when to toss eggs and humidity question

[mustangsaguaro]

I have a bunch of shipped silkie eggs in the incubator. I candled them all on Day 6. Some of them had distinct veins I could see and others did not. I am kind of holding out that the ones I didn't see veins in are just slow developers. There were others that I could see had definate ruptured air sacs which I am sure there is no hope for those. At what day do you usually toss your eggs where you had hope for but you know after so many days there is no hope?

Also, I am having issues w/ my 2 incubators holding there humidity at around 40%. Every morning and night I have to check the humidity. And usually add water in the mornings. I use a 60cc syringe to add water. The other day I added 1/2 oz to each incubator and that upped the humidity to around 50% which in my book is too high. The next morning after I did this humidity was back down to like 28%. Then the next morning instead of adding a 1/2 oz I added 1/4oz and that appeared to be the trick but once again next morning humidity was back down to 18-20%. How can I stabilize the humidity w/o adding to much water, yet only have to worry about it every other or every 2nd day instead of adding water every single morning.

Thanks

 

[Megan Amber]

I usually toss my eggs around day 8 if there is absolutely nothing when I candle them. As far as the humidity goes-are there any vents in bator that could be allowing to much humidity to escape? I have to plug some of mine.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

I usually toss my eggs around day 8 if there is absolutely nothing when I candle them. As far as the humidity goes-are there any vents in bator that could be allowing to much humidity to escape? I have to plug some of mine.

The vents are closed. So no way the humidity could escape. I also live in a pretty dry climate (California San Jose Bay Area). But didn't have this humidity issue last year.

 

[Megan Amber]

Hmmm, Well then I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe if you took a small wet cloth and kept that in your incubator it might help?

 

[they'reHISchickens]

use dry incubation down to around low 20s.. Much easier!

 

[mustangsaguaro]

use dry incubation down to around low 20s.. Much easier!

I tried dry incubation last year and I had horrible hatches and very weak chicks. Perhaps because I already live in a very dry climate that might be why. I'm not sure.

 

[Bill 101]

I did some investigation, to figure out where San Martin is, checked a map. Isn't it in a costal, or costal influence area? You say its dry, but how dry? What type of incubators are you using? I lived in the Sacto Valley, around Sacramento & always used a 50% humidity in my bators during incubation & 70% during hatch, but I had incubators with adjustable water bottles, so I just had to refill the water bottles, maybe every 2-3 days.
It's not a good idea to have all the vents closed, there needs to be a venting of old air while allowing fresh air in. The weak chicks can be caused by Temperature being to high or low, old eggs or poor ventilation, Sooooo, maybe with more information, we can pin this down a little better.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

I did some investigation, to figure out where San Martin is, checked a map. Isn't it in a costal, or costal influence area? You say its dry, but how dry? What type of incubators are you using? I lived in the Sacto Valley, around Sacramento & always used a 50% humidity in my bators during incubation & 70% during hatch, but I had incubators with adjustable water bottles, so I just had to refill the water bottles, maybe every 2-3 days.
It's not a good idea to have all the vents closed, there needs to be a venting of old air while allowing fresh air in. The weak chicks can be caused by Temperature being to high or low, old eggs or poor ventilation, Sooooo, maybe with more information, we can pin this down a little better.

San Martin is close to Gilroy. I wouldn't consider it to coastal, but the ocean is about 30-45 minutes where I live. I am using forced air hovabators. Up until last year (my first hatch) I was using 50% humidity. But all my chicks were making it to day 18 and then quit. They basically drowned in the egg. Once I switched to 38-42% humidity my hatch rates went up from 40% to about 80-90%. My temps were stable between 99-100. I use an egg o meter to monitor the temps in the incubator. All eggs are pretty fresh I use. I will use eggs up to 10 days old that have been laid as I need to be able to fill my bators. And seeing that I only have a few hens (have more this year). I can easily fill them w/ a weeks worth of eggs laid. Does this info help?

 

[Bill 101]

Your observation of chicks making it to day 18 & then dying, does seem to indicate to high a humidity. Did you, by chance, check air cell size?
Being 30-45 minutes from the Ocean can have a dramatic effect on incubators. I lived in San Carlos for a time. During the spring, summer as the Valley heated up, the wind increased (air being pulled in from the ocean by the rising heat in the valley (believe it or not). So I would think you have the same type climate. The moist air, sometime in the form of fog comes tumbling over the Costal Mountains to the interior valleys, If that is your situation, the humidity changes rapidly & can affect the humidity in your incubator, so a 50% during incubation is probably to high, as you experienced.
The wild swings in humidity is caused by insufficient water area. When you add water, you get increase, but as the water evaporates, it decreases. There isn't any way to maintain a constant humidity. Is there space for a water pan? Before you say a water pan will give you to much humidity, you can cover a water pan so only a certain portion of the water area is exposed to evaporation, but you would have a constant supply of just the right amount to maintain your 30 or 40%. Will that work? It doesn't have to be deep, it's the Square inches of surface that important, but depth will allow longer times in between water fillings. I've heard of people running small tubing into the water pan so they can fill from the outside . Anything sound like it will work?

 

[chickydee64]

HI, I was having a major problem this year with humdity bottoming out over night......
Added a wet spong and it eliminated the problem.
Good Luck