What did I do wrong? Bad hatch rates

[Weeg]

Seems the NR 360 thermostat is off by about 1.5 degrees or so, so I have it set for 100.5 or 101, I think (not near it right now).

Thats reassuring. When I first calibrated my thermometer, it calibrated at 34 degrees instead of 32. I've had the NR set at 101. If that seems about right to you, and it also coincides with my findings, it makes me sway closer to the first calibration.
Though the incubators are different so you never know.

 

[Weeg]

I have like 6-8 or so and all are within a degree of each other except for two which were like at least 2 degrees off or so? When I first got the NR 360 I had them all loaded up in there!! Seems the NR 360 thermostat is off by about 1.5 degrees or so, so I have it set for 100.5 or 101, I think (not near it right now).

There’s these small cheap rectangular thermometer/hygrometers called Goabroa on Amazon that might be helpful. If one is off they are like a few dollars. And you can stick them anywhere in the incubator, even in an egg holder (not in the water of course!!). pretty sure I’ve seen that brand in use by others on here?

https://www.amazon.com/Goabroa-Hygr..._rd_i=B07QC7JRDP&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_25_sc

Another one that might be useful is this one that is temp and humidity, but you can also see generally hi’s and low’s for a 24 hour period. It’s bigger than the goabroas but still reasonably small.

https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Ther..._rd_i=B07VD5S71Y&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_m_rp_18_sc

Thank you for the links!
I also found these- https://www.amazon.com/Pgzsy-Electr...ty+gauge&qid=1619750347&s=home-garden&sr=1-11
But am wondering if they are a bit to cheep to trust when I'm creating lives lol!
I also want to get a thermometer I saw on there that connected to an app on you phone. So you log into the app, and it will show what the temp/humidity is reading on the thermometer. Then, if we have to go out of town for a few days during incubation, I can have out long term renter check a few times a day, and I'll just contact her when the reading is high/low and needs to be adjusted. Nice for days in town to.
I may buy another 4 pack though, just so that I have some variety.

 

[ladybrasa]

Yup that’s what I have mine set to, just checked, 101. The thermometers inside say 99.x and 100.x at the highest.

yes, it is true “buy cheap, get cheap”. However the Goabroas were a recommended Christmas gift - it must be good

As far as the remote one, yeah I saw that. It wouldn’t be helpful for me as there is no one at home that could change something if needed. However, pretty sure I have read others using it or something similar with their set ups!

 

[Weeg]

What is going on!!!!
I changed the incubator, and am doing the exact, same, thing that my friend used when she was incubating. Did I get bad eggs again?????
I got 9 eggs, this morning, I think only 3 have veins. 2 were infertile, and the rest of the eggs were all doing great the day before. They had veins and were moving around. Did they quit over night? So many eggs? I'm so confused, what's going on???
They did sit around for a bit before I could pick them up. He collected them for about 4-5 days, and I picked them up 2 days after they were ready, since the seller didn't respond until after I had the chance to pick them up. Maybe they were sitting around for to long? Argh, this is so frustrating!

 

[ladybrasa]

I know, right??? I just had a bad hatch too, after I told you my last hatch did decent . Jinxed it!

 

[Weeg]

I know, right??? I just had a bad hatch too, after I told you my last hatch did decent . Jinxed it!

Darn! Do you know what happened? Its so annoying when you can't figure out what happened.

 

[ladybrasa]

I had two batches set 2 days apart. I have the DIY bator, the NR 360, and 3 new broodies (the first broody I had given two of our own eggs, EE mix, several days earlier.

Batch one were 6+4 Sulmtaler shipped from a farm in my own state. Troubles with this weren’t all related to incubating! Arrived on time and looked good, air cells in good shape. Put 8 in the 360 and gave 2 to one broody. All eggs started development. Early on, it looked like a broody stuck a nail thru one egg - I think they played musical nests. I replaced that one with one out of the incubator. Three eggs in the 360 quit. No super concerned, they were shipped after all. So at lock down had 4 in the 360 and 2 under broody, all appeared alive at candling. Temp and humidity seemed reasonable throughout incubator incubating, and maintained at least 60% during lockdown. One hatched under broody and the other appeared to have died, no idea why. Moved to the incubator just in case I missed something and was for sure dead by the morning. Another in the bator failed to hatch, not sure why. And I stink at writing stuff down so I don’t remember if it had internal pipped or not. I think it had? Pretty sure one pipped wrong end as well and helped that one out. In the meantime two in the brooder appeared to have burned their backs under the heat plate overnight!!! Why did they not move around and adjust themselves? They seem to be doing okay, putting veterycin twice daily. In the meantime, I came home one day to find the broody Sulmtaler chick dead and missing it’s skull. My guess is the first broody who had chicks for a few days killed it. I’ve shuffled things around so everyone is okay for now ... so out of 10 eggs, only three live chicks.

