Setting humidity in incubator?

[WVduckchick]

Sounds like its going great so far! Glad to hear it. I've also read that marans seem to like a little less humidity, so I'd agree with no water and around 30 for the next few days. Good luck, can't wait to see some pics next week!

What kind of Marans, and what other breeds do you have in there?

 

[tbone303]

Sounds like its going great so far!  Glad to hear it.  I've also read that marans seem to like a little less humidity, so I'd agree with no water and around 30 for the next few days.  Good luck, can't wait to see some pics next week! 

What kind of Marans, and what other breeds do you have in there?

Thanks, i got 11 blue, black, black copper,blue copper, splash copper and 5 wheaten marans. Got 6 cream legbar, 4 lavender orpingtons, and 2 blue orpingtons.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks, i got 11 blue, black, black copper,blue copper, splash copper and wheaten marans. Got 6 cream legbar, 4 lavender orpingtons, and 2 blue orpingtons.

Nice! Can't wait to see them. I have a group of lavender orpingtons.

Hatched in April. Here's their baby pic (the black on is a black/lav split)



This was at 3-4 weeks:



And my big cockerel now.

 

[tbone303]

Nice! Can't wait to see them. I have a group of lavender orpingtons.

Hatched in April. Here's their baby pic (the black on is a black/lav split)



This was at 3-4 weeks:



And my big cockerel now.

Nice! I like your rooster a lot. Are your lavenders of american or english blood?

 

[WVduckchick]

Nice! I like your rooster a lot. Are your lavenders of american or english blood? 

Thanks. American, I'm fairly certain.

 

[tbone303]

It is now day 19.5, took them off the turner yesterday. I did not candle, I wanted to get them back in the bator as soon as possible. Humidity is ranging from 60-63% temp is at 99.5. There is a slight smell coming from the bator, not as bad as the rotten egg in the first week. Do eggs give off a smell when in lockdown or are they completly scent free? When should I see eggs rock and rolling and chicks chirping in the egg?

 

[kuchchicks]

Eggs rocking mean that chicks are starting to work to try to get out. The chirping means that they have internally pipped and you will start to see external pips soon. Generally I have chicks hatching within 24 hours of an external pip (usually closer to 12-18 hours). I do notice an odor once my eggs start to hatch... don't know how to describe it, but not until hatching has begun. You may want to candle the eggs to look for movement or see if you can tell if one in particular is giving off a smell Also if you put the egg by your ear you will hear clicking when they peck the inside of the shell and the birds chirping. As long as you don't have any externally pipped you are fine to open your bator to candle them. Even after you have an external pip you are fine as long as your humidity is high enough and returns to that high point quickly once you close the bator up again. I generally run mine 70%-75% during lock down. You may want to think about raising your humidity if you think you are going to be the type of person who opens their bator during hatching for watchever reason. I like to remove my chicks and put them in the brooder as they hatch because I do not like them rolling the other eggs around. There are others that leave the bator closed until all of the chicks are done hatching. It is personal preference and you will probably get split opinions if you ask. You need to decide what is right for you. If you do raise your humidity a little though it will keep those membranes nice and moist so they do not dry out during your hatch. Good luck! This is the exciting part!!!

 

[tbone303]

Last night at 19.5 days there was no chirping or movement. Today day 20 chirping. Today day 20 at 9:00 chicks start to pip the eggs, right now there are 10 pipped out of the 28. Humidity is at 63%, I just filled the water troughs again I got water in all 4 now. Still have a rotten egg smell but have a good idea which one it is.

 

[tbone303]

The first one just broke out a lavender orpington. Humidity is now rising.

 

[WVduckchick]

Awesome!! Congrats!