Texas

[bnjrob]

Yes, I just finished a hatch. 30 eggs and only 10 produced live chickens. 18 had chicks glued to their shells. It was pretty heartbreaking, especially since 8 of those eggs were from Sandy, who was killed by a fox. I really wanted some offspring of hers. I only hatch once a year and this was my second time to do it. I was hoping for at least 12 hens and had overstocked in preparation for half being boys. I'm thinking of trying a few eggs in a "dry" hatch, just to see if it would be any different. I'm not a person who likes to fuss with a ton of details.
With this incubator, filling the middle tray puts humidity at 47-52%. Filling all the trays puts it at 87+%. I'm guessing that that was just way too much humidity for my eggs. Hopefully, I'll get enough chicks so that when they get merged with the current chicks, they can group together to battle the bullying when the pecking order resets.

I don't know about yours, but my thermo/hygrometer on the control panel does not match the readings from other sensors that I put inside. Honestly at this point, I don't know which one is more accurate, the control panel readings or the meters that I put inside the incubator. There is about a 10 point difference between the control panel readings and the sensor readings from inside. I am finding it very frustrating to try to figure out just exactly which one is correct. Am basically just having to experiment and see that if the control panel isn't correct in its readings, I am trying to figure out exactly what temp and humidity to set it to - even if the readings are technically too high or low - to get this thing to work at its best.

Have only had two deaths with eggs that went into the Genesis, one egg was put under a hen several days before hatching and the other never even pipped. That one was in a funky egg, but I was kinda desperate because the hens had slowed down on laying, so I don't know if it was an egg/chick deformity problem or an incubator problem.

What I am trying out now is a new humidity water pump that is similar to what I have on our Brinsea incubator. It has a sensor and it literally pumps water into the incubator onto a sponge paper. It's been doing great with keeping the humidity at a more constant level rather than the fluctuations I was getting from the Genesis water trays. I really dislike the set up in the Genesis because half the time I couldn't tell if there was even water in the thing without opening it up and messing with it. One second it was full and then it would be dry and it was just a pain. So this humidity controller has been a lot better so far with the eggs I have in there now. Here is where I got it: http://www.poultrysupply.com/1588.php

Here's some stuff about hatching issues: http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_pipped.html

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res24-00.html

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-1090/2902-1090_pdf.pdf

With chicks sticking to the shells, I am wondering more if the humidity was too low or there was a turning problem. If the humidity is too low, that makes me think that your control panel readings aren't necessarily correct either. I know the one we have has a LOT of fluctuations in the readings, literally minute by minute as I stand and watch it, compared to our other incubator that rarely fluctuates readings and that is mostly if I open the thing up.

One thing you might do, although it's a pain, is do smaller hatches until you can figure out your machine. That is what I have done and I still am not entirely sure of just how "off" the Genesis control panel readings are. It's been a lot different than the little Brinsea we have that is just stick the eggs in and forget them till they hatch.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
two things.. hygrometers need to be calibrated before every hatch since they can vary from hatch to hatch

second: sticky chicks are caused from two things
1) too high of humidity during incubation (leaves too much moisture in the eggs) if the chick manages not to drown the process of hatching will cause the albumen to harden and essentially glue the chick to the egg

2) improper turning.. if the eggs are not properly turned it can cause the chick to not absorb the albumen.. usually from day 15 on up until hatch.. which is why it's important to continue turning the eggs at least three times a day especially during the last 1/3rd of incubation (the average hen turns eggs 96 times a day.. yes there have been studies done on it..)

 

[yinepu]

Hazardous Weather Outlook​

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
841 AM CDT THU APR 18 2013

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-191200-
MONTAGUE-COOKE-GRAYSON-FANNIN-LAMAR-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-COLLIN-
HUNT-DELTA-HOPKINS-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER-TARRANT-DALLAS-
ROCKWALL-KAUFMAN-VAN ZANDT-RAINS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL-
JOHNSON-ELLIS-HENDERSON-COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL-NAVARRO-
FREESTONE-ANDERSON-LAMPASAS-CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS-LIMESTONE-
LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON-
841 AM CDT THU APR 18 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER ACROSS NORTH TEXAS THROUGH THE MORNING...BUT
THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HAS ENDED. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS STILL POSSIBLE. ALL STORMS WILL END THIS
AFTERNOON.

A BRIEF LIGHT FREEZE IS POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR WESTERN AND NORTHERN
PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS AROUND SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING. FROST IS NOT
EXPECTED DUE TO NORTHWEST WINDS CONTINUING BETWEEN 10 AND 15 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH
TEXAS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

$$

 

[bnjrob]

two things.. hygrometers need to be calibrated before every hatch since they can vary from hatch to hatch

second: sticky chicks are caused from two things
1) too high of humidity during incubation (leaves too much moisture in the eggs) if the chick manages not to drown the process of hatching will cause the albumen to harden and essentially glue the chick to the egg

2) improper turning.. if the eggs are not properly turned it can cause the chick to not absorb the albumen.. usually from day 15 on up until hatch.. which is why it's important to continue turning the eggs at least three times a day especially during the last 1/3rd of incubation (the average hen turns eggs 96 times a day.. yes there have been studies done on it..)

