Trouble with Hatching

glow12

Chirping
Mar 13, 2017
37
20
54
MN
I have been trying to hatch some eggs for 4-H using eggs my chickens have layed, but I have been encountering problems. I have tried incubating eggs, 24 of them, but they all died. I tried again with a incubator twice but they all still died, most of them dying from bacteria and stopping of growth. I had the humidity around 50% for days 1-18 and increased it to around 80% for the rest of the time they were in there (which was day 25). The temperature was always at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I am trying to hatch eggs with a broody hen and it is day 22 and I haven't heard a cheep. Can someone please explain what I'm doing wrong? Thank you.
 
What type of incubator still air or forced air.

For me personally I incubate between 25 and 35 percent humidity. If I tried 50 my chicks would drown when they pipped.

Was the thermometer tested to be accurate on the incubator. Sometimes they can be off quite a bit. Causing temp spikes or cold spots.

How did you know they died of bacteria? We're they very dirty? We're they washed?

Most times the bloom will protect them from bacteria.

Last thing could be flock nutrition. If they were on poor protein feed may cause problems hatching.

If I had to guess it's temp or humidity related. For the incubator eggs
 
Still air with a turner, I tested the thermometer and it seemed to be accurate but it might have been wrong, they eggs were clean but not washed and when candled they had blood rings in them, and I used layer feed for the chickens who's eggs I was using. Thank you for your tips.
 
For still air you want temp to be 101 to 102 taken at the top of the eggs.

I'm assuming a styro. Try greatly reduced humidity during incubation.
 
What type of incubator still air or forced air.

For me personally I incubate between 25 and 35 percent humidity. If I tried 50 my chicks would drown when they pipped.

Was the thermometer tested to be accurate on the incubator. Sometimes they can be off quite a bit. Causing temp spikes or cold spots.

How did you know they died of bacteria? We're they very dirty? We're they washed?

Most times the bloom will protect them from bacteria.

Last thing could be flock nutrition. If they were on poor protein feed may cause problems hatching.

If I had to guess it's temp or humidity related. For the incubator eggs



Still air with a turner, I tested the thermometer and it seemed to be accurate but it might have been wrong, they eggs were clean but not washed and when candled they had blood rings in them, and I used layer feed for the chickens who's eggs I was using. Thank you for your


For still air you want temp to be 101 to 102 taken at the top of the eggs.

I'm assuming a styro. Try greatly reduced humidity during incubation.

I fully agree with feedman. I use 30% for the first 17 days and monitor air cells. You really want to check all thermometers, especially if you are using the little giant 9300 because the displays on them are often way off. I'm also going to give you a couple links that may be helpful.
These are my hatching practices http://hatching411.weebly.com/
And humidity help: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
 
I fully agree with feedman. I use 30% for the first 17 days and monitor air cells. You really want to check all thermometers, especially if you are using the little giant 9300 because the displays on them are often way off. I'm also going to give you a couple links that may be helpful.
These are my hatching practices http://hatching411.weebly.com/
And humidity help: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

I loved the sites, very informative! I'm going into the last week of my second incubator hatch and I'm a ball of nerves. I find I can't get enough information that agrees with my middle ground hands on belief.
 
I found that the thermometer that came with my incubator is not that accurate. You might want to invest in a digital thermometer/hygrometer if you haven't already. As others have said, the temp in a still air should be around 101.5
I keep my humidity at 40% for the first 18 days and then over 60% for the last 3 days. There are a lot of variables that might be causing the eggs not to hatch. It is odd that your broody can't hatch them either. I had a rooster once that seemed to have an issue when bred to certain hens and all the babies died around day 15. You might want to try some different eggs to see if that works. You can also install a fan in your incubator (or get a different incubator) and that will probably help as well.

Also be sure you are putting the eggs in the turn pointy end down. My turner vibrates too much so I took it out and just turn by hand now.
 
I loved the sites, very informative! I'm going into the last week of my second incubator hatch and I'm a ball of nerves. I find I can't get enough information that agrees with my middle ground hands on belief.

Yes. Most guides are written from a strictly hands off perspective with no considerations for other philosophies. Vary rarely can you find info that aligns with hands on philosophies. Good luck!
 

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