MARCH Hatch-A-Long 2015: Please Read the First Post to JOIN the H-A-L

[DRGLENNON]

wE HAD LOTS OF MOVEMENT ON OUR DAY 14 CANDLE.
I think one of the pure free range jap. bantam eggs has quit on us, it may have been too old since I had just happened across the nest at the farm.
or it may be those are just difficult, I had lots of difficulties with them last summer.
so we left it in just in case, but I'm going to call it 19/20 going into next phase.

 

[scflock]

I think I'll get the Eco and if that goes well I can upgrade maybe next year. Thanks again for your help.

I think if you have a second thermometer and hygrometer to double check the unit's accuracy, you will be extremely pleased with the results

 

[bramblefir]

I would wait until day 23. Then, if no one is pipping, candle and do eggtopsies.

 

[scflock]

I would wait until day 23. Then, if no one is pipping, candle and do eggtopsies.

X2

 

[LeMasterParty]

Candled 2 nights ago, we had 2 that stopped developing what looks like a few nights before ... they were much smaller.. one polish ( we opened it , baby was beautiful black and white ) and one black silkie ( opened it and chick was pretty measly )

Lock down starts tonight... I'm freaking. It's my first hatch...

 

[paris_r]

I'm at day 21, no pips no peeps. I think I killed my hatch.

Air cells were too large at day 14 but there was movement in several. I increased humidity and aircells looked better by lockdown. My LG can't keep up with humidity changes. It's not to offend I use heat where I live but there was a few cold nights and when I woke up humidity was 16. Next time I will put a humidifier in the room. DH told me to invest in a better incubator. I'm so frustrated I can get 100% hatch on my eggs and I can't get a shipped egg to hatch. How long should I give these to hatch? I'm not too hopeful since there isn't even a peep.

What is a good small incubator? I can't afford a large cabinet model.

i have 2 LG's running right now, and my actual hatch rate is pretty good but i usually have to assist since i have some serious temp fluctuations due to an after market fan and living in a trailer w/o central heat. aside from a recent spike from the fan that resulted in viable embryo deaths (and unknown effects on the still live ones). with the large air cells early it is good you bumped up the humidity to help them recover, but the time they spent with lowered hydration may also have slowed development. do you have a strong flashlight?--like 100+ lumens? that will let you see as long as your eggs arent too dark, if your chicks inside are alive and moving. with shipped eggs i have gotten as little as 100% non hatch and have yet to open those to see if they were even fertile. if the breeders animals arent getting along then there is noting you could have done. shipping will do many things, but the whole 'xray' supposition as a cause is debatable as when i spoke to my local post office they said they dont do that...detached air cells are a common shipping problem and may need assistance to hatch. try candling your guys and if you see movement or hear weak peeping, try assisting. if the membrane is dried then chick is also probably dehydrated and weak.

keep in mind cooler temps increase hatching time and older age of egg increases it too. i know hens age also increases hatching time. did you have the air vent plugs in for the first 18 days? is this a circulated air model?

 

[DRGLENNON]

I would wait until day 23. Then, if no one is pipping, candle and do eggtopsies.

Thanks, I did see 1 egg move. Maybe I'll get a late arrival. I think the second humidity drop on day 13 did me in. There was still movement in 5 I could see at day 14.

 

[DRGLENNON]

i have 2 LG's running right now, and my actual hatch rate is pretty good but i usually have to assist since i have some serious temp fluctuations due to an after market fan and living in a trailer w/o central heat. aside from a recent spike from the fan that resulted in viable embryo deaths (and unknown effects on the still live ones). with the large air cells early it is good you bumped up the humidity to help them recover, but the time they spent with lowered hydration may also have slowed development. do you have a strong flashlight?--like 100+ lumens? that will let you see as long as your eggs arent too dark, if your chicks inside are alive and moving. with shipped eggs i have gotten as little as 100% non hatch and have yet to open those to see if they were even fertile. if the breeders animals arent getting along then there is noting you could have done. shipping will do many things, but the whole 'xray' supposition as a cause is debatable as when i spoke to my local post office they said they dont do that...detached air cells are a common shipping problem and may need assistance to hatch. try candling your guys and if you see movement or hear weak peeping, try assisting. if the membrane is dried then chick is also probably dehydrated and weak.

keep in mind cooler temps increase hatching time and older age of egg increases it too. i know hens age also increases hatching time. did you have the air vent plugs in for the first 18 days? is this a circulated air model?

I added a fan so it is circulated air and the plugs were out. I have the incubator in a small bathroom and had covered the heat vent. The heat/air vent got uncovered and by the next morning humidity was 16% (hence dh offered to buy new incubator)

I've never hatched in the winter. I was really surprised how much more difficult it was to keep humidity up. With heat at night and air during the day it was just too much fluctuation. Day 18 I could not see movement but some eggs look full and dark and I could see a few veins.

 

[poult]

I'm at day 21, no pips no peeps. I think I killed my hatch.  Air cells were too large at day 14 but there was movement in several. I increased humidity and aircells looked better by lockdown. My LG can't keep up with humidity changes. It's not to offend I use heat where I live but there was a few cold nights and when I woke up humidity was 16. Next time I will put a humidifier in the room. DH told me to invest in a better incubator. I'm so frustrated I can get 100% hatch on my eggs and I can't get a shipped egg to hatch. How long should I give these to hatch? I'm not too hopeful since there isn't even a peep.

What is a good small incubator? I can't afford a large cabinet model.

Sponges work well in incubators too,spraying them is good to.Sometimes they need to be spread twice daily for them to get enough humidity.I kept my humidity at 47-52% then at lockdown 60-65%

 

[LeMasterParty]

Okay, I'm mid way through day 18...... do I need to wait until tonight and candle? Thend removed turner and wait? After turning up the humidity? Freaking out here lol