Silkie eggs in with Brahmas?

[KatH2580]

My husband put USA silkie eggs in incubator at 11am and brahma eggs went in at around 8pm same day. I'm worried being smaller eggs the Silkies should go into lockdown a day earlier than the Brahmas....Should I do this? I am worried about keeping the humidity up for the delayed hatching and also having to keep hatched chicks in incubator too long? Any advice grately received. Thank you xx

 

[Ridgerunner]

Relax, you are over-thinking it. As far as lockdown goes nine hours is pretty insignificant.

When we go into lockdown we typically do two things. We stop turning the eggs. Chicken eggs really don't have to be turned after two weeks. It doesn't hurt them to be turned but it isn't necessary. We typically do that at lockdown because it is convenient. So turning is not an issue for you.

We up the moisture at lockdown so the eggs are at less risk of shrink-wrapping. You want to do that before external pip because that is when the membrane can more easily dry out. Eggs do not hatch at exactly 21 days. I've had plenty of eggs external pip two full days early, even hatch two days early under broody hens as well as in my incubator. Some people have had them over two days late too, broody hens as well as incubators. That 21 days is just a guideline, not something set in stone. So if you increase the humidity three days before the 21 days you catch the early pippers. Hopefully by then they should have lost all the moisture they need to for a good hatch. As long as you up the humidity before any external pip you should be fine. I've been late doing that a couple of times and still got good hatches. One time I did have to help a shrink-wrapped chick so it can be a problem, it is real, but there were a to more than one that had already external pipped. Those were fine.

It is not that unusual to count those 21 days wrong. An egg does not have 24 hours worth of development the instant you put it in the incubator or under a hen. When you are counting days you need to say "one" the day after you set the eggs. An easy way to check your counting is that the day of the week you started them is the day the 21 days is up. If you start them on a Monday the 21 days is up on a Monday.

People mess this up. They go into lockdown a full 24 hours early and still get good hatches. Of course you want to try to do things right, I do too. But this is something you don't have to be that precise about, just beat external pip. In your case I'd lock down with those Silkie eggs in mind and not worry a bit.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am worried about keeping the humidity up for the delayed hatching and also having to keep hatched chicks in incubator too long? Any advice grately received.

I completely agree with the first poster.. noting I have incubated Silkie eggs along with many others. I suggest 45% humidity through day 18, and raise to 65+ thereafter. Humidity can be widely variable and STILL support life. Temperature needs to be more precise.

All the so called rules for hatching are just good general guidelines. Did these eggs come from your flock? One of my favorite incubation resources that may be of interest to you...
Incubation guide

My point about guidelines.. they are there for a reason and should always be considered. But sometimes we MUST do what WE feel is in the best interest of the life at stake.. I went in with a hard core mindset.. Lockdown is lockdown and NO assisted hatching. Now, I mostly abide by it but have indeed draped towels around the bator and my arms to decrease any sudden change to humidity or temp that *could* cause shrink wrapping to other already externally pipped embryos.. and PULLED out early hatcher's that were dried off and playing soccer with the remaining eggs.

It's hard to stick by the no assisted hatching.. but the times I have tried.. have ended both well and poor. Each time will be assessed on an individual basis.. according to degree of help needed on what day of incubation, how rare or not the breed, how many more are hatching, How much was spent on eggs or how easily replaceable they are, etc. I'm sure as time passes you too will find yourself facing the many choices and figuring out what feels right for YOU.

Happy hatching!

 

[KatH2580]

I completely agree with the first poster.. noting I have incubated Silkie eggs along with many others. I suggest 45% humidity through day 18, and raise to 65+ thereafter. Humidity can be widely variable and STILL support life. Temperature needs to be more precise.

All the so called rules for hatching are just good general guidelines. Did these eggs come from your flock? One of my favorite incubation resources that may be of interest to you...
Incubation guide

My point about guidelines.. they are there for a reason and should always be considered. But sometimes we MUST do what WE feel is in the best interest of the life at stake.. I went in with a hard core mindset.. Lockdown is lockdown and NO assisted hatching. Now, I mostly abide by it but have indeed draped towels around the bator and my arms to decrease any sudden change to humidity or temp that *could* cause shrink wrapping to other already externally pipped embryos.. and PULLED out early hatcher's that were dried off and playing soccer with the remaining eggs.

