WHAT AM I DOING WRONG??? i JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND....

[jvls1942]

Quote:
Good for you.. and I also have three therms and a hygrometer that are right on.. but our good original poster might not..

OP has to find a thermometer that is proven to be right on and compare theirs to it and calibrate it if they can..

 

[klf73]

I think the air flow thing may be worth looking at. I tossed my hygrometer, I only put water in at hatching now. I added water and tried keeping it *perfect* but ended up with a lot of dead, wet chicks. Temp is critical but if there have been no spikes (or major long term drops) that shouldn't be a problem. I actually calibrated my thermometers with an *old fashioned* non-digital thermometer.

 

[roosty]

I dont up the humidity at hatch time. I just let it be...Maybe the fully formed ones are drowning in the egg.? my humidity usually stays between 40 to 55 during the whole incubation. My hatches are always good. Just my thoughts on what works for me.

 

[Missouri chick]

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Nope, I was there when she put the eggs in. I know they ALL went in together.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Nope, I was there when she put the eggs in. I know they ALL went in together.

How were they stored?

By the way ..... it is not better to err on the side of low RH .... there is a correct RH, and that is the RH that leads to 12% weight loss between setting and day 18.

That is the RH that gives the eggs the best chance to hatch, anything else compromises hatch rates.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
Nope, I was there when she put the eggs in. I know they ALL went in together.

How were they stored?

By the way ..... it is not better to err on the side of low RH .... there is a correct RH, and that is the RH that leads to 12% weight loss between setting and day 18.

That is the RH that gives the eggs the best chance to hatch, anything else compromises hatch rates.

what can a person use to weigh the eggs? Is there a special egg scale for this?

 

[MissPrissy]

I would also have to question the chickens you are using as breeders.

Basic laying hens for eating eggs are not fed the same way breeder hens should be fed to get the absolute best and strongest chicks to hatch.

What is your feeding regimine for the chickens you are hatching eggs from?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
How were they stored?

By the way ..... it is not better to err on the side of low RH .... there is a correct RH, and that is the RH that leads to 12% weight loss between setting and day 18.

That is the RH that gives the eggs the best chance to hatch, anything else compromises hatch rates.

what can a person use to weigh the eggs? Is there a special egg scale for this?

I bout mine on eBay for about $20

It weighs up to 250g in 1/10th gram increments.

Much loved by drug dealers and chicken hatchers alike

 

[mudderhen]

Thanks for all the good info. I will definitely look into everything. My temp/hygrometer isn't electric. I'm not sure what you call it. I do pull the vent plugs, and because I worried about lack of fresh air, I set the entire incubator on a wire cookie rack to make sure air flowed easy. I did plug the vent holes the last 3 days to keep humidity in.

I do only have the one temp/hygrometer. But it sat on top of most of the ee eggs. Go figure. I will try to get different ones.

I have tried to hatch multiple EE eggs with little success. These are not Araucana, or even Ameraucana, just regular old hatchery EE girls, and the father is a silver laced polish.

I think I may ask Missouri chick if she will try to hatch some in her bator and see if we can figure out what the problem is.

 

[klf73]

plugging the vents especially the last 3 days is a big no-no. You need to increase the oxygen, not decrease. You need to find a different way to increase humidity. If you are plugging the holes then I say you are having high chick mortality due to oxygen deprivation......

eta- I say try another batch and make sure you leave those vents open. To increase humidity you can add a cloth to your tray. I have a homemade bator so I don't know what yours looks like. Others have the same bator and can give you better suggestions for raising the humidity...