Batch 2, the one that is probably more interesting for you. Shipped from Papa’s Poultry which I didn’t realize was in CA and I’m in VA. Got 12+3 eggs of mainly different Orpingtons, but also opal Legbar, 55 flowery, and the Rhodebar “olive egger”. Eggs were not in the best of shape. None broken but air cells ranged from fully detached to a little shifty. Most were some degree of saddled. One even had extra air bubbles so probably scrambled. I suspect this is the main cause of the poor hatch, but can’t rule out other issues. I picked three of the eggs with the least shifty air cells - they weren’t too bad at all - and put two under one broody and one (plus another EE X egg) under the fourth broody) All the others went in my DIY bator, Incubating upright, tilted about 45 degrees three times daily. I guess it was a “dry” hatch. Humidity averaging in the 20s but did get into 30s and as low as upper teens. This seemed to coincide with the weather outside. Temp appeared to spike at 102x at one point, probably because in addition to temps in the 30s outside we also got into the 80s during incubation! Predictably had a significant number quit or not start at all, or start and quit so soon I couldn’t see anything. Ended up with 6 going in to lockdown, upright, into the 360. Mean while, the three under the broodies appeared to be grown and no quit. One egg even got cracked, I patched it with plain wax, and continued to grow! Unfortunately, the 2 under the one broody failed to hatch. I took in to the incubator, but they were already dead. No ideal why they made it to hatch, under a broody, then died. The patched one under the other broody with the homegrown egg did hatch, all by itself! Still alive! It’s a choco gold lace orp! In the 360 - I had one Rhodebar hatch all by herself. Had to help her brother out, but he’s doing well, and then there was a 55 flowery that I was kind of helping along, internal pip on her own. Two days after hatch she still hadn’t come out, but seemed vigorous, so I “hatched” her. She wasn’t positioned quite right - head not under wing, and her legs and toes were formed but curled against her belly, so she probably couldn’t push out? Kept her in the bator for two more days, but her legs weren’t straightening at all. It seemed more extensive than some tape shoes could fix. I moved them - PT? - at least twice daily and the joints seemed rather stiff. She needed to come out of the bator, and she was getting less vibrant, so I stuck her under the heat plate to be with her hatch mates. She died overnight, which I kind of figured would happen, just at least she wasn’t alone.

Of all the eggs that make it to hatch but didn’t - should have kept better notes. I only removed the shell over the air cell to look. Haven’t brought myself to full eggtopsies yet! From what I could see, two had way too much fluid under the membrane. Not sure what that means. One or two had internally pipped in air cell but then died. At least two were malpositioned- feet up or no beak insight. I’ve read that malpositions can be due to genetics but also shipping and handling. As they were a few different breeds, I would think the genetic reason is smaller? And I meddle quite a lot, but never handled them roughly, but definitely handled to candle at all stages. The 360 appeared to recover temp and humidity pretty quickly. One thing I did note this time compared to last time - the 360 humidity stayed in the 60s and some 70s. Last time it was getting up into the 80s. These were verified with two additional combo hygrometer/thermometer. Temp in the 360 ranged from 98.x to 100.x. It was set at 101, I think. I’m wondering how much ambient/outside temps and weather play a role? Also, I just thought about it - it has a fan, but is it blowing uniformly? Does it matter? Another thing with my set up that has occurred to me and I need to take notes next time - I am wondering if there are temp differences within the 360 - I feel like when I checked the thermometers the one in the “back” was slightly higher temp than in “front”. Mine is on a desk and “front” is where I look at it and “back” is close to the wall and the side of a book shelf.

Sorry for this long post!!

 

[ladybrasa]

Hey, not sure if you are interested, but I impulsed a batch of Greenfire eggs from eBay for a “reasonable” bid (compared to what they usually go for!!). Used the NR360 again. Despite several issues, I had a hatch rate of 50% or 63%, depending how you count. So I think that’s totally as expected or reasonable for shipped eggs. 12 total, one egg a clear, one chick died after hatching from several possible issues. So 6 surviving happy healthy chicks.

Problems:
-egg air cells were a bit jiggly and slightly saddled, but not enough to incubate upright, IMO.
-The turner wasn’t turning. I “manually” turned three times daily by pressing the + and - buttons several times. Later on, at least several days into incubation, I figured out it had something to do with the number of days setting for countdown. I thought that was simply for countdown, but I guess not … wonder if this was a factor in the previous hatches?
- The power went out for at least 8 hours!!! Nothing I could do about that except load up towels on it and hope ambient humidity was enough.

