low hatch rate

[MudberryFarm]

I would like to hear some opinions from the experts before I try again to hatch eggs using an incubator and not a bloody hen. For mothers day my husband bought me a small little giant still air incubator, egg turner and fan. It would be my first incubating experience. The only fertile eggs I had at the house were barnyard mix, so I traded a rooster for a few dozen Ameracauna and wyandotte hatching eggs from a friend and good breeder. We set up our incubator per instructions. Picked a decent section of the house, tho it was in a room with a ceiling fan, added a thermometer/hygrometer combo and set the eggs in and began my nervous wait. The temp stayed between 99-100 most of the time by day 8 I candled, had 18 out of 24 with veins and development etc. Moved the 6 iffy ones to their own tray but let them remain. At this point humidity has stayed without any sponge or water intervention around 50%. Lockdown happens. Tray is removed, fan inside incubator still going, sponges added, water added to reservoirs in incubator several times a day. could not get humidity to, or even over 60%. Several eggs pipped most chicks couldn't get out. 5 chicks ended up hatching, 3 assisted, 2 on their own. One of each has died. Several other eggs pipped but the birds were not able to hatch completely. I read on here several times not to intervene and I lost so many. I'm sure those 18 eggs were all good. So it's very disappointing to just have 3 chicks to show for it and quite a bit of shame. Was it the location of my incubator? Was it my humidity? Was it the ceiling fan?? Should I have taken the fab out of the incubator when lockdown started? I hadn't heard or read that...but maybe that contributed to my issues. I would love to try and hatch more chicks but I refuse until I know what my issue was and have it resolved! Sorry so lengthy I figured I would supply as much information as possible.

 

[sumi]

I'm so sorry to hear you had such a bad hatch. The possible causes for chicks dying after pipping is usually too low humidity, too high hatcher temperature, inadequate turning during the first 12 days of incubation, eggs stored too long pre-incubation, breeder disease or nutritional deficiencies in the breeders' diet, or inadequate ventilation, especially during the final stage when the chicks starts hatching. If the friend you got the eggs from is an experienced breeder I trust her hens will be healthy and well fed and the eggs will be fresh. And I guess it's safe to assume you did not turn the temperature up in the incubator once they starter hatching ;-). I think the humidity may have been the problem here. Ideally when the chicks start pipping you should maintain a humidity or 65%+, or you risk the inner membrane drying out and trapping the chicks. In a situation like that I would help the chicks, by "manually" dampening the inner membrane with a Q-tip. I had a problem keeping the humidity high enough in my incubator (Brinsea) and I got a good bit of advice here, on another thread: spread a clean, wet cloth in the incubator, wherever you have space, and keep it wet. It made a huge difference. I suspect the fan may have added to the problem you had with this hatch, but after trying out still air and forced air incubators I found I have better results in forced air models (with a fan). Try the wet cloth and see if that helps you with the humidity control. I'd also recommend calibrating the thermometer, to make sure you get accurate readings. Here's some more info on that:

http://cmfarm.us/ThermometerCalibration.html​

http://www.ehow.com/how_6672710_calibrate-digital-thermometer.html​

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[MudberryFarm]

My goodness! How helpful! The breeder I got them from is a very good friend. I know their chickens are well fed and tended. I may have waited a few days longer than I should have to put them in the incubator. I also did nothing but store them in the cartons I got them from the breeder in. I like the rag idea and the thermometer is a little old. Maybe I should recalibrate or replace it as well. Would the ceiling fan play a huge role? It was also suggested to me to try and mist the eggs occasionally with a water bottle. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[deejeff442]

is it a still incubator.you stated still then a couple sentances later said you left the fan on? i only just got done with my 1st batching and got 8 out of 10.i am sure there was luck involved. i have a still air. if you just pour water in the tray it didnt bring the humidity up so i got 2 small dish towels and soaked them in water and also a few paper towels. these are thinner and the water evaporates alot faster than just water sitting in the bottom tray.maybe try that? seeing i was a 1st timer i aint a pro just what i did. good luck

 

[MudberryFarm]

Iyas purchased as still air but had a fan attachment you could get. We used the fanhe entire.time. it must have been humidity

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not a long-term hatcher (2 years), but most now say that you should try to have humidity a bit drier--say 30-35%--during the first 18 days, then raise it to 60-65%. Your breed has a lot to do with it, too. I can hatch heritage RIR and German New Hampshires easily, but my ameraucanas and black copper marans have low hatch rates. During the hatch you must not open that incubator because shrink wrapping does happen.

 

[MudberryFarm]

How are you to up humidity without opening the incubator? This is where my issue lies I suppose. It stayed a pretty consistent 50% humidity the first 18 days but we live in a humid area that was without any water at all.

 

[kaybee123]

How are you to up humidity without opening the incubator? This is where my issue lies I suppose. It stayed a pretty consistent 50% humidity the first 18 days but we live in a humid area that was without any water at all.

At lock down I strategically place the eggs and the paper towels so I can use the holes for ventilation at the top to drop hot water on the towel and it won't hit the eggs to keep humidity up. Also when you are storing eggs, are you keeping the pointy end down and fat end up?

 

[Eggcessive]

How are you to up humidity without opening the incubator? This is where my issue lies I suppose. It stayed a pretty consistent 50% humidity the first 18 days but we live in a humid area that was without any water at all.

Do you mean lower the humidity? Our humidity in the Ohio valley varies quite a bit with the seasons, and when it rains. You might have better luck early in the spring or late winter.

 

[MudberryFarm]

At lock down I strategically place the eggs and the paper towels so I can use the holes for ventilation at the top to drop hot water on the towel and it won't hit the eggs to keep humidity up. Also when you are storing eggs, are you keeping the pointy end down and fat end up?

I do store them pointy end down but that was about the extent of my storage. They sat room temperature for about a week and then went in the incubator. So when I remove the egg turner for lock down I should place the cloth towels under the vent holes so I can moisten then without opening it? I think this is what I will try for next time. that and perhaps change the room it is kept in to one without a ceiling fan.