Second time just as hard

[ScottyGill]

I hatched 5 out of 12 eggs from my first time incubating, 2 didn't make it. I thought I'd learnt a lot. I also wanted more than 3 chickens so decided to try again. Feeling way less stressed, due to believing I knew more what I was doing.

I'd struggled with humidity at first last time, then realised we don't need any water so honestly thought just leave it as humidity was naturally 35-40% But our weather has changed and we're 80% humidity in the house. Yesterday realised it was 58 in the box. My box seems great for temp and turning and space but has no vents. So I've popped a toothpick in. I fear my air cells are slightly too big but I'm going to take a photo and add so someone can maybe help me. I had two infertile, 2 quitters and last nights
Candling looked like another 2 dying. One has a saddle air cell.

I'm hoping for 3 again. what in mostly learning is this is hard and shipped eggs add to that

 

[ScottyGill]

Here are the eggs. Three look fine. Three look an odd shape. Do they look too big for 10 days?

 

[The_BirdNerd]

They look fine to me, do you know what breed of chicken those eggs are from? It may help you know what the hatching and fertility rates are but I can’t promise you that every egg will hatch. Sorry, I’ve never hatched eggs myself but I know how difficult it is.
Good luck!

 

[ScottyGill]

They look fine to me, do you know what breed of chicken those eggs are from? It may help you know what the hatching and fertility rates are but I can’t promise you that every egg will hatch. Sorry, I’ve never hatched eggs myself but I know how difficult it is.
Good luck!

Cream legbars and blue and black marans. I chose these as those were the two types that hatched successfully from a mixed batch. However so far it looks like I only have one viable Legbar. I’ve been reading about assisted delivery. I did one assist the last time and I’m so glad I did. I don’t feel my fumbling first attempts with an incubator should seal the fate of chicks if they need a little more room to turn etc. The huge benefit of my humid outside temp is nothing awful will happen if I open it I hope.

 

[ScottyGill]

Air cells at start of day 19. ARe these ok?

 

[Doublete]

I hope you have them on lockdown?
I lock down at day 19. Stop turning. Humidity at 63-65%.

At this point it doesn’t matter... just leave them in and hope!
I have legbar eggs in myself..
And I will say brown eggs are HARD to see through so you can sometimes not tell... just leave them

Smell! If it smells bad it’s not viable

 

[ScottyGill]

I hope you have them on lockdown?
I lock down at day 19. Stop turning. Humidity at 63-65%.

At this point it doesn’t matter... just leave them in and hope!
I have legbar eggs in myself..
And I will say brown eggs are HARD to see through so you can sometimes not tell... just leave them

Smell! If it smells bad it’s not viable

Yes they are. I took turner out yesterday and experimented how best to raise humidity. I have an excellently candler that can see through maran egg so so have seen the process. Saw lovely strong veins on day 14

 

[Erba]

following your hatch!

I candled mine on Monday. So far ten eggs are developing well, despite my having had to fiddle with the temperature on the new incubator, (way too low then way too high) now its perfect and I have written the setting with marker on it, in case I forget. The eleventh egg was a spotty calcium egg and did not develop. The three test eggs in the broken HDD makeshift incubator, I'm going to candle this evening and see how they look.

Second time around is a big difference for me. Not checking temp/humidity/eggs every hour!

 

[Trish1974]

Good luck with your hatch @ScottyGill. I too have had problems hatching (in an incubator) this year and have also struggled with humidity. Luckily my hens stepped up to the broody plate and started hatching for me. I had a 30% hatch rate in the incubator, 85% hatch rate with broody hens.

 

[ScottyGill]

Good luck with your hatch @ScottyGill. I too have had problems hatching (in an incubator) this year and have also struggled with humidity. Luckily my hens stepped up to the broody plate and started hatching for me. I had a 30% hatch rate in the incubator, 85% hatch rate with broody hens.

Yup I'm looking forward to letting my hens do it in future. Hoping to keep my leg bar cockerel so with these Marans I will be able to have little olive eggers. The one I currently have who is now 4 weeks old has her dads quiff.