Lockdown tips/info needed

[DovesFlock]

I don’t know the proper temp and humid for lockdown. I’ve been doing 60-65 humid and 100 temp but both the two chick that have gotten close to hatch both tried to hatch without fully absorbing the yolk.

I’ve changed the temp to 99 and I’m not sure if that’s enough to help or if I need to bring it down more.

I’m hatching brown eggs by mid that helps.

 

[Debbie292d]

I don’t know the proper temp and humid for lockdown. I’ve been doing 60-65 humid and 100 temp but both the two chick that have gotten close to hatch both tried to hatch without fully absorbing the yolk.

I’ve changed the temp to 99 and I’m not sure if that’s enough to help or if I need to bring it down more.

I’m hatching brown eggs by mid that helps.

There are various different opinions and methods, but what you are doing sounds darned close to what we do. I hold temp at 99.5 but 100 or 99 is fine. I do 40-50% or so humidity until lockdown, then raise it to 60-70% during lockdown.

They do sometimes hatch with a little yolk still attached but that should be absorbing quickly and drying up.

I would leave it as you have it as they should be hatching at those settings. Have you double-checked your temp with a different thermometer/hygrometer as most incubators are wrong.

 

[Kiki]

Do you have a calibrated thermometer in your incubator?

Did you salt test a humidity gauge to make sure it reading correctly?
Incubators are know to be off and not read correct numbers.

Changing the temp one degree at the last minute isn't going to make a difference.

Having humidity too high for too long makes a huge difference.

Can you clarify real quick...

You have two eggs that died because they didn't absorb the yolk and you want to prevent that with current eggs that should be hatching soon?

 

[Kiki]

I run my incubators at 30-35% percent humidity and only raise it to 50% on hatch day. Not before and never higher.

 

[DovesFlock]

There are various different opinions and methods, but what you are doing sounds darned close to what we do. I hold temp at 99.5 but 100 or 99 is fine. I do 40-50% or so humidity until lockdown, then raise it to 60-70% during lockdown.

They do sometimes hatch with a little yolk still attached but that should be absorbing quickly and drying up.

I would leave it as you have it as they should be hatching at those settings. Have you double-checked your temp with a different thermometer/hygrometer as most incubators are wrong.

I got one of those reptile thermos as I thought they were the more accurate but I only have to one. The first one o had retained too much heat and read it too high.

As for them hatching with yolk still attached idk. They both started popping at day 22 so it was over time I assumed. They never made it out of the shell they both popped and one zipped then just. Passed. When I did and eggtopsy I noticed they both had part of the yolk still absorbing on their bellies.

 

[DovesFlock]

Do you have a calibrated thermometer in your incubator?

Did you salt test a humidity gauge to make sure it reading correctly?
Incubators are know to be off and not read correct numbers.

Changing the temp one degree at the last minute isn't going to make a difference.

Having humidity too high for too long makes a huge difference.

Can you clarify real quick...

You have two eggs that died because they didn't absorb the yolk and you want to prevent that with current eggs that should be hatching soon?

I have a reptile thermo. I assumed it was good enough and ready. I’m not sure how to do the salt test but I’d try it.
It’s a homemade incubator. It’s a styrofoam cooler and a light abs some water and a thermo. And holes for vents.

No not last minute. Just need to know it for this batch as last two batch didnt make it.

My humidity. That I know. Has been good. I’ve kept it closer to 60 usually. No higher than 70. I know it’s good because last egg the membrane looked good so I assumed it’d have an easy time zipping but it never got to.

And yes I had two die after popping (one after zipping) in the shell and I had to break them both out and noticed the yolk was still not fully absorbed. I’m not sure if the temp is causing this but If it’s uncommon for this to keep happening and it keeps happening I need to trouble shoot. I have a batch in the lockdown now at 20 days. And I’d like to get them to hatch

 

[Debbie292d]

I run my incubators at 30-35% percent humidity and only raise it to 50% on hatch day. Not before and never higher.

Kiki is this called the dry hatch I've heard about? I want to try edge myself lower on the humidity but too "chicken" to try it.

 

[Debbie292d]

I got one of those reptile thermos as I thought they were the more accurate but I only have to one. The first one o had retained too much heat and read it too high.

As for them hatching with yolk still attached idk. They both started popping at day 22 so it was over time I assumed. They never made it out of the shell they both popped and one zipped then just. Passed. When I did and eggtopsy I noticed they both had part of the yolk still absorbing on their bellies.

OH, sorry, I had misunderstood and thought the ones actually hatched with part of the yolk.
I don't see how anything you did would have caused it unless your temp or humidity gauges are off too much. We can be off by a degree on either side or the humidity can vary as long as not too low to dry them out or too high and drown them.

Do you thoroughly sterilize your incubator before putting new eggs in it? Bacteria can kill chicks. Are these eggs from your chickens or purchased? I ask because another variable is the health of the hen(s) who laid the egg(s).

 

[DovesFlock]

OH, sorry, I had misunderstood and thought the ones actually hatched with part of the yolk.
I don't see how anything you did would have caused it unless your temp or humidity gauges are off too much. We can be off by a degree on either side or the humidity can vary as long as not too low to dry them out or too high and drown them.

Do you thoroughly sterilize your incubator before putting new eggs in it? Bacteria can kill chicks. Are these eggs from your chickens or purchased? I ask because another variable is the health of the hen(s) who laid the egg(s).

Ahhh yea my bad. They never really hatched they just got really close. And I fear helping out too early so I wait 24 hours and by then they had already passed. The first egg might have been too much humidity I had my humidity higher then because I saw conflicting humidity amounts and thought it should be like 70-80. I clean the inc after every hatch batch.
Health wise they should be good. I had 3 layers but 1 stopped recently. The of two laying rn 1 was bought from a local lady who advertised them and the other was bought from a tractor supply. And the Roos were from the local lady as well. So idk if the ones from the local are related or got bad genes because she kinda just sold them to me. I was also completely knew to chickens so I was just excited to get chicks. Seeing as one was supposed to be a buff but is more like a white /buff mix maybe. So who knows on genetics but health is good.

 

[Debbie292d]

Ahhh yea my bad. They never really hatched they just got really close. And I fear helping out too early so I wait 24 hours and by then they had already passed. The first egg might have been too much humidity I had my humidity higher then because I saw conflicting humidity amounts and thought it should be like 70-80. I clean the inc after every hatch batch.
Health wise they should be good. I had 3 layers but 1 stopped recently. The of two laying rn 1 was bought from a local lady who advertised them and the other was bought from a tractor supply. And the Roos were from the local lady as well. So idk if the ones from the local are related or got bad genes because she kinda just sold them to me. I was also completely knew to chickens so I was just excited to get chicks. Seeing as one was supposed to be a buff but is more like a white /buff mix maybe. So who knows on genetics but health is good.

Yeah, I'm thinking if you had humidity up at 80% you might have drowned them. We all live and learn though, so don't kick yourself.

I just set 12 fancy silky eggs we went to get from a breeder today that had an emergency sale. Otherwise, I was planning not to hatch any until spring, as now these have to live in the brooder in the house through the winter. What was I thinking lol.

Anyway, I set it how I always do and just play it safe. 99.5F, 40-50% humidity until lockdown, then pull the turner and crank up the humidity to 60-70% but no higher than that. Once you get this down to having success in your incubator in your home, you'll be set from then on!