trouble with hatching

[potatoyay]

Every time we hatch quail eggs, we get a low hatch rate, 2 out of 12, 6 out of 18, 20/ 48. this last time, we got 20 chicks but 6 died? we don't have a super fancy incubator, but considering the fact that people make their own incubators I wouldn't assume it matters all that much. Is there a way to make our incubator better or is it inevitable we must buy a fancier one? We also had many eggs that pipped but never made it out? Any ideas?

Thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

Ever calibrated it? Accurate and stable temp and humidity are essential. Are you hatching your own eggs? What's your birds diet?

 

[potatoyay]

Ever calibrated it? Accurate and stable temp and humidity are essential. Are you hatching your own eggs? What's your birds diet?

we weren't able to monitor the humidity or temp this time, but other times we did it was fine and we still got a low hatch rate. We are hatching from bought eggs. The chicks are on crumble.

 

[Kiki]

You have to monitor temp and humidity.
Get a few of these before you set eggs again. The unknown temp spiked/drops and unknown humidity is killing the eggs AND the freshly hatched chicks that keep dying.

How sure are you that you aren't over heating the freshly hatched chicks if you don't have a thermometer in with them?

 

[potatoyay]

You have to monitor temp and humidity.
Get a few of these before you set eggs again. The unknown temp spiked/drops and unknown humidity is killing the eggs AND the freshly hatched chicks that keep dying.

How sure are you that you aren't over heating the freshly hatched chicks if you don't have a thermometer in with them?

The chicks in the brooder have a thermometer. We found out the cause of the dying chicks was weak chicks, we assume. We're going to be very strict about the next hatch and we'll monitor the temp + humidity of the incubator. The temperature is technically monitered but we're not sure if it's accurate in the incubator. The ones in the brooder and fine and growing well. If we notice they're hot, we have less heat. If they're cold, we add more heat.