Setting eggs on FEB 10

[my sunwolf]

Thank you Cowgirl and bugglesmommy for your support! From the comments I received, seems like it was an egg health issue, combined with the fact that 18 were infertile to begin with. 10/19 of the eggs that I set were dead in the shell, and 8 of these were very well-developed chicks. It was not good and it could have been any number of very detailed things that maybe I missed, such as incorrect calibration on thermometers.

I definitely want to do an Easter hatch! I'm going to set some old (5-10 days old) mutt bantam eggs from a friend and some newer (1-5 days old) olive egger eggs from my Ameraucana roo over five of my girls (an EE, a white rock, two production reds, a sex link). I want to try to keep the humidity up a little higher, and get a better thermometer. Hopefully things will go a little better next time around.

 

[bugglesmommy]

I'm hoping my first experience with shipped eggs doesn't end up as a bust. May my eggs be graced with gentle postal workers!!

I sold 5 of my Millie fleur chicks and I'm keeping the other 4. Its a small chicken loving world. The person I sold my chicks to is the same Guy that sold me my Polish hens. Didn't realize it until we met to get him the chicks. I'm also selling the 3 blue cochins that hatched but keeping all of the rest.

 

[CowgirlHC]

OK did the float test and 1 was DEFINITELY passed away as per the description in that thread you posted....thanks again btw! The other 3 was fluctuating between middle floaters and high floaters, but according to that info 45% or so of the egg should be above the water and just the very tip of the air sack end was, so I dried them off and put them back....just in case. I did an eggtopsy on the one (with pics) and it was a pretty developed chick but the egg yolk wasn't dissolved. It apparently was my buff orp roo over my barred rock hen....a peep I was hoping would hatch but didn't. I can post the pics if anyones interested, but yea they're graphic of course. My husband bought me a digital from walmart therm/hygrom and apparently there's about a 2-3 degree difference between the regular mercury thermometer that came with the bator and the digital. My humidity was a little lower than preferred, which I guessed by how tough the egg shell and membrane was to pip. I put the other 3 in to wait it out another day or 2, then calling it quits. At least now I have better equipment to see how to get the calibration a little more exact. Apparently something started out right or they wouldn't have developed as far as they would before passing. Anyone interested in pics I'll post. Buggles and anyone else, since we have to set this weekend for our Easter hatch, do we want to just keep this thread going?

 

[my sunwolf]

... do we want to just keep this thread going?

I vote yes

 

[bugglesmommy]

Yikes! A 2-3° difference is definitely not good.
It's amazing what a chicken can do with her butt! Its such an exact science.

We can keep this thread going unless if you want to make a new one.

 

[CowgirlHC]

We're all already here, lets just keep going. That's my 2 cents for what it's worth lol. I did an eggtopsy, anyone want to see? Also, I have my hygrometer going and cannot keep the humidity any higher than 40-49%. Should I put plugs in, take them out, what should I do???? I'm trying to get this regulated before our Easter hatch.

 

[bugglesmommy]

I'be read that decreasing air to up humidity is a bad idea. Could you get a humidity pump or humidifier? I'm not sure. I live in Louisiana. Before I started incubating I never thought I'd have trouble with LOW humidity.

 

[Bellurd]

I have 3 pips from all of the olive egger eggs! One pipped on the wrong and she made a huge hole. The other two pipped in the perfect position. Still waiting on some action from the marans!

 

[bugglesmommy]

I have 3 pips from all of the olive egger eggs! One pipped on the wrong and she made a huge hole. The other two pipped in the perfect position. Still waiting on some action from the marans!

Awesome! Keep an eye on your wrong end pipper in case it needs help. Sometimes they can get out on their own.

 

[Bellurd]

Thanks Bugglesmommy, I certainly will!

I'd also love to do a hatch with the eggs from these chicks next year. That would be so neat!