November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[MrsJenSmith2007]

here is the dry hatch method: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method
this is what I'm using this hatch (day 3)

what incubator do you use again? sorry I know you told us once but I get confused!

We made a homemade foam cooler bator. It is still air. I'm thinking of installing a fan before next hatch. Also, I always question my vent holes. We made 4 holes, 2 in the top and 2 on the sides near the bottom. Each is about the size of a dime. I never know is that enough air?? Too much?? I mean, in a cooler bator I think you get some air flow just from the lid. We have started a bator made from an old mini-fridge. It is out of a convenience store (used to sell energy drinks) so it has a glass door on the front. We just haven't gotten around to finishing. I'm trying to decide if I want to put like a hot water thermostat or something in it. Also haven't decided on fan type OR how I am going to ventilate. Also plan to rig something to make hand-turning easier. But anyway...back to the bator I am currently using. It can hold about 20 eggs. I hand-turn (hubby and I take turns). I run a 60 watt bulb in the top. I run a digital thermometer/hygrometer as well as a regular thermometer (type that used to be mercury, vertical, don't know how to describe...lol) and a dial hygrometer made for reptiles. The digital thermometer appears to be WAAAAY off. When my regular says 102 my digital says 111. I used an oral thermometer in a glass of water and it matched closely to my regular thermometer, not the digital. We do keep it tho as a back up to my hygrometer. I have metal mesh stuff in the bottom of the bator. During lockdown (and much of the hatch) the walls were pretty much lined with wet paper towels to raise humidity. Hopefully I have explained it well enough. Any pointers are appreciated! Thanks everyone!!

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: I'm thinking the humidity was high....try running your temp closer to 100 then you'll be right down the middle....and the humidity around 25 to 35 % for incubating and 45 to 55 for hatching...I don't add any water unless it dips below 25% then just a spoonful at a time until it's where I want it! start with fresh batteries in your hydrometers...plural!!

 

[Farmer Viola]

We made a homemade foam cooler bator. It is still air. I'm thinking of installing a fan before next hatch. Also, I always question my vent holes. We made 4 holes, 2 in the top and 2 on the sides near the bottom. Each is about the size of a dime. I never know is that enough air?? Too much?? I mean, in a cooler bator I think you get some air flow just from the lid. We have started a bator made from an old mini-fridge. It is out of a convenience store (used to sell energy drinks) so it has a glass door on the front. We just haven't gotten around to finishing. I'm trying to decide if I want to put like a hot water thermostat or something in it. Also haven't decided on fan type OR how I am going to ventilate. Also plan to rig something to make hand-turning easier. But anyway...back to the bator I am currently using. It can hold about 20 eggs. I hand-turn (hubby and I take turns). I run a 60 watt bulb in the top. I run a digital thermometer/hygrometer as well as a regular thermometer (type that used to be mercury, vertical, don't know how to describe...lol) and a dial hygrometer made for reptiles. The digital thermometer appears to be WAAAAY off. When my regular says 102 my digital says 111. I used an oral thermometer in a glass of water and it matched closely to my regular thermometer, not the digital. We do keep it tho as a back up to my hygrometer. I have metal mesh stuff in the bottom of the bator. During lockdown (and much of the hatch) the walls were pretty much lined with wet paper towels to raise humidity. Hopefully I have explained it well enough. Any pointers are appreciated! Thanks everyone!!

okay.. here are my thoughts on maybe what went wrong...

it sounds like you had trouble keeping the humidity up, so you went to extreme measures (how many paper towels did you use? lining the walls sounds like a lot?), and that resulted in too-high humidity (excess condensation).

I think the root cause might be excess ventilation, like you were saying. if too much air exchange is happening, it will be very hard to maintain proper humidity and temp. I will take some pics of my ventilation holes in this foam incubator so you can picture what a storebought foam one would look like.

so if you can, less ventilation, and then run the bator for a while and see if you can get humidity to sit at consistent levels. I really like using pieces of sponges (I cut 1 up into 4) because I can easily remove to adjust. I now know that I need 1 sponge piece for day 1-18 and 4 sponge pieces for lockdown to have the right humidity. but yours might be different.

with your incubator empty, practice setting the humidity at 2 ranges, 40% and 65%, then time it to see how long it takes to fall. That would give me a better idea of whats going on


edit:
no idea if this will help.. but here are the holes in my storebought bator to compare to the holes in yours:



my husband says the large holes are 1/2 inch (you could use a 1/2inch drillbit he says) and the small ones in red are 1/8th inch

the 1/2 inch holes come with plugs which I dont use

 

[DeannaA]

Max is soooo big. I have been asked many times, how is he in the car? Usually he sits on his crate in the passanger seat. He looks out the window or he sits near me. He likes to sit on my hand but I only let him at stop lights or stuck in traffic. If we have been out awhile and it starts to get late, he has this really sad pathetic cheap that means he wants to sit on my lap. He is very still, so I let him.

Max in the car.








Max on his crate.


