October Hatch-A-Long?

Iggybabe17 · Oct 27, 2018

BullChick said:
Apparently it wasn’t right (not said with attitude!)
To calibrate your hygrometer:

Mix 1/2 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of water in a coffee cup or other small container. It will be a thick mixture.

Put your thermometer/hygrometer into a large zip-close plastic bag with the container of salt mixture and close the bag completely.

Leave the bag undisturbed at room temperature overnight. Be careful not to let the water touch the hygrometer.

The next morning, if the the relative humidity in the bag measures 75%, your hygrometer is properly calibrated. Be sure to read the measurement while the hygrometer is still inside the bag. Removing the hygrometer from the bag before you take your reading will cause the measurement to change.

If the humidity is higher or lower than 75%, be sure to make note of the difference, so that you can add or subtract the difference during incubation. For example, if the hygrometer reads the humidity in the bag as 71%, then be sure to add 4% to your readings during incubation.(75% - 71% = 4% reading deviation)

Thank you

MichelleBelle · Oct 27, 2018

I got nothing out of this hatch. All my shipped silkie eggs are gonners. They developed well, one was internally pipped but died for unknown reasons, and the other 3 just stopped at what looks like day 18 or 19. I'm going to buy a Brinsea incubator and cross my fingers for better luck. Total bummer- was really looking forward to some silkie chicks.

BullChick · Oct 27, 2018

Sorry about that. You had better luck than many with shipped eggs.

MichelleBelle · Oct 27, 2018

BullChick said:
Sorry about that. You had better luck than many with shipped eggs.

Thanks. Totally agree- I don't think the problem was with the eggs- I think my incubator conditions aren't favorable for late stage development. This was the first time we'd incubated during cold weather, and I think the temperature inside my house (avg 59-60) may have been outside the limits that my incubator could handle. Bummer though it may be, it's a good learning experience. My boys have learned a lot about animal development by watching me candle at Day 7, 14 and 18- plus they're learning the valuable lesson that things don't always go as we'd like, and that troubleshooting is very often necessary to get desired results.