Turkey Talk for 2014

[Momhunter]

I must be doing something wrong... Last year my hatches were horrible.  I hatched 5 poults out of 20 or so eggs.  Most developed and died in the last 5 days.  Why?  My temps were 100 (preset by GQF) this year it was 99.5 and I am having horrible chicken hatches so I upped it to 100 again to see if the temps are wrong.  This year, of 4 eggs, 2 made it to lock down.  The others died last week.  Humidity is between 65-70%.  I pulled 2 extra plugs for extra air transfer, thinking maybe that was the issue?  I have been disinfecting the incubator every 2 hatches with Oxine AH now.  I don't know what I am doing wrong.

What humidity are you running at during incubation vs lockdown?? Only need to have high humidity during lockdown/hatching.
I ran mine in mid 40s last year during incubation then increasing to high 60s hatching in my sportsman. I had Peachicks drowning as did my first turkey poults. I purchased a gqf hatcher and switched to the recommendations of porters website (as suggested my someone on here) and now having much better success, last hatch 100%, poults hatching and hope it goes as well for my peafowl when they start laying.
I'm putting no water in the incubator, which keeps the humidity at 20-22%, gqf sportsman, at 99.5 degrees. When I put them in the gqf hatcher I have the water pan and a sponge so the humidity is high 60s to 70% with temp at 98.5. This has much improved my poult hatching. Hasn't really affected the quail or chicken hatches that I can tell. Getting around 95% on my chicken and 90% on coturnix quail. Hope this helps.

 

[Reyvaughn]

65-70% humidity during lockdown. During incubation the humidity ranges from 16-26% even thought I try to aim for 25%. During hatch isn't the issue. It's the last week of incubation. They die between day 18-15.

 

[eweaber]

My new additions, Gunner and Heidi

 

[sonderah]

I was gone ALL day!!!! My blue slate hen was in the nest when I got home about 3pm and she's STILL in there at 840pm!!!!!! Yay!!!!!

 

[Sydney Acres]

My new additions, Gunner and Heidi

Are these two Spanish Blacks, or mixes? If purebred, which hatchery or breeder did this pair originate from? They're a beautiful pair. Congratulations. My Spanish Black hens are the sweetest birds in my group.

 

[AmericanMom]

Day 7 today of the 17 Bourbon reds and 6 Geese eggs... 5/6 Geese show good veining and I can see the embryo in a couple... I know its to early with the turkey but thought what they hey, I'll try...Only candled two and I could see the veining starting...Love those little spider webs!!! So excited...21 days to go and I hope I have some Turkeys!!!!

Haven't added any water for more than 3 days...Humidity is staying at 49-53... Temps are so steady its almost scary...100.3-101.8 I have a space heater set to 75 degree's in the room so its keeping it nice and warm and if the humidity drops to much all I have to do is plug in the humidifier, within a few hours its right back where I want it... I have both plugs removed for optimal ventilation..
Any advice? Anything I should be looking for in the coming week?

 

[yinepu]

I must be doing something wrong... Last year my hatches were horrible. I hatched 5 poults out of 20 or so eggs. Most developed and died in the last 5 days. Why? My temps were 100 (preset by GQF) this year it was 99.5 and I am having horrible chicken hatches so I upped it to 100 again to see if the temps are wrong. This year, of 4 eggs, 2 made it to lock down. The others died last week. Humidity is between 65-70%. I pulled 2 extra plugs for extra air transfer, thinking maybe that was the issue? I have been disinfecting the incubator every 2 hatches with Oxine AH now. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

First.. a few questions...

What kind of incubator are you using?

Did you break open the eggs to check the condition of the dead poults?.. if you did.. were they very wet, bloated, very small and so on?

Are you using a hygrometer to check humidity or are you keeping track of the air cells?

Where is your incubator located?

Are you hand turning the eggs?

Of the poults that do hatch... what are they like at hatch? Are they gooey at all?.. do they hatch easily or are you assisting?


Once you answer those few.. i can narrow it down a bit...

 

[yinepu]

Day 7 today of the 17 Bourbon reds and 6 Geese eggs... 5/6 Geese show good veining and I can see the embryo in a couple... I know its to early with the turkey but thought what they hey, I'll try...Only candled two and I could see the veining starting...Love those little spider webs!!! So excited...21 days to go and I hope I have some Turkeys!!!!

Haven't added any water for more than 3 days...Humidity is staying at 49-53... Temps are so steady its almost scary...100.3-101.8 I have a space heater set to 75 degree's in the room so its keeping it nice and warm and if the humidity drops to much all I have to do is plug in the humidifier, within a few hours its right back where I want it... I have both plugs removed for optimal ventilation..
Any advice? Anything I should be looking for in the coming week?

Are you checking the air cells?
49 to 53% humidity (for me) would result in drowned birds... so if the air cell isn't on track you still have time to drop it down

i have no idea what you are using for a hygrometer... but they are usually wrong (just the nature of the beast).. so it could just be a calibration issue and your humidity is actually a lot lower than what it's reading... but yeah... that's pretty high if it's reading right... but if it is correct and it works for you (air cells and weight loss on track) .. then it's just an example of different relative humidity affecting hatches differently... either way.. i would trust the eggs more than a hygrometer!

 

[eweaber]

Are these two Spanish Blacks, or mixes?  If purebred, which hatchery or breeder did this pair originate from?  They're a beautiful pair. Congratulations.  My Spanish Black hens are the sweetest birds in my group.

They appear to be spanish blacks, not sure if they are mixed or not. I got them from someone who saved a flock that was released to fend for themselves. I don't know much about them.

 

[AmericanMom]

Are you checking the air cells?
49 to 53% humidity (for me) would result in drowned birds... so if the air cell isn't on track you still have time to drop it down

i have no idea what you are using for a hygrometer... but they are usually wrong (just the nature of the beast).. so it could just be a calibration issue and your humidity is actually a lot lower than what it's reading... but yeah... that's pretty high if it's reading right... but if it is correct and it works for you (air cells and weight loss on track) .. then it's just an example of different relative humidity affecting hatches differently... either way.. i would trust the eggs more than a hygrometer!

I candled a few as I was placing them in and these old eyes couldn't determine through that shell where the air cell was, I was able to on the geese and marked those, I did notice in my test candle of a few yesterday ( Turkey) that I could see the air cell so had planned on marking them on day 10.. I read on the Porters website and on Your hatching guide and that's kinda what I was going for.. The porters site said 50% , I printed out the graphic on your hatching guide and have that on the wall next to the bator, but if it is to high what should it be at??