Unfortunately, I haven't seen an incubator control panel that will allow a hygrometer to be calibrated. Especially with these open water tray incubators where the humidity level is dependent on the surface area of the water inside the incubator.

I can see your point about too much moisture which then dries out once they pip, although information from authoritative agriculture sources that I have researched disagree with that and state that low humidity is the problem with sticking. Go figure, no one opinion on anything in poultry.

Personally, with this person who has the same incubator that I have, I am more inclined to think that if the humidity is the problem (as opposed to a turning issue), part of the problem is that the hygrometer readings are not accurate and there is no way to calibrate the thing and then you're stuck with open water trays that don't allow for fine tuning of humidity levels.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
lol.. very low humidity will result in small weak chicks.. there's no way for them to go sticky if the albumen is gone

 

[bnjrob]

lol.. very low humidity will result in small weak chicks.. there's no way for them to go sticky if the albumen is gone

You wanna tell the poultry scientists that write the literature this?

 

[yinepu]

I did a quick count
141 eggs currently in the incubator
17 eggs arrived yesterday and still need to go in

at least 73 eggs enroute

so that's at least 231 eggs

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
well.. I hate to tell ya..

but if you have a dehydrated chick.. there is nothing there to go sticky!

Unless what they are calling "sticky" is something I have never heard of before

the "classic" definition of a sticky chick is one that has albumen covering it.. which causes the chick to be "sticky" to the touch. it sticks to the shell as it tries to hatch and the albumen will dry as hard as shellac.. the drying albumen will cause death since the chick struggles and eventually can not breathe or tires out and dies from exhaustion


Now considering I have been hatching out chicks for over 50 years (pretty much non stop .. all year long) I have to wonder just how many chicks that adds up to in the long run....
not to mention all the years I worked in commercial hatcheries where we hatched out tens of thousands of chicks every day....


but then again I don't know a **** thing... so carry on! (and have fun drowning chicks if you follow the "recommendations" they put out which is actually for the poultry industry in climate controlled rooms and commercial incubators and hatchers)

 

[bnjrob]

well.. I hate to tell ya..

but if you have a dehydrated chick.. there is nothing there to go sticky!

Unless what they are calling "sticky" is something I have never heard of before

the "classic" definition of a sticky chick is one that has albumen covering it.. which causes the chick to be "sticky" to the touch. it sticks to the shell as it tries to hatch and the albumen will dry as hard as shellac.. the drying albumen will cause death since the chick struggles and eventually can not breathe or tires out and dies from exhaustion


Now considering I have been hatching out chicks for over 50 years (pretty much non stop .. all year long) I have to wonder just how many chicks that adds up to in the long run....
not to mention all the years I worked in commercial hatcheries where we hatched out tens of thousands of chicks every day....


but then again I don't know a **** thing... so carry on! (and have fun drowning chicks if you follow the "recommendations" they put out which is actually for the poultry industry in climate controlled rooms and commercial incubators and hatchers)

LOL.

Perhaps the scientists aren't clarifying themselves very well. Perhaps it is not enough humidity at HATCHING, not incubation that is more of an issue.

Or perhaps they put out the recommendations as you said, for very controlled environments which doesn't work for the rest of us.

What I do know, is that every person has to play with their equipment, and learn the quirks of the equipment and the environment the equipment is in before they will get the best hatch rate. There are so many variables on a day to day basis that could affect the eggs that you just have to figure out what works best for you. It's just frustrating when you lose precious eggs until you get your routine figured out. Fortunately I have only had a couple in-egg deaths or I'd probably be ready to tear my hair out like the poster in question seems to be.

Getting into it with poultry scientists...did that once, she was not happy to have people with different opinions. Think she wasn't used to having her stuff challenged. There are a ton of different ways to do things in the poultry world and I guess she wanted everyone to do it her way rather than what worked best for the individual.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
that's what I have been trying to tell people for years.. you have to find out how YOUR incubator works in YOUR home with YOUR eggs.. cause I can bet that someone on the east coast .. or desert .. or in the mountains will all have to incubate with that same bator differently just because of the environment where they live

just like having a lot of water features in a home will make a difference as compared to someone who has a very arid home
or someone who has air conditioning running versus someone like me who has windows open all summer

the relative humidity in the incubation environment can vary quite a bit.. even from your home to your neighbors


not only that but eggshell thickness and porosity will also play a part in how things have to be done.. as well as diet of the adult birds

there are so many variables that a cookie cutter "you should have this percentage of humidity" nonsense just won't work for everyone.. so it's best to pay attention to your hatches and adjust things until you have it down to a science