Settings: Temperature set at 100.5 on the 360. Humidity varied in the 40s to 50s, occasionally hitting 60%. Had three thermometer/hygrometers in there that didn’t all show the same readings, but IMO, close enough (at that point I needed more chicks like a hole in the head, and have been very stressed/down for other reasons to focus a lot on them - basically they will either hatch or they won’t).

Thoughts: I am highly suspicious the turner wasn’t turning in previous hatches. It is very difficult to find out how often it is supposed to turn and how far, so when I looked at it before going to work and getting home - at least 12 hours, if it looked to be in the same position I just assumed they rolled a complete round.
I also feel that ambient humidity may have impacted the hatch. It’s been super humid (so yucky!!) and it definitely kept humidity higher in the incubator. If ambient was dry, I’d be struggling to keep it in the 20s most likely - this would count as a dry hatch, which is okay. However, it seems that the 360 is not insulated well for humidity (but loads better than my DIY bator) and perhaps jumping around during incubation from “dry” hatch levels to “regular” levels might have been an issue for me in the past?

Hope this might be helpful to you!

 

[Weeg]

Hey, not sure if you are interested, but I impulsed a batch of Greenfire eggs from eBay for a “reasonable” bid (compared to what they usually go for!!). Used the NR360 again. Despite several issues, I had a hatch rate of 50% or 63%, depending how you count. So I think that’s totally as expected or reasonable for shipped eggs. 12 total, one egg a clear, one chick died after hatching from several possible issues. So 6 surviving happy healthy chicks.

Problems:
-egg air cells were a bit jiggly and slightly saddled, but not enough to incubate upright, IMO.
-The turner wasn’t turning. I “manually” turned three times daily by pressing the + and - buttons several times. Later on, at least several days into incubation, I figured out it had something to do with the number of days setting for countdown. I thought that was simply for countdown, but I guess not … wonder if this was a factor in the previous hatches?
- The power went out for at least 8 hours!!! Nothing I could do about that except load up towels on it and hope ambient humidity was enough.

Settings: Temperature set at 100.5 on the 360. Humidity varied in the 40s to 50s, occasionally hitting 60%. Had three thermometer/hygrometers in there that didn’t all show the same readings, but IMO, close enough (at that point I needed more chicks like a hole in the head, and have been very stressed/down for other reasons to focus a lot on them - basically they will either hatch or they won’t).

Thoughts: I am highly suspicious the turner wasn’t turning in previous hatches. It is very difficult to find out how often it is supposed to turn and how far, so when I looked at it before going to work and getting home - at least 12 hours, if it looked to be in the same position I just assumed they rolled a complete round.
I also feel that ambient humidity may have impacted the hatch. It’s been super humid (so yucky!!) and it definitely kept humidity higher in the incubator. If ambient was dry, I’d be struggling to keep it in the 20s most likely - this would count as a dry hatch, which is okay. However, it seems that the 360 is not insulated well for humidity (but loads better than my DIY bator) and perhaps jumping around during incubation from “dry” hatch levels to “regular” levels might have been an issue for me in the past?

Hope this might be helpful to you!

This is great info! In my last hatches it was SUPER wet. We had rain and more rain, so keeping humidity up was easy. I recently loaded 8 Serama eggs into the bator, and 7 under my broody. Now with this insane heat wave, keeping humidity up has been harder. The bator is reading between 42-44, usually closer to 42%. Though a calibrated thermometer inside the bator is reading between 50-52%. I've decided that either way, which ever one of those is correct will still be a decent humidity, so am keeping my filling routine the same.
I did notice that in the begging as well. I place Easter eggs in the turner before placing eggs, and released it wasn't working. Since I'm borrowing this NR360 from a friend until I can get my own, she explained that I had to reset the days to hatch setting. Thank goodness for that!
For my most recent hatch I had the SAME THING happen. On about day 6, 6 eggs quit overnight, leaving only 2 alive with movement, and visible veins.
But the 7 under my broody are doing great! Strong, thick, large veins and lots of visible movement. Since broody's can slightly adjust incubation to help certain eggs thrive, I think mine just didn't do as good since I can't adjust for them. I put one of the surviving eggs under my broody to see if it would perk up, and left the other in the bator. Its been 2 days since the last candle, so I'll candle the eggs again today and see how everything looks. Crossing my fingers that my 1 is still going strong!

 

[Tonyroo]

I had two batches set 2 days apart. I have the DIY bator, the NR 360, and 3 new broodies (the first broody I had given two of our own eggs, EE mix, several days earlier.

