Nervous and looking for some hand-holding!

[Shaun]

After another failed hatch in our HovaBator a few weeks ago, I am anxiously awaiting a hatch in our Brinsea Octagon 20 with the humidity pump. I put the eggs in on the 4th at 10 at night, so I'm expecting a hatch on the 1st or thereabouts. There are 8 eggs with a couple of chix eggs I threw in at 1 week after candling. At one week all eggs showed embryo development.

Since then, I've left them alone, I haven't weighed them or disturbed them at all. They are at 99.5 degrees and 45% humidity. I plan on taking the eggs out of the rocker cradle on the 30th. I'll remove the dividers at that time as well.

But... the eggs sit on a foam sheet over the floor grid- should I remove this? I plan on doing that, as it seems as if it would be hard to clean later. Should I replace it with something else? Paper towels? A piece of a blue pad used in hospitals?

When I posted after my failed hatch, I got various ideas on what the humidity should be.

I've always thought the humidity should be high, we've had eggs where the poults would pip, but not make it out and we found the membranes tough and dry, and we always had trouble getting the humidity up in the HovaBator. So... I guess I'm going to try 65%? I must say I've been really impressed with the humidity pump!

I've decided to leave the temp alone, unless someone here tells me that's a horrible mistake. I'm afraid to change too much of anything at this point after so many bad experiences.

Today I sterilized the old HovaBator and plan on using it as a brooder for the first day or two. Will turn it on on the 30th so I can make sure it's all ready for the poults I hope will hatch.

And if all I get is 2 chickens.... I'm gonna sit in the middle of the floor and cry

 

[thaiturkey]

Do the eggs get turned?

 

[ColbyNTX]

I keep my turkey eggs at 99.5 deg with 50% humidity for 24 days. On the 24th day, I take them from the bator and move to the hatcher at 98.5 deg at 75% humidity. Turkeys and ducks need the higher humidity and it won't hurt your chicken eggs. I always hatch chicks or keets with my poults. I never have to help out chicks or poults. I also never open the door until they are done or you will dry them out.

 

[Denninmi]

Shaun -- I don't know if I would replace the foam liner with paper towels -- I think air needs to flow all around the incubator, even underneath the egg tray, and paper towels aren't as porous as the foam. But, FYI, you can buy the very same kind of foam at hardware stores or the hardware department of most stores. It's sold as replacement filters for air conditioners. I bought a piece on clearance for $0.75 that is big enough to make 4 replacement tray liners. I just throw it away after each hatch and replace. Regular price was only $1.49, so even at that, it would have been very cheap.

 

[Shaun]

Thanks for the info - will look for those next time I'm at the home improvement store - having one I could just toss out would be great. However... may be a moot point now - see Disaster!