Very small air cells on day 16 - Please help me save these babies.

[Arielle]

Horray!!!! 100% hatch ! Great job.

The books are not wrong-- it really depends on a number of factors: ventilation, type of machine, ambient humidity, and IMO, size of the egg. A small pullet egg needs to dry slower than a massive EE egg, and all in the same 21 day time period.

Glad it turned out well.

Oh yes, sorry, forgot to fill you in on the hen. I actually had to ask on another thread where folks are more knowledgable than I am on the dark egg layers. THere are MANY birds that lay a dark egg, Penedence, Wellsummers, Marans, Barnvelders, and I'm missing one I think. Hmm..

ANyway, Wellie x Pene was suggested, and maybe some marans. A mix of good dark egg layer genes. SHe is pretty and lays a nice egg that's good enough for me.

You did learn a lot and you now have that in your book of knowledge for the next time. ANd next time something else will baffle you!

I've enjoyed our time together!

 

[calichickies]

Thanks so much!!

I've enjoyed our time together as well!

Hope to see you around the BYC farm.

Cheers,
Rachel

 

[calichickies]

I'd vote for Welsummer.

Thanks!
I'll look that up.

 

[BuffBeck]

Howdy, Calichickies,
I'm sorry that you're having a difficult time.

My recomendation:
Try the "dry incubation" method!
I has worked very well for many people, because most of the time just the humidity fro the room the 'bator is in does the trick. I know my house is definately humid enough! Try looking it up in this forum section. Then, on day 18, you just boost the humidity by a little water in the water trays. You can measure the humidity with a "Hygrometer". I found one of those in the reptilian section of a nearby Petco.

Sure hope this info saves your chickies,
BuffBeck

 

[Fred's Hens]

Ah.... Just sayin'

This thread is old.

The advice to try the dry method is a good one, however.

 

[calichickies]

Howdy, Calichickies,
I'm sorry that you're having a difficult time.

My recomendation:
Try the "dry incubation" method!
I has worked very well for many people, because most of the time just the humidity fro the room the 'bator is in does the trick. I know my house is definately humid enough! Try looking it up in this forum section. Then, on day 18, you just boost the humidity by a little water in the water trays. You can measure the humidity with a "Hygrometer". I found one of those in the reptilian section of a nearby Petco.

Sure hope this info saves your chickies,
BuffBeck

Awww... Thanks so much BuffBeck!!
This was an issue I had last August - And luckily ALL the chicks survived! Yay!!
And yes I have advanced onto the "dry" method now and it worked much better.
So Thank you very much for your kind thoughts.
Cheers!
Cali

 

[Cariporter22]

Thank you for this thread it's giving me some hope that my chicks might make it. I candled today and noticed the air sacks were way too small so I have the humidity at 25% and I'm hoping to see an increase in the air sack size by tomorrow night

This is my first hatch and everything has been good so far lots of growth and movement so I don't want to lose them right at the end. I guess I'm at the wait and see stage.

 

[calichickies]

Thank you for this thread it's giving me some hope that my chicks might make it. I candled today and noticed the air sacks were way too small so I have the humidity at 25% and I'm hoping to see an increase in the air sack size by tomorrow night

This is my first hatch and everything has been good so far lots of growth and movement so I don't want to lose them right at the end. I guess I'm at the wait and see stage.

I'm so glad this post is giving you hope! I was right where you are a year ago with my very first hatch as well. Everything turned out very well, and I'm hoping for the same for you. I removed all sources of humidity and never increased it at the end at all. The hatching process will emit enough humidity itself. You'd be surprised how much those air cells can go down in just 2 days. Good Luck!!

 

[Southchick]

I'm so glad this post is giving you hope!  I was right where you are a year ago with my very first hatch as well.  Everything turned out very well, and I'm hoping for the same for you.  I removed all sources of humidity and never increased it at the end at all.  The hatching process will emit enough humidity itself.  You'd be surprised how much those air cells can go down in just 2 days.  Good Luck!!

So glad I read this thread! Exactly the same situation: day 16, small air sacs. Am lowering humidity big time and raising temp. I think I'll back down on the temp and leave it at 99.5-100. You gave another fellow incubator hope. Thanks!!!!

 

[calichickies]

Oh Yay! Good Luck!
I'm so glad this thread is still helping people.
BYC is so awesome that way.