Need Help!!! Cant hatch eggs :(

[farmerRyan]

My 10yo son has very few interests but about a year ago he took a serious interest in chickens! Since I try and encourage all activities that interest him, we have spent a good number of hours at chicken shows and swaps. He has even bartered a few times to get new chicks! Anyways, this spring, after a loose dog killed our beautiful silkie rooster, we decided we would try and hatch some silkies. Ry and I did hours of research and then set the eggs, nothing hatched. We decided to try again and I ordered another dozen silkie eggs, we candled them last night on day 16 and there is nothing. This is getting very upsetting. As a parent, I really want my son to be successful and learn.

For the life of me, I cant figure out where we are going wrong. Here is our set up

Turn-x incubator
Temp 99-100
humidity - 55%

Any help would be appreciated!!

Also, if anyone knows where I can get some silkie eggs, I would like the info!!

Thanks is advance!!!

-Charles

 

[thebanthams]

maybe they werent fertilized? I prefer dry (low) humidity for the first 18 days then increase humidity during lockdown.

 

[farmerRyan]

maybe they werent fertilized? I prefer dry (low) humidity for the first 18 days then increase humidity during lockdown.

I ordered the eggs from ebay and was told they were fertile????

 

[folgerrd]

Well there are the auctions on here, Craigs list, and you can look up your local hatchery. I don't order eggs, I bought chicks, but I did consider doing that for awhile and during my research I have heard a lot of people say shipped eggs have a lower success rate. By there is nothing do you mean they have not yet hatched or you couldn't see them while candling? I assume you mean the latter but I want to be able to help so it's good to cover all my bases. Also, chicks don't always make it, I have heard some say on their first hatch they bought plenty of eggs(all fertile) and one or two would make it. And if that's a common case who's to say being chickless after a hatch isn't?

 

[folgerrd]

Quote: Ebay isn't the best place to be ordering eggs from, the person could be very far(making the hatch rate lower) or just swindling you.

 

[farmerRyan]

I candled them last night, day 16, and there was no development. There was just a small darker circle, which I read is bad.

 

[folgerrd]

I candled them last night, day 16, and there was no development. There was just a small darker circle, which I read is bad.

yup. I suggest buying from somewhere else or looking into your incubator, it might be that particular brand isn't as good as others. Also make sure your bator isn't near a window or drafty area. Or in a high traffic area.

 

[cmfarm]

Do you have silkie hens? If so maybe you should just buy a new rooster and hatch some eggs that way. If not look on craiglist under eggs, or fertile eggs and you might find someone selling fertile silkie eggs.

 

[gabrielle1976]

What kind of incubator do you have. I would suggest getting another good thremomater just ot make shure on the temp and check the temps during times of the day when its hotter or colder inside your house just ot make shure but I would guess its the eggs. Shipped eggs have less of a chance of being good and people on Ebay especally if they dont have a HIGH feed back rate could possibly just trying to get peoples money. I would look at the buy trade sections and the swap sections here and also go to the state section here maybe someone from byc lives close enough for you to pick up or to meet somewhere to get some eggs or chicks or even a rooster. Lots of people have roosters they will sale or give away here as they cant have them or can only have a certian amount.
On a side note you could always for fun do a store bought egg hatch while your tracking down silkie eggs , if you have a trade joes , whole foods , or good organic store with fertle free range eggs. Its often a fun experament theres actually a group going right now .
Good luck make shure to ask any questions that may come up.

 

[farmerRyan]

Thanks for the info!

I just ordered a new hova bator 1602n with turner. I've also purchased a new thermometer at wally world.
Lastly, I ordered a few silkie eggs from this site and hope to put it all together next week!!

Now I'm trying to figure out humidity and temperature for the new incubator. Seems everything I read has a different opinion.