Too much humidity? Too late?

[KHoward]

Hello everyone, I need your help.

I made a mistake when I started incubation last week and set the humidity too high (it was in the lock down setting). I corrected it last night (8 incubation days have passed) and had to throw one out because it was oozing a disgusting green liquid through the shell. I looked at all the others and they all appeared fine to the naked eye.

I also candled them today and see what appears to be appropriate development according to the photos shown here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs

Am I too late and should I scrap this batch? Or is there a possibility that this will be ok in the end?

Ugh, what a rookie mistake...

Thanks,

Kristen

 

[sourland]

Do not toss the eggs. They are tougher than many give them credit for. If candling showed embryo development and movement, they will be fine.

 

[KHoward]

Thanks for the reply!

19 of 23 showed veins, and an embryo and moved as I candled the egg. The remaining four were odd: Two looked like they were more developed than 8 days (more like 12 days according to the pictures in the link above), and the last two seemed like they were baked and not really moving - but the shell was also hard to see through, so they are question marks on those two.

OK - I will forge on and cross every appendage that I have that it will work out.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I totally agree with sourland. If you are only 8 days in you have plenty of time to correct and average out the humidity. We control humidity to control the loss of moisture in the egg and allow the air cell to grow. The average humidity over the first 17 days of incubation and how much moisture loss is what will make it or break it so to say. I would candle and mark the air cells and compare to the chart to see where your air cells fall. (sizewise) What kind of incubator are you using? If you are using a styrofoam bator I would highly recommend a low humidity incubation (known as a dry incubation). It also works in some of the plastic bators as well such as the Janoel and it's knock offs. Here's some info on humidity and how to control it and a guide for the air cells as well: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[KHoward]

I'm using the Janoel 24 and really like it so far. It's almost "set it and forget it". It was "operator error" for certain.

 

[KHoward]

Hi,

I just want to report that 20 hatched! Thanks for the tips and I am so glad that I thought to post here before I tossed the eggs!

Kristen

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi,

I just want to report that 20 hatched! Thanks for the tips and I am so glad that I thought to post here before I tossed the eggs!

Kristen

Congrats!!