Need some assistance from other HIGH altitude hatchers...ASAP!

[WyoChickenMamma]

This is my first attempt at hatching shipped eggs. I have three sets of shipped eggs that all come from an elevation of less than 800 feet above sea level to my house which is about 5600 above sea level. I had read that humidity should be bumped to avoid moisture loss, but wasn't really sure where to set it. I started my first bunch of eggs out 8 days ago. I candled around day four and they looked perfect. I candled again last night and something just didn't look right. That is when I noticed the air sacs where huge, and I didn't see movement. Then it dawned on me that it could be from too fast/excessive moisture loss. I had the humidity set at 45%, the temp at 99.5. So we moved it to 65%. I just don't know if that is right or if I should be doing something else???? Those eggs that are on day 8 are in one incubator and in another I have eggs that I set on Saturday evening. I moved the humidity up on that incubator as well.

So what humidity do you have your set? What about at lockdown? Should I just keep it at 65% now throughout or bump it up a bit more doing lockdown? That seem so high, I don't want to drown them.

I am using a Brinsea Octogon 20 Advance EX and a Brinsea Ocotogon 40 Advance EX. My first hatch was 100%, but they were local eggs that my neighbor gave me, so no issue with the change in altitude.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Well I read and read and read threads and articles yesterday searching for an answer. I really didn't find a specific answer. Seems there are just too many variables. I guess the best I can hope for is that I get some hatches with this batch.

 

[rosiethechicken]

I never read or paid attention to altitude issues.
I think your biggest issue would be shipped nature of eggs.
Altitude or not, shipped eggs generally suffer from all that shaking.

 

[coloradogal]

Have you had any answers? I just attempted a hatch with eggs from a lower elevation and had 1 out of 13 do anything. It seems to be similar to your problem. I am at 7200 feet. I am expecting in more and am now concerned that they won't make it.

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

I have read a lot of articles and I decided that I would try bumping the humidity up, to try to combat the rapid humidity loss. With the eggs I have going right now I had 10 silkie/showgirl eggs that arrived with all 10 having displaced air sacs. I started them right out at 65% humidity. But at day 8 I tossed 5 of the eggs...they just never grew. When I cracked them they were all just runny yolk. I think that was a shipping issue. It is so hard at this elevation. So I am going to try now to get eggs from other folks who are at high elevations. At least that will eliminate one of the variables. This weekend I actually drove nearly a 1000 miles to pick up some eggs. We made a fun family road trip out of it, but it is not feasible to do this all the time. I am really hoping that upping the humidity helps. I will post my results. I have some that are too hatch on Father's Day and then some to hatch on the two following weekends.

 

[crazygrltalking]

WyoChickenMamma,
Did you have any luck when you upped the humidity? I'm about to start incubating eggs and I'm at about 6700 ft. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.