Batch one were 6+4 Sulmtaler shipped from a farm in my own state. Troubles with this weren’t all related to incubating! Arrived on time and looked good, air cells in good shape. Put 8 in the 360 and gave 2 to one broody. All eggs started development. Early on, it looked like a broody stuck a nail thru one egg - I think they played musical nests. I replaced that one with one out of the incubator. Three eggs in the 360 quit. No super concerned, they were shipped after all. So at lock down had 4 in the 360 and 2 under broody, all appeared alive at candling. Temp and humidity seemed reasonable throughout incubator incubating, and maintained at least 60% during lockdown. One hatched under broody and the other appeared to have died, no idea why. Moved to the incubator just in case I missed something and was for sure dead by the morning. Another in the bator failed to hatch, not sure why. And I stink at writing stuff down so I don’t remember if it had internal pipped or not. I think it had? Pretty sure one pipped wrong end as well and helped that one out. In the meantime two in the brooder appeared to have burned their backs under the heat plate overnight!!! Why did they not move around and adjust themselves? They seem to be doing okay, putting veterycin twice daily. In the meantime, I came home one day to find the broody Sulmtaler chick dead and missing it’s skull. My guess is the first broody who had chicks for a few days killed it. I’ve shuffled things around so everyone is okay for now ... so out of 10 eggs, only three live chicks.

Batch 2, the one that is probably more interesting for you. Shipped from Papa’s Poultry which I didn’t realize was in CA and I’m in VA. Got 12+3 eggs of mainly different Orpingtons, but also opal Legbar, 55 flowery, and the Rhodebar “olive egger”. Eggs were not in the best of shape. None broken but air cells ranged from fully detached to a little shifty. Most were some degree of saddled. One even had extra air bubbles so probably scrambled. I suspect this is the main cause of the poor hatch, but can’t rule out other issues. I picked three of the eggs with the least shifty air cells - they weren’t too bad at all - and put two under one broody and one (plus another EE X egg) under the fourth broody) All the others went in my DIY bator, Incubating upright, tilted about 45 degrees three times daily. I guess it was a “dry” hatch. Humidity averaging in the 20s but did get into 30s and as low as upper teens. This seemed to coincide with the weather outside. Temp appeared to spike at 102x at one point, probably because in addition to temps in the 30s outside we also got into the 80s during incubation! Predictably had a significant number quit or not start at all, or start and quit so soon I couldn’t see anything. Ended up with 6 going in to lockdown, upright, into the 360. Mean while, the three under the broodies appeared to be grown and no quit. One egg even got cracked, I patched it with plain wax, and continued to grow! Unfortunately, the 2 under the one broody failed to hatch. I took in to the incubator, but they were already dead. No ideal why they made it to hatch, under a broody, then died. The patched one under the other broody with the homegrown egg did hatch, all by itself! Still alive! It’s a choco gold lace orp! In the 360 - I had one Rhodebar hatch all by herself. Had to help her brother out, but he’s doing well, and then there was a 55 flowery that I was kind of helping along, internal pip on her own. Two days after hatch she still hadn’t come out, but seemed vigorous, so I “hatched” her. She wasn’t positioned quite right - head not under wing, and her legs and toes were formed but curled against her belly, so she probably couldn’t push out? Kept her in the bator for two more days, but her legs weren’t straightening at all. It seemed more extensive than some tape shoes could fix. I moved them - PT? - at least twice daily and the joints seemed rather stiff. She needed to come out of the bator, and she was getting less vibrant, so I stuck her under the heat plate to be with her hatch mates. She died overnight, which I kind of figured would happen, just at least she wasn’t alone.

Of all the eggs that make it to hatch but didn’t - should have kept better notes. I only removed the shell over the air cell to look. Haven’t brought myself to full eggtopsies yet! From what I could see, two had way too much fluid under the membrane. Not sure what that means. One or two had internally pipped in air cell but then died. At least two were malpositioned- feet up or no beak insight. I’ve read that malpositions can be due to genetics but also shipping and handling. As they were a few different breeds, I would think the genetic reason is smaller? And I meddle quite a lot, but never handled them roughly, but definitely handled to candle at all stages. The 360 appeared to recover temp and humidity pretty quickly. One thing I did note this time compared to last time - the 360 humidity stayed in the 60s and some 70s. Last time it was getting up into the 80s. These were verified with two additional combo hygrometer/thermometer. Temp in the 360 ranged from 98.x to 100.x. It was set at 101, I think. I’m wondering how much ambient/outside temps and weather play a role? Also, I just thought about it - it has a fan, but is it blowing uniformly? Does it matter? Another thing with my set up that has occurred to me and I need to take notes next time - I am wondering if there are temp differences within the 360 - I feel like when I checked the thermometers the one in the “back” was slightly higher temp than in “front”. Mine is on a desk and “front” is where I look at it and “back” is close to the wall and the side of a book shelf.

Sorry for this long post!!

Are you experimenting? That's a lot of casualties happening.