No chicks hatched in 2 incubators

[Ilovemyduckies]

The eggs will take 2-4 days to hatch. This time, do not help them unless it has been 24 hours and they still haven't done that much.

 

[Babecknmama]

I have a Brinsea octagon and a Hova Bator with fan I just bought for the ameraucana eggs I just bought. I sprayed the eggs before putting them in the incubator with Oxine solution and I spray the nests, cages, chickens faces daily with Oxine. The ameraucana eggs were due yesterday--only 6 were still possible out of 16 and of those I checked this morning and saw slight movement in only 1, but I did not hear any sound. I usually can hear the baby moving around in the shell.

About a week before hatch, I candled the eggs and saw in some of them the air space was way too large for the development date. It was at that time I started getting worried that things were not going to be good in that incubator also. I have the incubators in a utility room closet and the vent in there is almost closed off so the air flow in constant.

Sorry about your lav roo, I had 2 at one time and now am down to one. Dont know where you live but I know Angie in Schertz Tx did have lavenders at one time. Dont know if she still does. Good luck and thanks.

 

[BooBear]

Sorry you are having rough hatches. My Ameraucana eggs are not doing so great either.
Only 1 hatched out of 12; however, the silkie eggs that I had in there with them I got 5 out of 6.

Hope your next hatch is successful for you.

 

[Babecknmama]

Thanks---I have never had this happen before. Going to disinfect the incubators and start over and I may do some research on dry incubation and try that route.

I love cats too! And chicken too! Much to my husbands dismay!!

 

[Sharisr32]

The first thing when people have trouble hatching that I ask is where is the incubator - watch for shaking - This may not be obvious at first - Location is half the battle then - temp was anything different - Humidity do you measure that -- after killing enough eggs to be noted as a egg killer

I found that following Hatching rules were never going to get me a hatch - I do not measure humidity and I dry hatch (Ohio /PA boarder) I do not take eggs out of the turner and I do not turn it off - I can hatch pretty much anything not following the rules lol - Including Calls and Geese - testing that now w/two Seb eggs - I had many make to like day 20 and die in shell had one two day growth -it was awful I also had my incubator on a Solid Oak Stand - The found when anyone walked in my house the eggs shook just a little I know Hens roll them but the shakes aren't the same time - just don't give up not setting eggs means no hatch ever

 

[Babecknmama]

So you have good success with dry hatch? I live in a very humid area and we have had like 10 inches of rain the last 3 weeks. I cannot tell you I have not accidently hit the incubators and shook them. i Ido have a humidity indicator in the bators and I kept it around 50-60 percent thinking that is what I was to do. I'm not giving up but this was pretty bad, no babies at all out of about 40 eggs.

 

[thebanthams]

I failed twice, due to high humidity. 40%- to 50% . Third times a charm ! 4 little chickies, I did the dry method, no water, but humidity reads 20% , during lockdown, I add very little water, and it reads 70% .

 

[Babecknmama]

Thanks a bunch--that is encouraging. I was feeling pretty miserable killing all those chicks.

 

[seminolewind]

I apparently have big problems in my incubators None of my eggs are hatching.

. In my Brinsea I have lavender silkie eggs and in new Hova Bator are lavender ameraucana eggs I bought. Almost all of them started developing fine, but then some of the silkie embryos died around day 9 or 10 of development or on day 18 or just before pip. . Several I helped hatch--one lived for a week but had leg problems. Not one of my lavender silkies has llived. The ameraucana eggs started developing fine but about 5 days ago I noticed the air pocket in some of them was way too large for the develpment stage. In some there was movement. Today is hatch day, and no movement in any of them and in some the air space is in the small end. This is so heartbreaking. I have been hatching eggs for years and have never had this kind of loss. Have tried to keep the humidity between 50-60 percent and the temp on both as close to 99.5 as I can get them. Does anyone have any suggestions. The lavender are from my own flock and I give them grain, greens to eat -- put vitamins and probiotics, ACV in their water.

I would stop all the chemicals. It sounds like your temp could be off, too cool if the air sacs are too big. Try temps at 100.5. Mine do hatch the perfect size with temps close as possible to 100 degrees on the higher side, not lower.

One time I trusted my auto temp bator, and at 7 days, the air sacs were so big, I double checked the temp with a thermometer, and found that the temp was actually 99 degrees!!!!!!! They did catch up, but it wasn't a very good hatch.

I have always kept humidity at 30 degrees for 18 days then 65-70 for lockdown. Also rotate the eggs daily, outer ones towards the middle, and inner ones toward the outside. There are microclimates in them incubators.

I also have preset incubators, also glass thermometers inside, and a spot check.

I have auto turn in my rcom eco, but the eggs lay flat, and I have had a few breech that I never had hand turning, so I'm going back to hand turning.

Keep bators in steady heat rooms. With my Hova, I drape a piece of bubble wrap over the bator to steady temps even more.

Hope this helps.

 

[halo]

I think you are making this way too difficult. Think of what a hen does, no spraying, no chemicals, dirty eggs, she gets off every day for a while to eat drink and poop. Stop the spraying with any chemicals, as said before, double check your thermometer to make sure your temps are accurate, calibrate your hygrometer, if you must use one, to make sure its accurate, dont overdo the humidity. Better too low than too high, for incubating, and for hatching. People hatch eggs in the most primitive set ups, so just dont over think this.

I have stopped using hygrometers, because they were making me crazy. I incubate in a Genesis; I add water every now and again during the first 18 days. I hatch in the Brinsea. I put the eggs in there at 18 days, fill the channels with water, close the lid, and dont to anything more. Remember, once the chicks start to hatch, the humidity will rise on its own due to the wet chicks.