Set our second hatch Saturday 5/12/12

[Avonshire]

Yeah but 4 hours later that pip has not moved. No little beak pecking/peeking out and none of the other eggs are doing anything. My hatch day is almost over. I guess we will just be a little late? Maybe I need my bator hotter??? I have read if they hatch late then the temp is too cool during incubation. I thought I sufficiently increased it but maybe not? Ughhh this is feeling a lot like my first bad hatch. I hope things turn around!!

 

[Beckymca]

Hang in there!!! I'm hoping to order 1 good thermometer that I can calibrate and figure the correct temps, as all 3 of mine read a little different. AND I should really calibrate for humidity too as the 2 I have also read differently. I dumped my remaining eggs this morning when I pulled the 2 dead chicks, maybe I should of given them another day or 2, IDK. I think it's a lot of trial and error. We all have our own differences, and it's a skill that takes time to master. Like types of heat, natural humidity, fluctuation in weather, like here in Maine it can be 90 during the day and 45 at night, so forth and so on.......

 

[Avonshire]

Yeah my pip still has done nothing. Not looking good. I know it can take 24 hours--but usually there is SOME progress. I am thinking they are all shrink wrapped--because of the dry incubation thing. I hate that I condemned them all and had another bad hatch. I guess time will tell. I do have 3 more pips but they pipped and then that is all they have done in 3 hours. So the first has done nothing in 9 hours other than pip and the 3 new ones have done nothing other than pip for 3 hours. It is like they pip and then expire. Ugh!

 

[Beckymca]

What is your humidity running?

As we speak my 2 hygromters are being calibrated so I hope this helps next time. I will know by morning just how off they are. Tomorrow I'm going to calibrate my thermometers, I have 4 bulb type and 2 digital, they are part of the hygrometers, so it will be interesting to see.

I'm hoping you have good news to post soon!! Sorry things are not moving right alone for you!

 

[Avonshire]

my humidity is 65-70. Sometimes it dips below to like 62 and I increase it.

 

[Avonshire]

OK I have a baby--can you believe it???!!!! And another egg pipped right after this baby hatched. It happened so fast!

 

[Beckymca]

Keep em coming Avonshire!!!

I found some interesting information this morning!!! My hygrometers were off a little, one registered 3% below, the other 5% below, actual readings. So they have been marked and findings noted, but........

If you do the math my chicks came pretty early. Calibrated 4 of my bulb thermometers this morning and 1 is accurate, the others are running 4* higher than they should be, so when I think I'm holding at 99.5 it is really, 103ish...... Hmmmmmm. Currently working on findings for my digitals, which always seemed to run so low, but maybe they were the correct ones...... IDK. I think good equipment is a must!!!

Learning more everyday!!! Hopefully this will help me make better choices and increase my hatch rate for next time!!!

 

[Beckymca]

WAIT....... Not enough coffee.... I need to think about this more, lol......

1 thermometer read 32* in ice water, the other 3 read 36* so I need to add 4*?!?!?!?!?!? Not subtract?!?!?!?!

Oh my, too many hours at work and not enough sleep lately.

If it reads 36 and it should be 32, by the way I just double checked and this part is correct, than it was off by 4* but I'm not awake enough to figure this out, lol......

 

[Avonshire]

The higher temp is probably why they came earlier! So I set up skype last night. I took my phone to bed and watched the chickies. from bed. I even saw one hatch this morning at 6. So I have 3. 2 pips from yesterday have done nothing--BUT they pipped close to the bottom of the egg--wrong place. One of those actually has a claw out of the pipped hole. I also have 2 more pips in the right place! I think my first two are rir or rir/leghorn mixes and then the 3rd is an EE. I started with 23 eggs, 5 quit early one me, 3 have hatched, 2 pips look bad, 2 good pips. The rest are up in the air!!

 

[Beckymca]

There seems to be sooooo much to learn still, for me at least!!!!

I posted looking for more info on temps and got some good feedback on the temp thing. Posted made the point that ice water is still not freezing point. The 3 reading 36* are likely on spot at 36*, maybe the 32* one is off not the others, grrr.......................

I work late tonight won't be home until 9:30 to 10pm, hoping to see you post lots of good news!!!!!!!!!