Ok, so I have just hatched my 3rd batch of Coturnix eggs. I had around 60 in the incubator this time, only 15 hatched, more pipped but never came out. Temp was between 99 and 102, humidity was around 70 at time they started hatching. Why do I not get more hatched? No I don't candle them to check fertility, and I don't expect all of them to hatch. They last batch hatched on day 15, this batch, which was the largest batch I have attempted so far, went at day 17. Also, I wait for them to dry then put them in the brooder. They seem to run around fine, on pine shavings, with chick starter and fresh water supplied. They eat the heck out of the chick starter and drink the water, but I do lose a few of them each time. They seem fine one time I check on them then are laying over dead when I go out the next time. ??? Am I doing something wrong here? I am using the Little Giant 9200 and turning by hand. My thoughts turn to the hand turning and the fact that I have to have the incubator open for five minutes or so to turn them. Thanks for any input!
The first thing I always suspect is that temperature may be a problem. Many thermometers aren't very accurate. The two best I've found for accuracy and reasonable cost are the Brinsea spot check and this one from thermoworks. http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html
Are you breaking the eggs that don't hatch to see what the inside looks like? You can usually tell what stage development stopped (or if it ever started). Double check your thermometers. Did you run both air vents wide open for lockdown? Did you incubate them at 70% or raise it to 70 for lockdown? You should incubate between 45-60%.
DC I just noticed a LG 9200 is a still air, you think a fan would help him? I bet a computer fan would fit between the windows in the top. BTW 'papas, I think careful,experienced hand turning is as good as any, hens don't use automatic turners, and they get up off of the eggs to turn them, and eat and such.
The auto turner will help you quite a bit so you don't have to open it to hand turn anymore. Hand turning that many eggs take a long while. The turner for the LG will hold 40 or 41 chicken eggs, and if you have the quail rails will hold up to 120 quail eggs. If you add the water through a vent hole, don't need to open the incubator once you set, until lockdown when you remove the turner. As you take the eggs out of the turner, candle them and leave out any clears.