Max on my lap.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

Hydrometer: (hī-drŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
An instrument used to determine specific gravity, especially a sealed, graduated tube, weighted at one end, that sinks in a fluid to a depth used as a measure of the fluid's specific gravity.

Hygrometer: (hī-grŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
Any of several instruments that measure atmospheric humidity.

I'm an automatic proofreader. I can't help myself.

 

[Heidisgran]

Hydrometer: (hī-drŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
An instrument used to determine specific gravity, especially a sealed, graduated tube, weighted at one end, that sinks in a fluid to a depth used as a measure of the fluid's specific gravity.

Hygrometer: (hī-grŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
Any of several instruments that measure atmospheric humidity.

I'm an automatic proofreader. I can't help myself.

don't bother proof reading my posts you should see what my texts turn out to look like!

 

[Heidisgran]

Max is soooo big. I have been asked many times, how is he in the car? Usually he sits on his crate in the passanger seat. He looks out the window or he sits near me. He likes to sit on my hand but I only let him at stop lights or stuck in traffic. If we have been out awhile and it starts to get late, he has this really sad pathetic cheap that means he wants to sit on my lap. He is very still, so I let him.

Max in the car.








Max on his crate.


Max on my lap.

he's so big! what a pleasure to watch him grow up!
are you hatching? if so what?
how are the babies that you bought? pics?

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

Hydrometer: (hī-drŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
An instrument used to determine specific gravity, especially a sealed, graduated tube, weighted at one end, that sinks in a fluid to a depth used as a measure of the fluid's specific gravity.

Hygrometer: (hī-grŏm'ĭ-tər)

n.
Any of several instruments that measure atmospheric humidity.

I'm an automatic proofreader. I can't help myself.

I don't take it personally. My sister is an English teacher and test writer (I'm an elementary school teacher) so basically I lived with a proofreader most of my life. Our mom was also a teacher. To this day if I send an email or text I occasionally get an edited version back. LOL But did I write hydrometer?? I didn't even see where I did. I do know the difference, if I did write that. lol Sorry!

okay.. here are my thoughts on maybe what went wrong...

it sounds like you had trouble keeping the humidity up, so you went to extreme measures (how many paper towels did you use? lining the walls sounds like a lot?), and that resulted in too-high humidity (excess condensation).

I think the root cause might be excess ventilation, like you were saying. if too much air exchange is happening, it will be very hard to maintain proper humidity and temp. I will take some pics of my ventilation holes in this foam incubator so you can picture what a storebought foam one would look like.

so if you can, less ventilation, and then run the bator for a while and see if you can get humidity to sit at consistent levels. I really like using pieces of sponges (I cut 1 up into 4) because I can easily remove to adjust. I now know that I need 1 sponge piece for day 1-18 and 4 sponge pieces for lockdown to have the right humidity. but yours might be different.

with your incubator empty, practice setting the humidity at 2 ranges, 40% and 65%, then time it to see how long it takes to fall. That would give me a better idea of whats going on


edit:
no idea if this will help.. but here are the holes in my storebought bator to compare to the holes in yours:



my husband says the large holes are 1/2 inch (you could use a 1/2inch drillbit he says) and the small ones in red are 1/8th inch

the 1/2 inch holes come with plugs which I dont use

The pic does help. Prior to this hatch I got advice from here about vent hole size> Hubby did 4 with a 1/2 inch drill bit. I ended up covering 2 of them the entire hatch to maintain humidity and temp.Your theory about the paper towels is pretty dead on. The humidity must be low in my house because I noted at one point that in my BROODER it was HIGHER than my BATOR full of damp towels??? How is that?? I kept thinking how does ANYONE get these to 70%??

I'm thinking the humidity was high....try running your temp closer to 100 then you'll be right down the middle....and the humidity around 25 to 35 % for incubating and 45 to 55 for hatching...I don't add any water unless it dips below 25% then just a spoonful at a time until it's where I want it! start with fresh batteries in your hydrometers...plural!!

I don't know. I had 2 in there, one digital and one not, and both read the same. Maybe I need ANOTHER? Because I worried constantly about humidity being too LOW because they never read about 55%.

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: well you haven't had much luck with what you've tried...the description I gave is what I do...even with shipped eggs I have about 80% hatch. with artificial incubation there are only guidelines not exacts....
the last several days you are suppose to uncover the vent holes
I'm the one the wrote "hydrometer"
I believe from what you've described that both your temp and humidity are too high.....did you look up the "brinsea" web site? it has a wonderful trouble shooting chart that describes what could have happened....
there are wonderful people on the byc that have lots of experience with artificial hatching...it would behoove you to get advice from any one of them! well meaning newbies can direct you to some informative reading but haven't yet had to trouble shoot their own undiscovered issues !!!

 

[sjshaw1980]

OMG - Deanna I am in love with your turkey!!! Will post more pix of Booger running around. I tried the sock diaper thing but I think it was too big for him and he got out. Then proceeded to poop on Matt (ha ha!!!) will try again now he's grown some.
I also have this little chick stuffed toy I gave him for company and I think he's made friends with it.