I have an incubator full of eggs. My hatch last month in my home made incubator with fan and egg turner was excellent. All eggs that developed hatched.
On this hatch, about day 15/16 I noticed flickering light coming from the incubator. .... and I eventually decided to check out why- and it was that the lightbulb was loose. It just needed a quarter turn. But it could've been effecting the heat for days, and I just didn't notice. I have two thermometers in there, one that controls the thermostat and another at egg level to tell me temp and humidity.
They never agree, but are always very similar. One reacts quickly (if I open lid it goes down immediately) and the other is a slower, delayed reaction. I think this combo is great. HOWEVER, it is possible that I didnt notice that the temp was low for a couple days .... maybe light was supposed to come on and didn't because bulb was loose etc...
Yesterday I woke up to 2 chicks, and another hatched around noon. No other pips since then!!
Should I candle?? There are 34 more eggs in there, and other than a handful that were too dark/blue to candle properly on day 18- all looked alive and well 4 days ago.
Humidity has been 60-74 % and I have not opened incubator until this morning to put the 3 chicks into the brooder.
I think its time to intervene.... or at least soon... it is day 22 (I put them in a warm incubator at 5pm on Dec 4).
I'd love advice form those with a ton of hatching experience.
On this hatch, about day 15/16 I noticed flickering light coming from the incubator. .... and I eventually decided to check out why- and it was that the lightbulb was loose. It just needed a quarter turn. But it could've been effecting the heat for days, and I just didn't notice. I have two thermometers in there, one that controls the thermostat and another at egg level to tell me temp and humidity.
They never agree, but are always very similar. One reacts quickly (if I open lid it goes down immediately) and the other is a slower, delayed reaction. I think this combo is great. HOWEVER, it is possible that I didnt notice that the temp was low for a couple days .... maybe light was supposed to come on and didn't because bulb was loose etc...
Yesterday I woke up to 2 chicks, and another hatched around noon. No other pips since then!!
Should I candle?? There are 34 more eggs in there, and other than a handful that were too dark/blue to candle properly on day 18- all looked alive and well 4 days ago.
Humidity has been 60-74 % and I have not opened incubator until this morning to put the 3 chicks into the brooder.
I think its time to intervene.... or at least soon... it is day 22 (I put them in a warm incubator at 5pm on Dec 4).
I'd love advice form those with a ton of hatching experience.
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