Setting some eggs 5-13-15. Looking for some folks to hatch a long with me.

[cppeace]

That's terrible. So sorry. That is a long time to leave them in a hot humid incubator though. Some need food and or water within 24 hours.

 

[NTBugtraq]

That's terrible. So sorry. That is a long time to leave them in a hot humid incubator though. Some need food and or water within 24 hours.

Well, I was following the sage advice of Sally Sunshine, written in her treatise; Hatching Eggs 101, where she says;

Quote:
Mine died somewhere between 60 and 72 hours, so the duration in the incubator shouldn't have been the reason. I had not, however, lowered the temperature so it was still ~100F, higher than what Sally recommends...so perhaps that was the reason.

 

[cppeace]

3 days is the max, not all chicks can go that long without at least water. I'm more hands on and can get the humidity back up if I open it to get a chick out. I usually try not to leave one in the incubator more than 30 hours. that temp though was mighty warm, would have made them want water and burn off their yolk faster as well.

 

[bantam brood 17]

Well, I was following the sage advice of Sally Sunshine, written in her treatise; Hatching Eggs 101, where she says;


Mine died somewhere between 60 and 72 hours, so the duration in the incubator shouldn't have been the reason. I had not, however, lowered the temperature so it was still ~100F, higher than what Sally recommends...so perhaps that was the reason.

So sorry to hear about your hatch

Was this your 1st hatch, its all a learning game some people take them out pretty soon after hatching some people wait a lot longer She said /He said is a very good thread to look at as it as a lot of people who have a lot of experience in hands on / hands off hatching and they have had good results , but they also may be able to help in giving possible causes of what may of gone wrong. Hope this does not put you off trying again, best wishes to you

 

[NTBugtraq]

3 days is the max, not all chicks can go that long without at least water. I'm more hands on and can get the humidity back up if I open it to get a chick out. I usually try not to leave one in the incubator more than 30 hours. that temp though was mighty warm, would have made them want water and burn off their yolk faster as well.

Well, just picked up a couple of BCM 3 week-old "hopefully" roos from my Master Gardener friend, and she strongly disagreed with Sally's recommendation to leave them in there. Like you, she says take them as soon as you can, or leave them no longer than 24 hours...so, you're right cppeace.

So sorry to hear about your hatch

Was this your 1st hatch, its all a learning game some people take them out pretty soon after hatching some people wait a lot longer She said /He said is a very good thread to look at as it as a lot of people who have a lot of experience in hands on / hands off hatching and they have had good results , but they also may be able to help in giving possible causes of what may of gone wrong. Hope this does not put you off trying again, best wishes to you

This was my 2nd hatch, my first hatch was actually way more successful (19/41 - but counting infertile eggs). Its certainly not putting me off, I am determined to make 100 new layers of my project breed this year...so set another 41 today. My plan is to keep doing this every 3 weeks till I have the 100 layers. I'll check out the thread you recommended, thanks!

 

[cppeace]

Well, just picked up a couple of BCM 3 week-old "hopefully" roos from my Master Gardener friend, and she strongly disagreed with Sally's recommendation to leave them in there. Like you, she says take them as soon as you can, or leave them no longer than 24 hours...so, you're right cppeace.


This was my 2nd hatch, my first hatch was actually way more successful (19/41 - but counting infertile eggs). Its certainly not putting me off, I am determined to make 100 new layers of my project breed this year...so set another 41 today. My plan is to keep doing this every 3 weeks till I have the 100 layers. I'll check out the thread you recommended, thanks!

Yeah I'm a member of that thread it's a fun group. Sally wasn't exactly wrong. It's probably what she does and it works for her, but All our incubators and conditions are slightly different. I am much more hands on than some people. I start candling at day 5 or 7 and then candle every 2-3 days after that to check for growth and quitters. Some people only candle 2-3 times the whole hatch. I monitor my incubator closely and take the babying method whereas a lot of people figure if they don't survive they had weak genes. I kind of change my tactics when the chickens are adults and don't baby them, but as eggs I give the the best chance I can.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Yeah I'm a member of that thread it's a fun group. Sally wasn't exactly wrong. It's probably what she does and it works for her, but All our incubators and conditions are slightly different. I am much more hands on than some people. I start candling at day 5 or 7 and then candle every 2-3 days after that to check for growth and quitters. Some people only candle 2-3 times the whole hatch. I monitor my incubator closely and take the babying method whereas a lot of people figure if they don't survive they had weak genes. I kind of change my tactics when the chickens are adults and don't baby them, but as eggs I give the the best chance I can.

Well, the first hatch I did things by the book, but felt I over-handled them after lockdown. This time I did like you and weighed/candled every other day after Day 3 to Day 18, then I locked her down and kept my hands out of the bator. This time it will be some of each.

 

[cppeace]

With each hatch we learn more and more. I do wish you fruitful hatches in the future

 

[RubyNala97]

Well, I was following the sage advice of Sally Sunshine, written in her treatise; Hatching Eggs 101, where she says;


Mine died somewhere between 60 and 72 hours, so the duration in the incubator shouldn't have been the reason. I had not, however, lowered the temperature so it was still ~100F, higher than what Sally recommends...so perhaps that was the reason.

I have read Sally's guide also, probably 3 times! But it does say not to open the incubator so you don't harm any unhatched "pipping" eggs. I don't open the incubator if I have pips. If I want to take a chick out, I wait until I have the right opportunity and it's between pips. The longest I've left a chick is almost 24 hours. And once they are 24 hours old, I see them start drinking as soon as they get in the brooder. It's a tough call and you have to find what works for you. What do you think happened to the 12 that didn't hatch? Did you open them? What is your humidity days 1-18? So sorry about your hatch. You'll get there!

 

[matlock585]

@NTBugtraq - Incubation is just not the same as Mother Nature. It is in no way natural to make life from a light bulb, but, having said that, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I put together my little home made bator in a small gas station cooler and hatched 4/5 even with 10-15 degree temp swings, remade it into my current incubator which holds 3 dozen easily and I've set more by "stacking" them. I've had great hatches and I've had crappy hatches. Point is, you'll find what works for you and get it dialed in. As far as taking the hatched chicks out, I usually leave mine in there until I see no pips anywhere, then I scoop them out quickly and put some water in there to raise the humidity back up. Most of the time I scoop out my dry chicks really quick and drop a tablespoon of water in the bottom of the bator and the humidity rebounds almost instantly. I never keep my humidity too high. I don't use any water until day 18, then I raise to 50% at lockdown. It spikes and gets to around 70% when everybody starts hatching, then lowers back down after their done for a minute. I also drop my thermostat so that the temp falls to 97 degrees for lockdown. The high heat and humidity are just a deadly combo. I also usually put a dish of food and water in there for the chicks just in case I do have to leave them in for a bit. Over this last hatch I had the babies in the bator without food or water for about 2 days, and they were glad to see it when I took them out.
Also, the thunderstorms will definitely ruin a hatch, but not usually hatched out chicks to my knowledge. We had very severe thunderstorms during this hatch and I had 6 eggs that looked perfect at lockdown not do anything. I blame the storm. I'm not an egg opener though, so I can't tell you for sure what stage of development they were in, I can tell you they looked perfect at lockdown.
Anyway, the point is, what we do is not natural by any means, and "success" can be measured in only one chick out of a hundred. You hatched all those chicks before, so I undoubtedly believe you'll hatch plenty more. Don't get discouraged and don't feel like you killed a Nobel Peace Prize winner. You lost some chicks and you can make more.