Should I give up?

[Christine0048]

So for my birthday my mum bought me an incubator. It's a Hova bator 1583.
So way back on April 22nd I put my first batch of eggs in. And cooked them. Then on the 23rd I got the temperature figured out and at a constant 99.5F. They were supposed to hatch on the 12th but so far all had been quiet. I should mention that on the 11th my brother decided to be "helpful" and turned all the eggs. This being my first (well I mean second atfltempt) at incubang eggs I have no idea what to expect. My main concern is what if one hatches, when should I take them out? And when should I determine if the eggs have gone bad? I tried to candel a few and on my last turning most eggs looked completely dark (I was using a phone light and a toilet paper role) but I'm honestly so new at this I'll be happy if even one just hatches. Any experienced hatchers have any advice? My next bach is probably going to be early June

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So for my birthday my mum bought me an incubator. It's a Hova bator 1583.
So way back on April 22nd I put my first batch of eggs in. And cooked them. Then on the 23rd I got the temperature figured out and at a constant 99.5F. They were supposed to hatch on the 12th but so far all had been quiet. I should mention that on the 11th my brother decided to be "helpful" and turned all the eggs. This being my first (well I mean second atfltempt) at incubang eggs I have no idea what to expect. My main concern is what if one hatches, when should I take them out? And when should I determine if the eggs have gone bad? I tried to candel a few and on my last turning most eggs looked completely dark (I was using a phone light and a toilet paper role) but I'm honestly so new at this I'll be happy if even one just hatches. Any experienced hatchers have any advice? My next bach is probably going to be early June

What do you mean he "turned" them? At two days past due date I would candle and look for any signs of life, internal pips. May I ask what your humidity was the first 17 days? Do you have them in a turner or are you turning by hand?

As for taking chicks out of the bator, it's a personal decision. Some people wait until the hatch is over, some wait until the chicks are dry and others of us take them out as they hatch and become active.

 

[Rock Sister]

If I place all my eggs in bator at same time, day 23 I water candle for live movement. Warm water to around 98.6, slowly place in bowl deep enough to hold standing biggest end up and time for Up to one minute, no longer. Especially if you run "normal" reccomemded humidity. I run my dry until day 16, stop turning and slowly increase humidity over next 2 days to 75%. Water candling allows you to see air sac amt above water as well. No wiggle, may have quit at day 18 which is why I only candle at day 14 usually. As for indlux in temp.. Regular styrofoam still is what I use to hatch out and my eggs go there out of Brinsea . Have to transfer fast and I usually place a warm dry wash cloth into hatcher until toasty, then lay that into brinsea, collect my eggs a little at a time, which seems to help with chill factor between hatchers and turning at day 18. Also, hatcher has an aquarium pump attached to water channel hose which runs in one corner and can push that air around and causes less vibration than crazy fan on cheaper forced.
Don't give up... Try water candle for that wiggle and if there put back in. Temp dlucruations, eapecially lower temps and temp fluctuations period cause me delayed chicks so resist opening until u know that water isnt wiggling.

 

[Christine0048]

With the turning I would hand turn them 3 times a day but I left them alone after the 10th "0" side up and on the 11th my brother turned them "X" side up. We currently have an automatic Turner ordered to arrive soon ish. I honestly don't know what the humidity was at cause I don't think it came with a humidity gauge? It just instructed to fill the pool in the middle twice a week and the instructions said "the hova-bator is designed for simplicity in this matter and works well for most species" so I think it self regulates it or something?

So I won't kill them if I were to candel them? Also what do signs of life look like?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

With the turning I would hand turn them 3 times a day but I left them alone after the 10th "0" side up and on the 11th my brother turned them "X" side up. We currently have an automatic Turner ordered to arrive soon ish. I honestly don't know what the humidity was at cause I don't think it came with a humidity gauge? It just instructed to fill the pool in the middle twice a week and the instructions said "the hova-bator is designed for simplicity in this matter and works well for most species" so I think it self regulates it or something?

So I won't kill them if I were to candel them? Also what do signs of life look like?

No you won't kill them by candling. I'm a hands on hatcher, I'll be candling after lock down and during hatch if I feel froggy enough to do so.

As for not monitoring humidity...you can compromise your whole hatch if your humidity is too high. I absolutely hate hate hate these manufactureing companies and their manuals. They are so misleading. Look at it this way. If someone in a humid environement fills the bator with the same water as someone in a dry environment you are going to have to very different humidity levels. For these companies to instruct like that is very very risky to the individual hatcher. No styro bator self regulates the humidity. The 1583 has no digital controls so you really need a checked and accurate thermometer and hygrometer inside the bator. (I use no less than TWO thermometers.) And you must must must be able to tell if your humidity is working for you and the best way to do that is to monitor air cells. (Some people weigh the eggs.) Eggs have different porousity/shell thickness and loose moisture at different rates and hatchers habitsas well as environment and altitude will play a role in what humidity works for you and different humidity levels work for different people. I would suggest looking this over: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity This is the method I use, and have great success. It'll point you in the right direction on humidity and finding what works for you.

As for turning, I actually prefer hand turning. I turn 3-5 times a day and find that sufficient.

Oh- what signs?? An internal pip (a shadow, usually triangular up into the air cell) or any movement. When I have trouble seeing any movement I look at the high side of the air cell to look for the up and down movement of the chick breathing.

 

[Christine0048]

Thank you for all the tips! Honestly the manual is very vague and I'll definitely look into getting a humidity monitor before my next hatch. Also good news one just started chirping and make a little hole in its egg so maybe by the morning I'll have my first chick!!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you for all the tips! Honestly the manual is very vague and I'll definitely look into getting a humidity monitor before my next hatch. Also good news one just started chirping and make a little hole in its egg so maybe by the morning I'll have my first chick!!!

That's good. Late hatchers denote slightly lower than average temps, so don't be surprised if your therms are a bit off.

 

[Christine0048]

So an update on the situation we had two hatch and another 3 or 4 started to chirp. How long can we leave them in the incubator? Cause the two who are hatched are starting to dry off and the other 3 or 4 haven't piped yet so they could take another day or so to hatch so basically I'm wondering should I take out the chicks once they are dry or should I leave them in until the all hatch I just want to make sure they don't starve or anything

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So an update on the situation we had two hatch and another 3 or 4 started to chirp. How long can we leave them in the incubator? Cause the two who are hatched are starting to dry off and the other 3 or 4 haven't piped yet so they could take another day or so to hatch so basically I'm wondering should I take out the chicks once they are dry or should I leave them in until the all hatch I just want to make sure they don't starve or anything

It's a personal decision. Some people leave them in until the end of hatch going on the theory that they can survive for 3 days on the yolk absorption (of course, you never know what day the yolk was actually absorbed and this doesn't take into consideration that chicks can become dehydrated during hatch.) Some people remove them once they are dry/fluffed. And others of us remove them as they become active in the bator. Figure out what is comfortable for you and go with it. I prefer mine in the brooder with electrolyte enhanced water and feed available.

 

[Rock Sister]

I allow mine to stay until all are hatched and provide small amt of Gro-gel in corner for those born first. Once dry, I place in large rubbermaid bin with lid. I put a chicken heating pad on one side so they can get away from it. I like heating pads... It only produces heat when they sit on it. I have never used a brooder light. Place a temp/humidity
Gage inside and start them at 95 degrees using lid(mostly in cooler temps) to open and control temp. After a week, lid replaced with window screen using clothes pins to keep future "popcorn kids" in. Lol Congrats on new babies! You hatched and whether you know or not, you just became addicted. My bird adventure began with a single yellow canary and went from there lol.