When to throw in the towel

[Trog]

Don't have a meter. (For humidity) I have just been keeping the reservoir full. According to the incubator. Will there be movement? Foul smell?

Temps are at 100deg STEADY at the top of the egg.

 

[trilyn]

Do you have an LG? I have two myself and love them! A bit of tweaking and they work great. Ummm, you really should get yourself a hygrometer and a good thermometer. I actually do use the ones that come with the LG and sync them with a good digital. I like the hygrometers and the digital thermometers in the reptile section at Petco. The hygrometer was around 4.99 and the yellow digital thermometer was around 7.99. I tell ya, til I got these my hatches sucked! You really have no way of measuring temp/humidity until you get some devices. Just a thought! I also have to of the Accurite thermometer/hygrometer combos in each of the bators as well. There are lots of excellent threads on here about still air incubators, but I've got to be honest, I put computer fans in both of mine, oh and they both have turners. This is my third successful hatch in a row, and I am sooooo happy!! The first two were complete duds. But the first one I blame on impatience, the second I blame on bad eggs. The second one I had good temps/humidity and nothing. Talk about po'ed!! The rest were good eggs and good temps/humidity-can't go wrong with that!

I really wish you good luck on this hatch, nothing is worse than seeing, well...nothing!

 

[Trog]

The incubator was a freebee from the school dist. (anything with fur or feathers out of the classrooms these days) It is a HOVA bator with turner. I just used the thermometer that came with it, and as I posted kept the reservoir full according to the opperating manual. I will, however, pick up a hygrometer and a different thermometer for my next set.

Call it denial, but I still don't understand why they don't smell rotten...Any thoughts?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have yet to have a smelly egg in the bator; does not mater if it did not develop or if it developed and died along the way. I think the only way to have a smelly egg is if there is bacteria that gets into the egg - but again I am not totally sure.

 

[17roses]

Quote:
If I am truely ready to "throw in the towel". I open the incubator take out an egg, candle it then very carefully crack the top (usually a slight hit to the corner of a piece of furniture). I peel back the shell until I can see inside. If I see movement, I spritz all the eggs, put the cracked egg back in the incubator and wait. If there is no movement I open it fully to see what the problem is, then move on and do the same with the next egg till the incubator is empty or I find movement. If you do this be sure to close the incubator after each egg you remove in case you find a viable chick. This method is not for everyone. This is just what I do and it helps me decide not only what went wrong but what I will do different next time.

 

[trilyn]

Sometimes they just don't smell rotten. There could have been a temp spike and they died in the shell. They might not even be fertile-honest to goodness, there are nine million reasons why they don't hatch. Don't drive yourself crazy, its more than likely nothing you did. Just try, try again!! Definitely get yourself some devices to monitor temps/humidity, that way you know YOU didn't do anything!! It was truly the best thing I ever did.

 

[Trog]

Okay okay that is what I needed to read! I knew if I bothered you long enough you'd lay it out!

 

[Morag]

I have a hovabator, my first hatch nothing happened, I waited until day 25 then opened the eggs, they were fully formed chicks but hadn't pipped inside. My temp had been a constant 100. I was heart broken but tried again with the temp at 103, every one hatched! Now on 3rd hatch and 7 developing well, today is day 15 so hopefully will have babies early next week. Don't give up trying and don't beat yourself up if this hatch doesn't go well.

 

[cluckcluck42]

I've let them go up to day 25, and candle before I chuck. If your temps are low, I would give it more time.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
If you didn't have anything to check the humidity you could have drown them as soon as they opened the air sack. You can ask Acre's about that. I sent her one, got it at Wal Mart it was around $5.00. It tells the temp and humidity. When she put it in the bater the humd was 80. The next time she hatched she did a lot better.

Like trilyn said don't worry about it. You'll do better next time.