cloudstreaker
Chirping
So, I am new to incubating eggs. I keep hoping my hens go broody because at the end of three weeks, nothing but disappointment almost every time. We've incubated four times now and one time got nothing. This time we had 30 eggs and only 5 hatched, one of the chicks has wry neck. They were also at hatched at day 23-25. I peeled the others open to figure out what the issue is and all but eight were formed (some bled, some came out with yellow yoke, but most had absorbed the yoke - Honestly I really don't know what I'm looking at, I just know it's a fully formed chick). I have the humidity between 45% - 50% 0-18 days and 65% - 70% at lockdown. I used a Farm Innovators 4250 this time. Other times I've used the Nurture Right 360. The temp has been 99.5. I am really discouraged. Is external temp and hygrometer a must and what kinds, do they have to break the bank? Am I not being attentive enough? I'm sure you've guys heard this same dance over and over, I've looked at previous topics and I see that being in a consistent temp room is important, the room that this incubator was in is in the high 60s and can get cold at night. Would this make a huge difference? Any and all advice would be appreciated. I was just so disappointed to open the eggs and one after the other had beautiful little dead chicks in them. THANK YOU for reading!
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I'm sure that people more into incubating will be by shortly to help you out. I hatch out about 100 chicks a year and I've found that for me, dry hatching is the way to go. I don't add any water at all until day 19 unless it dips down below 25%, and then I only add just a splash. I've had a nearly 100% hatch rate since I started incubating that way.
