Serama eggs & new Brinsea 'bator...

[heyheypaula]

Thanks everyone! My incubator right now is running really well although humidity is lower than I would like. My incubator is near my radiator which just diffuses heat and under my desk to be away from the drafts of the windows. I just wicked a paper towel into one of the wells so I'll see how it goes. I'm going to set my eggs tomorrow, which will be 24 hours that they've been sitting fat end up. I just candled all of the eggs and I can't believe it! I'd say maybe one or two of my Serama hatching eggs had a detached air cell but most of my Silkie eggs did. It's interesting because I ordered both sets of eggs on ebay from different sellers. The Seramas came from Mass and were packaged really well. The Silkies actually came from NY which is where I live but weren't packaged as securely. They did almost double my order though so that helps lessen the sting slightly. I ordered 12+ Silkies and received 21 eggs. Fingers crossed for a good hatch regardless!

 

[Purpletie3]

@hey hey...you may see those air cells re secure themselves. Sometimes they do. I am not sure if you thought about not turning them for a bit once you set them in the incubator...while the ones with intact air cells get turned 3+times a day?

 

[heyheypaula]

@purpletie I was planning on not turning the eggs in the incubator for 24 hours. In the past I've gone as long as three days but I'm not sure how much that helps. I was just reading a hatching article that says turning the first three days is critical to a successful hatch so who knows. I have the Brinsea octagon so you actually tilt the whole incubator which is nice because you don't have to open it and lose your temp and humidity.

 

[Purpletie3]

@hey... That makes it easier! Good luck!

 

[heyheypaula]

Thank you! So, I set my eggs yesterday and managed to squeeze 31 in my incubator. 4 of the silkie eggs cracked pretty badly when i was trying to place them inbetween the bars brinsea gives you to place them upright. I've never had that happen before, their shells must be really weak. It's okay though because I couldn't fit them anyways. I'm having more trouble than anticipated however with my humidity. I can't keep it above 40% for very long. Both wells are full and i wicked a paper towel across half of it. I also placed folded paper towels at the ends of a few of the rows so the eggs would sit snuggly and I dampened them a bit too. Yesterday it started at 46%, then dropped to 38%, 36% and 32% this AM. I'm irritated because I want it to stay at one constant humidity rate. So what do you guys think? Cut up chunks of sponge? Shamwow strips? I ordered a humidifier for our room/house off of Amazon but it won't arrive until Tuesday. Maybe if the outside environment is less dry the incubator won't have such a hard time?

 

[Purpletie3]

Ambient air humidity and temperature definitely matter. It has to draw in that air and then heat and humidify it. Which Brinsea are you working with?

 

[heyheypaula]

It's the Brinsea octagon eco. I added a bit more water to the paper towel and now it's 40%. I hate having to open the incubator though.

 

[scflock]

It's the Brinsea octagon eco. I added a bit more water to the paper towel and now it's 40%. I hate having to open the incubator though.

I'm surprised you are having that much trouble, especially wicking. You said you had it near the radiator. Could that be the problem? Hate to ask an obvious question, but is your air vent closed down to 1/3?

 

[heyheypaula]

Scflock, yes my air vent closed all of the way, there is still a small crack open. Maybe you're right about the radiator. It's okay for now I'm just not sure what to do for lockdown! I'm hoping the humidifier will solve the problem.

 

[scflock]

Scflock, yes my air vent closed all of the way, there is still a small crack open. Maybe you're right about the radiator. It's okay for now I'm just not sure what to do for lockdown! I'm hoping the humidifier will solve the problem.

That just really surprises me. It has to be extremely dry ambient air. I'll bet the humidifier will help