Need some advice

[cptcaveman99]

So I incubated 26 eggs. 6 came out as they were infertile. 4 hatched normal, 4 had to be helped, stuck over 24 hours in the eggs. Ended up having to wash and dry the babies. One I must not have cleaned well enough cause she has feathers that are stuck together. Question, do I rewash her or just let them fall out. Also it’s her wing feathers plus some on her back. Plus with the last dozen I am going to recandle, and I have heard of a water test to see if the last are alive. We are at 23 days and no pipping. So any help would be great.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So I incubated 26 eggs. 6 came out as they were infertile. 4 hatched normal, 4 had to be helped, stuck over 24 hours in the eggs. Ended up having to wash and dry the babies. One I must not have cleaned well enough cause she has feathers that are stuck together. Question, do I rewash her or just let them fall out. Also it’s her wing feathers plus some on her back. Plus with the last dozen I am going to recandle, and I have heard of a water test to see if the last are alive. We are at 23 days and no pipping. So any help would be great.

Sounds like you need better control over your incubation parameters. Maybe your temp or humidity are not reading accurately?

I would probably unstick the wing and leave the rest alone... but NEVER ever heard of having to wash and dry babies like you describe.

Did you use extra hygrometers or thermometers? Did the ones you helped hatch on day 21?

If you didn't move your eggs around inside the bator for even development... you might get some late hatchers. Honestly, this late is usually not good for their viability even if they did manage to hatch.

Congrats on your babes that made it!

 

[cptcaveman99]

No just what came with my incubator and I used a auto turner. But humidity may have been off. It’s really dry in my house. And trying to keep my cats away from the incubator has been hard. Put them in a closeable room but temp dropped, had them in the bathroom but humidity was up and down. Trying to keep that even control has been an issue. Then after the first one hatched, it was egg football. So being new I of course pulled the new ones as soon as they were dry enough. Maybe opened the incubator too much but I had extra wet towels and sprayed the inside to bring the humidity back to 70-75%. 99-102 for temp.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Maybe opened the incubator too much but I had extra wet towels and sprayed the inside to bring the humidity back to 70-75%

Hard to say. But it's not about bringing the humidity back up that creates it being ok. The problem is when it's very warm and humid inside the bator and you suddenly open it the rush of cold air and rapid loss of humidity shrink wraps the chick. I tried to look up a video of potstickers or raviolis cooking so you could see the action. But none I saw showed this effect despite the fact I have seen it many times with my own eyes. Now I could be wrong about how the whole thing happens or why.. but I think you might get the idea.

When I do open my bator during lock down, I keep towels draped around the outside hanging over and down and reach my arms up underneath... to keep the warmth and humidity from having that rapid change. It seems to help.

70-75% really is too high I think. Maybe even have condensation on the top? You don't want it dripping. A few percent difference in humidity won't usually hurt the embryos. A few degrees though, is life and death.

Egg football is very um.. hard to watch... but very common. I do wonder how it effect some embryo's. Sometimes I grab the soccer stars. Other times I don't. Not sure what guides my decision, but we all do have to make it sometimes.

External hygrometers and thermometers are HIGHLY recommended as some incubators have been off by as far as 9 degrees. This WILL be key to getting your best hatches possible.

I use extra blankets on the outside of my bators as my house simply isn't warm enough. Making sure not to cover any vent holes. Some people like to use a closet or a larger card board box setting over the bator, leaving room for air circulation still.

Pics of your new babes always welcome!

 

[cptcaveman99]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. The hatched ones are doing well. Got some pasty butt issues on my Cochin but nothing a few more bum dunks shouldn’t take care of.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. The hatched ones are doing well. Got some pasty butt issues on my Cochin but nothing a few more bum dunks shouldn’t take care of.

Ah, so cute!