First of all, we have been hatching peafowl eggs for 3 years now. We started out with a purple pied white eye trio. We hatched out 25 chicks of 35 eggs that were laid that year in a table top hovabator. Then, the following year we added more trios of different colors. Again we continued using table top bators to hatch them out. At first we had chicks pipping then dying until we had a bright idea to place a small ac into the window of our garage to help keep a constant temp in the garage and helped to keep humidity stable and turned eggs manually. Low and behold we had such an awesome hatching rate. Then, we took the profits from last year and purchased a GQF 1255 incubator + hatcher from a local emu breeder for only $150. The bator and hatcher keep a relatively constant temp. The eggs are standing the trays with small end down and the bator has an automatic turner. We had to take the AC out because of it leaking the water into the wall. The bator and hatcher are at 99 and relative humidity down in Texas is high enough without water @ 50-65 %. The bator and hatcher have 6 holes for ventilation at top and bottom. We have been keeping all 6 open for better ventilation. WE have box fans going in there to circulate air. Some days humidity does go down to about 35% at the hottest part of the day. NEEDLESS TO SAY , this has been our worst year at hatching eggs. I am beginning to lose my patience with these eggs. The good thing is that these eggs don't cost me a dime but through the sale of their offspring I buy food, vitamins, wormer, etc for the birds. This is a hobby for myself and my children. If anyone could give suggestions I would much appreciate it.
