Setting Eggs 12/27 Anyone else?

[Reyvaughn]

So Im pretty upset right now. I have been fighting with my incubator to keep the heat up everybody since I started lockdown. It has been as low as 95.7° but is sticking to 96-97° and I cant get the darned thing to hold any heat higher than that. The humidity is sticking to 65-70% so I dont know what to do. I have a feeling my little egg isn't going to make it. I'm trying to find a new wafer heater but it wont do me any good for this hatch. I have more eggs in the bator that are 2 weeks behind the egg in lockdown and the way things are going, I'm going to lose them too. I had the incubator running consistently for a couple days before I put any eggs in and it was still doing great until yesterday. Does anyone know if there is a way for me to try and get the heat up to normal without replacing the wafer? I don't have a broody so unless something is done quickly, my first attempt at hatching will be a total fail.

Don't give up yet! Just let them be for an extra couple days. You may have a delayed hatch, but 96-97° doesn't mean they will die. Keep trying to find a fix, just don't turn it off unless you can't run it anymore (or it quits totally).

I can't wait for lock down! Just a couple more days!

 

[ajcress]

So Im pretty upset right now. I have been fighting with my incubator to keep the heat up everybody since I started lockdown. It has been as low as 95.7° but is sticking to 96-97° and I cant get the darned thing to hold any heat higher than that. The humidity is sticking to 65-70% so I dont know what to do. I have a feeling my little egg isn't going to make it. I'm trying to find a new wafer heater but it wont do me any good for this hatch. I have more eggs in the bator that are 2 weeks behind the egg in lockdown and the way things are going, I'm going to lose them too. I had the incubator running consistently for a couple days before I put any eggs in and it was still doing great until yesterday. Does anyone know if there is a way for me to try and get the heat up to normal without replacing the wafer? I don't have a broody so unless something is done quickly, my first attempt at hatching will be a total fail.

what type of bator are you using again? I have heard some will put a decent size river rock to help hold the heat?? i dont know I have never tried it. I pray everything goes well for you and your peepies!!

 

[Delilah1337]

I have a hova bator, i cant remember the model but its the one eith 2 smaller viewing windows. I finally got the heat up but Im not sure it worked in time. Hatch day is tomorrow so I guess I will see what happens. If the temp does drop again I may just try the rock idea for the rest of the eggs, it sounds like a great idea!

 

[just2rosey]

Well, I just started lockdown. My daughter and I candled the eggs one last time, put in the shelf liner, and added a wet dish towel to get the humidity up. I am waiting now for the temps to come back up so I can tell if my humidity is right. All ten eggs are looking good right now, so we will see how they hatch.

Well, I am afraid that both of my Christmas chicks are roosters.

I am sure the Ameraucana x Sussex cross is a rooster, it is trying to crow or something and it is only 2.5 weeks old.

The little cochin baby has the beginning of wattles, and they are a touch pink.

Really???? Good Grief!! This was my luck last year. Hatch after hatch I got 4 roos for every pullet!!

I hate to think of having another year like that! I sure hope I can start hatching some pullets soon!!!

Deliah, how are your eggs doing? did you get your temps right? Any signs of hatching yet?

 

[Delilah1337]

Im have the heat at 100° pretty consistantly so I am just praying the little guy will be ok. I haven't seen any kind of change, no movement or sound. Since this is my first hatch Im trying not to get my hopes high, Im waiting until Monday before I believe the bad news to be correct

 

[ChickenPrnces]

Anybody have any good ideas about getting humidity up? I have the reservoirs full plus a half a sponge in a full little bowl of water, half a sponge on the rack across from the other one, a facecloth folded in half and layed over the reservoirs, underthe wire rack, soaked and darn near half the bottom of the bator full of water! Still can't get above 62%! If I can't get it up is 60% - 62% ok to hatch in? They were at 40% - 50% for the whole first 18 days!

 

[Reyvaughn]

Well, I candled and of the original 24 eggs shipped to me, 18 made it to lock down. The other 12 sent are four days behind these guys and I only have 7 of those now. I did put them in lock down a day early because these seem to come early (day 19).

 

[ajcress]

i would say that the humidity should be good.. thats where Ihad mine with the still air I used.. not too sure with this cabinet... good luck!!

 

[ajcress]

well alrighty fellow byc'ers!!! I have found myself in the bator, yet again.. and moved around some eggies to the hatching bin.. I candled and got to see some peepies moving around

so exciting! I just have a led flashlight. I could only imagine what i could see with a really good candler! I have NEVER seen a peep move this late in incubation in all this time I have been hatching!!

so with this said I am happy to say that the final count is 28 eggs. I will be mostly hatching these for my cousin however I am going to keep the sexlink female because he doesn't carefor them!!
I however do have a question... when Iput these eggs in the hatching tray.. should I put them in a rack to keep them upright as they have been during the hole incubation process? this will be my first hatch from the new bator. I attempted one before during Christmas but had a selection of problems that now have been worked out. I as of right now do not have any egg cartons so I have used an extra rack for the turners. I know this will cause a big mess on these so I still have time to switch them into cartons as soon as I get out tomorrow morning.
I have the still air lg incubator and always let the eggs lay naturally and hand turned them etc... nothing changed forthe hatching process. I just dont want these to get knocked around. thoughts and tips are greatly appriciated!

now for the not sooooo fun part... I have removed a very stinky egg..

I didn't smell it in the bator BUT I sure am smelling it now while I am attempting to post this message

I am sorry for the rambling.. I think I may be half asleep!!

Goodnight everyone!! and please keep us all updated with news and most of all those cute little pictures we all are going to love to see!!!!

happy hatching

 

[ajcress]

oh my goodness... I almost forgot.. I set 12 bbs ameracauna eggs.. 2 of them I am not to sure about but we will see what it brings in the 7th day!! ok good night yet again!!