pip and die

[SportChick]

Quote:
See these kinds of posts is what lead me to buy the Brinsea Octo 20. That thing is completely stupid proof. I have wandered off for DAYS and not looked at it and had a great hatch.

Sorry I cant answer you....

Well, if I screw this hatch up, then maybe I will upgrade. Unfortunately I am doing my first hatch with shipped BCM eggs. I live in town and can't have dozens of chickens so I'm only going to get a few shots at this (if it works) so I didn't want to start with something that wasn't what I really wanted. Oh well, expensive follies. There are worse things.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

I always keep my humidity between 75% and 78%. Put a sponge in there!!!

 

[pgpoultry]

Hi, Hope you managed to get some healthy chicks.
I agree with the other posts, the humidity was too low, however, I have had eggs pip but not hatch under a broody, so there are other factors at play. (The broody MUST be at the right humidity!),
Sandie

 

[shelley8971]

I have a Styrofoam incubator (LG) which also has the 2 plugs for ventilation. I always leave the one plug in and i haven't had any problems hatching eggs with it. It has tons of small holes on the top and bottom for air to get through.

 

[lotzahenz]

I think BCM's are some of the hardest eggs to hatch, as they have very tough membranes. Lots of folks feel they should be left alone, but I tell you it IS prudent to help them if needed because the humidity is so difficult to maintain for them to hatch in a bator. I watch them while hatching, and if a pip lasts too long, I carefully chip away the shell, to help it zip then leave it be, if hours go by i then slowly pop out the chick, stopping if any blood at all shows up, waiting and then a few hours later helping out a bit more. The key is to go slow and keep those membranes moist, but not wet. Ah, it is so hard to imitate nature, but even the hens have trouble some times and I have way more chicks hatch and brood safely with bator/brooder than with broody. Maybe my BCM broodies are just not wise enough yet, as they are first year hens. Good luck, don't give up, soon you'll be hatching eggs eazy peazy. HenZy

 

[SportChick]

Thanks HenZy. I may be asking more detailed advise in about 3 1/2 weeks. My eggs are arriving next week. Planning to take the day off on the 21st day. I might be sending you a few questions that day.

 

[Lotsapaints]

I have been doing the "dry hatch" method I try and keep my humidity at lock down 65% the hatch I just finished I had a hard time getting it to 62% and I added a sponge. I just helped 2 turkeys out that were zipped and had their head stuck under the wing I don't get that and when I got them out they were not sticky either but they had been like this all day. They did more than just pip though some times they can drown when they first pip inside and that's from too high humidity and sometimes when you open up an unhatched egg it never pipped but looks like that's all it needed to do so it could hatch. I have had more Marans eggs that do that than any other kind but with shipped eggs anything over 50% is great and right now I have 7 hatched one other pipped from 9 in lock down and that humidity was easy to keep at 65% these are Cuckoo Marans. You just never know the more you hatch the more you learn. Be careful though I think it is an addiction and much more fun than going to the store and buying chicks.