Trouble with Hatching Californians

[TwoCrows]

Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[Nichrome]

So, I have a small problem with this thread. In the first page I can see posts from #1 to #6 and in the second page I can see #11. Where are posts #7 to #10?

I have put my King Suro in a ventilated closed box and the temperature seems to be stable at 100F now. I have ordered a digital probed thermometer/hydrometer and an an analog thermometer/hydrometer. Once I have them, I'll be able to determine temperature and humidity fluctuations better and I'll post the results.

 

[Pancholoco]

I have use R-Coms before and never had any trouble, but that is not to say I did not get lucky. I always use 2 thermometers... the one built into the incubator and a quality one that I purchased from a good poultry brooding supply house. It is never hurts to spend a bit more money on a thermometer that reads properly. It is a one time investment.

Hmmm...lucky you! This is my first incubator and I (used to) love it. Now, I am a bit sceptic.

Anyway, let us be scientific

I took readings with all the thermometers I could find in the house and below are the results:

​

1​

2​

3​

4​

Digital Thermometer/Hydrometer​

n/a​

97.0​

99.0​

99.0​

Mercury fever thermometer​

97.7​

98.1​

97.9​

99.3​

Alcohol thermometer​

99.0​

98.8​

100.0​

100.0​

Digital fever thermometer​

97.2​

97.4​

98.2​

98.3​

Incubator reading​

99.5​

99.5​

101.3​

101.3​

Between ever reading there is a time lapse of 1 hour. Between reading 2 and 3 I have increased the incubator temperature from 99.5F to 101.3F.

I trust the mercury and the alcohol thermometers best but still the readings are quite different and I do not know hot to react at this point. I do not want to loose my clutch of eggs that have been incubating for five days!

Any suggestions please?

I have heard that if you get a glass and put a small amount of water in it with an ice cube and and stick the thermometer in with it all, it should read 32 degrees within 5 mins. I have never done it, but you could try this out to see if any of your thermometers are correct.

From your description of the unhatched chicks, I am thinking that your over all temps are too low. So at this point, I would go with the alcohol thermometer. It is probably the most accurate of all of them, but I am no expert on thermometers.

You may have troubles with this hatch as with earlier hatches, but each time you fail with these incubations, you learn a lot of new things along the way.

I have taken the temp up to sign 100F. It will be close but not over it at least.

So, I have a small problem with this thread. In the first page I can see posts from #1 to #6 and in the second page I can see #11. Where are posts #7 to #10?

I have put my King Suro in a ventilated closed box and the temperature seems to be stable at 100F now. I have ordered a digital probed thermometer/hydrometer and an an analog thermometer/hydrometer. Once I have them, I'll be able to determine temperature and humidity fluctuations better and I'll post the results.

I can see all of them. So here are for you.

 

[Nichrome]

Thanks!

I really wanted that table of readings!

 

[Nichrome]

So, here we are! Eggs have pipped 48 hours ago and until this morning there have been no changes, just a pip. Chick is alive cos I can see the egg wobbling. Just to make sure it is breathing adequately, I have enlarged the pip hole a bit.

Hatch day is today...what should I do??? IN my other batched chicks have pipped but never hatched and I am afraid this will be just the same! Any suggestions?

 

[TwoCrows]

So, here we are! Eggs have pipped 48 hours ago and until this morning there have been no changes, just a pip. Chick is alive cos I can see the egg wobbling. Just to make sure it is breathing adequately, I have enlarged the pip hole a bit.

Hatch day is today...what should I do??? IN my other batched chicks have pipped but never hatched and I am afraid this will be just the same! Any suggestions?

Don't mess with the eggs. And it is not advised to enlarge the pip hole. You might cause more moisture loss to the egg than needed or damage the inner membrane which at pip time is still feeding and delivering oxygen to the chick.

Just be patient and let nature do it's thing.

 

[Nichrome]

Uffff...every time I let nature take it's course I end up with a bunch of dead, completely formed chicks! TwoCrows, you are my Guru so I will do as you say