluctuates very little temperature wise. I think thermal mass and where u place you bator are the biggest factors in a successful hatch with a styro bator thermal mass really helps steady the temp and keeping it in a consistent room like a basement is key. People don't realize how much the temp in a ground level or even worse a 2nd floor room fluctuates throughout the day especially with sunny windows