new to incubation

[BroodyBettysMom]

I'm using a Hova-Bator 1602N. My last clutch of 10 was hatched naturally. Only 8 hatched and almost 4 months later 2 remain surviving. Mom was not a good mom. Hence why I' m using an incubator and being the mom this time! I'm on day 20 with my first clutch. After candling only 11 passed inspection. I feel so nervous and anxious to see my first pip!

 

[BroodyBettysMom]

Still no pips! It is so nerve racking trying to wait them out! As soon as we have action, yall will know!

 

[ScottyTerrier]

Today is day 20 for my eBay egg silkies and I am just getting some pips. Upping the humidity I think is important. Try getting a little condensation on the hova Bator window . I don't think drowning chick is something to worry about at this point.

 

[BroodyBettysMom]

Today is day 20 for my eBay egg silkies and I am just getting some pips. Upping the humidity I think is important. Try getting a little condensation on the hova Bator window . I don't think drowning chick is something to worry about at this point.

I was honestly wondering about that. I have a lot of water trying to get some condensation going, even tried to up the temp. to about 102° thinking that may help with humidity. I'm in Mississippi and it is pretty humid here still.

 

[BroodyBettysMom]

I just put the two plugs back in hoping that'll help. I was told to remove them at lockdown though.

 

[ScottyTerrier]

I left my plugs in and so far hatching successfully, it helped me keep humidity up. I filled all water reservoirs and even put some hot wet sponges and paper towels (running hova Bator also) .I think you want the temps 98-99 now.

Like I said earlier I would not worry about too much humidity this late in the incubating. I think the drowning scare is irrational in lockdown even with 80%+ humidity. Could be wrong though

 

[BroodyBettysMom]

So, I added more water and turned the heat down just a bit. At 5:35 cst will mark 21 days! A part of me wants to peek in the shell and see what is going on!

 

[Drabbits]

Hello everyone, my name is Diana, I'm a newbie here,up untill now I've just been following,this is my first time incubating chicken eggs.today is day 21..And I'm a nervous wreck!!! To say the least,I live in northern Michigan and humidity is not the greatest. Mornings have been chilly.so keeping humidity and temperature up has been a struggle for me. out Of all I've been reading I've been doing. And I must say it's all very helpful.but like I said..it's day 21 and no action inside the incubater.(little giant still air) I have done everything I'm supposed to be doing. (I hope) from removing the last plug on day 18 and upping the humidity.I Should say trying to keep humidity up.first morning after lockdown temperature in my house dropped and I found that the humidity in the bator had dropped to 45%.I realize being New to this that the odds are stacked against me. I'm extremely stressed out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BroodyBettysMom]

Drabbits, I understand your pain! No movement, pips, or peeps! I don't have a hydrogemeter because I didn't know I really needed it seeing we're so humid here. I'll tell ya! It's making me a nervous wreck, peeking through the windows, looking crazy chirping at eggs! Aaaggghhh! Lol

 

[suliah]

Hello everyone, my name is Diana, I'm a newbie here,up untill now I've just been following,this is my first time incubating chicken eggs.today is day 21..And I'm a nervous wreck!!! To say the least,I live in northern Michigan and humidity is not the greatest. Mornings have been chilly.so keeping humidity and temperature up has been a struggle for me. out Of all I've been reading I've been doing. And I must say it's all very helpful.but like I said..it's day 21 and no action inside the incubater.(little giant still air) I have done everything I'm supposed to be doing. (I hope) from removing the last plug on day 18 and upping the humidity.I Should say trying to keep humidity up.first morning after lockdown temperature in my house dropped and I found that the humidity in the bator had dropped to 45%.I realize being New to this that the odds are stacked against me. I'm extremely stressed out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Also in Michigan, I did 2 hatches this summer (first got 4 of 20, 2nd got 15 of 27, way better) and what I learned is that humidity during the incubating needs to be LOW, like 30% and it's hard to get that low in Michigan! I also bump it up at lockdown to 70-80%, haven't had a chick drown yet. I think high humidity early is what killed off my first batch.

Just turned my incubator back on today, gonna throw a batch in just in case my 2 broodies don't hatch anything so I'll have some chicks to give them.

I will say though, at 21 days if you've got nothing you might want to try candling, then the float test. My hatches were all done by the end of day 21... everybody who pipped on day 20 hatched, 1 pipped on 19 and died in the first batch. Nobody pipped after day 20. they were all DIS.

Float test is warm water (their temp) put the eggs in the water. If the chick is alive you will see the egg wiggle. If not, likely your chick didn't make it.