Now what do I do

[Inthegame]

I am fairly new to incubating [3rd] hatch. The first hatch went terrible, the second much better but in reading articles on BYC I hear that 85-90% hatch rate is what I should be shooting for. We kept the temp right on the money and humidity at 40-45% for the first 18 days. We are now on day 21 and I can hear chirping .I want to open that door so bad I can taste it. we have the temp.at 99-100 degrees and the humidity at 65%. Think thats correct. I am concerned that we have too many eggs in the hatcher because they are side by side. am I worried for nothing? I think we are supposed to stay locked down for two more days. What will I find when the door comes open?

 

[bigdawg]

ok. your on day 21. can you see in the bator? i guess you dont have a viewing window. i would wait until late day 22 and open it up and quickly grab all dried off chicks. then close it back up for another 12 hrs and open again and grab chicks. not being able to see in is a real bummer. if you can hear chirping there must be some hatched. good luck on your hatch. you are correct on temp and humidity.

 

[Inthegame]

No I can't see in--no window. I have everything purchased to build my own hatcher with window but have not started putting it together yet. In looking over past threads I had read one that said close the hatcher for 5 days and do not open it no matter what, The problem is I know I have too many eggs in there and now I'm worried about that. Should have thought about that earlier. Tomorrow is day 22 so you think I should do a grab and run on them tomorrow?

 

[bigdawg]

thats what i would do. most of the eggs that are going to hatch usally hatch within 24 hrs of the first egg hatched. but that is not always the case. thats just what i have noticed in all my hatchings. every time the bator is opened, precious heat and humidity escapes. witch could be why i dont have many hatch after i open it once. the only other thing you can do is have a spray bottle ready with warm water and a soon as you have the chicks out give the remaining eggs a good mist of warm water to keep them from drying out in the shell. they say a chick can survive 48 hrs without food or water, i just cant wait that long. just be ready and open and close it quickly.

 

[Inthegame]

Okay I will give it a go tomorrow. I appreciate the advice. I just hate losing chicks and sticking to the shell has been a problem for me. that is why I am trying to be so careful this time.

 

[bigdawg]

good luck. misting them with water should help keep them from getting shrink wraped.