It's hard to stick by the no assisted hatching.. but the times I have tried.. have ended both well and poor. Each time will be assessed on an individual basis.. according to degree of help needed on what day of incubation, how rare or not the breed, how many more are hatching, How much was spent on eggs or how easily replaceable they are, etc. I'm sure as time passes you too will find yourself facing the many choices and figuring out what feels right for YOU.

Happy hatching!

Thank you so much for all the incredible advice. It's my second time hatching but only had 3 eggs in incubator last time and found that stressful enough! So much information online contradicts itself. I will stop stressing and hopefully post some pretty chick pics soon xx

 

[KatH2580]

Relax, you are over-thinking it. As far as lockdown goes nine hours is pretty insignificant.

When we go into lockdown we typically do two things. We stop turning the eggs. Chicken eggs really don't have to be turned after two weeks. It doesn't hurt them to be turned but it isn't necessary. We typically do that at lockdown because it is convenient. So turning is not an issue for you.

We up the moisture at lockdown so the eggs are at less risk of shrink-wrapping. You want to do that before external pip because that is when the membrane can more easily dry out. Eggs do not hatch at exactly 21 days. I've had plenty of eggs external pip two full days early, even hatch two days early under broody hens as well as in my incubator. Some people have had them over two days late too, broody hens as well as incubators. That 21 days is just a guideline, not something set in stone. So if you increase the humidity three days before the 21 days you catch the early pippers. Hopefully by then they should have lost all the moisture they need to for a good hatch. As long as you up the humidity before any external pip you should be fine. I've been late doing that a couple of times and still got good hatches. One time I did have to help a shrink-wrapped chick so it can be a problem, it is real, but there were a to more than one that had already external pipped. Those were fine.

It is not that unusual to count those 21 days wrong. An egg does not have 24 hours worth of development the instant you put it in the incubator or under a hen. When you are counting days you need to say "one" the day after you set the eggs. An easy way to check your counting is that the day of the week you started them is the day the 21 days is up. If you start them on a Monday the 21 days is up on a Monday.

People mess this up. They go into lockdown a full 24 hours early and still get good hatches. Of course you want to try to do things right, I do too. But this is something you don't have to be that precise about, just beat external pip. In your case I'd lock down with those Silkie eggs in mind and not worry a bit.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thank you so much for all the advice. It's really reassured me. It's my second time hatching bit only had 3 eggs in incubator last time! I will hopefully post some cute healthy chick pics soon x

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So much information online contradicts itself.

That's true with ONE constant.. forced air bator.. about 99.5 degrees. Still air baitor about 101.5- 102 measured at the top of the eggs but not touching the shell. Remove ALL air plugs if there are any.

Which bator are you using? Do you have a calibrated thermometer? Did your chicks hatch on day 21 last time or did ya get any that hatched with only 3 eggs set?

 

[KatH2580]

That's true with ONE constant.. forced air bator.. about 99.5 degrees. Still air baitor about 101.5- 102 measured at the top of the eggs but not touching the shell. Remove ALL air plugs if there are any.

Which bator are you using? Do you have a calibrated thermometer? Did your chicks hatch on day 21 last time or did ya get any that hatched with only 3 eggs set?

Only had 3 in there 1 hatched 8pm day 21, one early hours day 22 and one early hours day 23. They were all Brahmas but the 3rd egg was double the size and wonky air cell he had a bit of trouble getting out and had some membrane stuck to his cord but it dried up and fell off. They were sent in the post. Only did three as a trial as I had never incubated before. But all are healthy now. Using Brinsea eco 20 temp at 37.5 and humidity at 45 then put up to 65 at 18 last time x

 

[Ridgerunner]

3 out of 3 shipped eggs.

I once got 5 out of 5 shipped turkey eggs. Another time I got 1 out of 6, from the same shipper. Shipped eggs are a crap shoot.

 

[KatH2580]

3 out of 3 shipped eggs.

I once got 5 out of 5 shipped turkey eggs. Another time I got 1 out of 6, from the same shipper. Shipped eggs are a crap shoot.

I was lucky. This time I had 6 USA silkies shipped 5 of which were fertile and looking good when I candled day 14. The other 10 I have in there combo of silkie and brahma are local and they were all looking good at 14 too. I will look again at day 18 as I like to pencil round air sac so I can see where they are pipping! Thanks again xxx