Low Hatch Rate

[Claires Poultry]

See if this helps:
Testing/calibrating incubator thermometers and hygrometers.

Thank you! I read the article.
We have a temperature gun for checking the temp of our fireplace and my dad said that I should check the temp in the incubator with it. He thinks it should be pretty accurate but I don't weather or not it is for sure.
I haven't tried it out yet, but I am concerned that it won't be 100% accurate because I will have to take off the lid of the incubator and shoot it with the temp gun and by the time I take off the lid the heat will escape real quick.

 

[Kiki]

Thank you! I read the article.
We have a temperature gun for checking the temp of our fireplace and my dad said that I should check the temp in the incubator with it. He thinks it should be pretty accurate but I don't weather or not it is for sure.
I haven't tried it out yet, but I am concerned that it won't be 100% accurate because I will have to take off the lid of the incubator and shoot it with the temp gun and by the time I take off the lid the heat will escape real quick.

I have used one of these before.
I would not trust it either...mine was off buy a lot.
I'll go find it and tell you the exact brand/model asap.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I got the bator out of storage and I cleaned it with soap and water 3 times and with vinegar 2 times so I am hoping it is pretty clean now. My only concern is that there are all these little cracks and crevices that are really hard to get into and clean. They are probably harboring bad bacteria. I have gone over best as I can with a rag dampened in vinegar but some places are just impossible to get to.
Let me now if you have any suggestions. Thank you! Here is a picture of the hard to get to places.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I must not be keeping things clean enough, I'll have to try harder.

From here I can't tell anything that you are doing wrong. Just to make sure we are on the same page a rotten egg is one that has that horrible rotten egg smell. If left alone just a short time it can explode or it may start seeping a really rotten liquid through the porous shell. I've never had one in an incubator. The only time I had one under a broody hen was when an egg was broken and that egg material got on the other eggs. That was a zero hatch rate. For you to be getting some just doesn't sound right with the precautions you are taking.

Usually some of the eggs hatch the day they should and some hatch the day after. Every once in a while they will hatch on the 3rd day but rarely.

It sounds like your incubator may be running just a tiny bit cool, but not cool enough to cause that big a problem with hatch rates. When I got mine it was running warmer than it should and I had chicks pipping three days early with the complete hatch over before the day early. I still got above a 70% hatch. I reduced the incubating temperature by a full degree and the timing improved but they still were a tad early. You might try increasing your incubating temperature maybe 1/4 of a degree to see if it helps timing but that is not your problem with low hatch rates.

If you have an old-time medical thermometer that can be used to calibrate your thermostat/thermometer. Those should be calibrated. Shake down the medical thermometer and put it in the incubator with your regular one. The medical thermometer only shows the high and sticks there so watch that. I had trouble finding an old time medical thermometer that could be used. Now they are all new and improved which works taking your temperature but not calibrating another one.

You might call your county extension office. They should calibrate pressure gauges used for pressure canners, usually for free. They might calibrate your hatching thermometer for you but ask if there is a cost. All it costs you is a phone call to find out.

I am on the same page with you and I have had rotten eggs in the incubator before. I know it right away because I can smell it. Then I have to find it and get it out right away so it doesn't spread.
I don't have a medical thermometer either.
I will tell my mom about calling the county extension office.

 

[Claires Poultry]

I started collecting hatching eggs today. The nesting boxes are all clean and so is the coop.
I have 19, 2 year old Black Australorp hens, and 1 that will be a year old this year. There are 2 Black Australorp roosters with them, one is a 2 year old and 1 will be a year old this year. They are the ones I am collecting the hatching eggs from.

 

[aart]

Eggs can start developing when ambient temperatures reach 72°F.

That low?!

 

[007Sean]

That low?!

Yes, that low. That's why it's not good to get shipped eggs in hot weather. The eggs will start incubating, when they arrive, the common practice is to let them settle. If you let them settle in a cool room, you have effectively killed the developing embryos.
For this reason, I put the eggs immediately into the incubator. They can settle in the incubator with the turner off.
If you need to see documentation supporting this, I'll post it.

 

[Stephine]

Yes, that low. That's why it's not good to get shipped eggs in hot weather. The eggs will start incubating, when they arrive, the common practice is to let them settle. If you let them settle in a cool room, you have effectively killed the developing embryos.
For this reason, I put the eggs immediately into the incubator. They can settle in the incubator with the turner off.
If you need to see documentation supporting this, I'll post it.

Interesting! I would like to see it.
Many people keep their eggs (for eating) on the counter not the fridge and 72 is within the range of normal living area temperatures...

 

[007Sean]

Interesting! I would like to see it.
Many people keep their eggs (for eating) on the counter not the fridge and 72 is within the range of normal living area temperatures...

Here's one, It's a PDF file, on second page under Temperature and humidity during storage.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=20&ved=2ahUKEwiQzfzIgrPhAhUsnq0KHa0UBLEQFjATegQICBAC&url=https://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/posc/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2012/08/EPS-001-Incubating-and-Hatching-Eggs1.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1oMdjCJe4UpAOJQUPWgz31

Here's another stating at what temperature the egg will stop developing, 21°C = 69°F
https://www.petersime.com/hatchery-development-department/egg-storage

Here's another:

https://books.google.com/books?id=e...hUKEwjW59iJirPhAhVPQq0KHf82Ap8Q6AEwE3oECAkQAQ

 

[Stephine]

Here's one, It's a PDF file, on second page under Temperature and humidity during storage.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=20&ved=2ahUKEwiQzfzIgrPhAhUsnq0KHa0UBLEQFjATegQICBAC&url=https://aglifesciences.tamu.edu/posc/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2012/08/EPS-001-Incubating-and-Hatching-Eggs1.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1oMdjCJe4UpAOJQUPWgz31

Here's another stating at what temperature the egg will stop developing, 21°C = 69°F
https://www.petersime.com/hatchery-development-department/egg-storage

Here's another:

https://books.google.com/books?id=eIFRAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA513&lpg=PA513&dq=72°F+and+egg+development&source=bl&ots=1lLJt3n-F1&sig=ACfU3U30TZnP-BEg2n4q6TVh4lNfTTpbcQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW59iJirPhAhVPQq0KHf82Ap8Q6AEwE3oECAkQAQ

Thanks! Good to know.