wondering what when wrong

[dustponds10]

Well, this was my first hatch and I dont know what it was that went wrong but something did. I put my eggs into lock down 3 days ago and I was getting a great hatch so it looked but only 2 hatched and 1 other was all but hatched but couldnt get out of his egg. After a night and a half of seeing the new pips on the eggs and no movement other then the one that I helped I decided to see what the problem was. I coudl see that one was dead becasue the beak wasnt moving at all and it pipped the night before. The rest I didnt see any movement either. My temp was 99.5-100.5 using a brinsea spot check. Humidity was around 68-70. I found when I opened the incubator that the membrane inside the egg was pretty tough and hard. I imagine that is why they couldnt hatch but what would cause that? It was good to get a couple and one in question but not sure what the cause was that he membrane hardened. Any help would be super awesome. Thanks

 

[ginbart]

Did you open the bator when they were on lock down? Maybe give them some more time, it can take a couple of days for them to come out. I thought one was dead once because the beak wasnt moving so I took it out and it moved. I put it back. You say the Humidity was around 68-70, that was only the last 3 days right? I'm sure you will be getting more help and I'm sorry that happened. We all know what it's like waiting 21 days and getting nothing.

 

[bigdawg]

i would put the blame on low humidity. double check what your using for checking humidity.

 

[dustponds10]

Oh I did get 3 that are pretty fun being they are the first three that I have ever hatched so I have some to keep me company until my pheasant eggs go to lock down. And yes I did not open the bator the whole 3 days of lock down. I just let them be and hoped for the best. I also incubated the eggs the other 18 days at a humidity of 50 and temp between 99.5 and 100.5 with some varies because of the weather and I turned my house heat off but nothing really sever I dont think considering that I had around 8 developing.

 

[dustponds10]

Ok Ill run another test with my device and I am going to put another one in with it so that i can double check it. I hope that when I get the pheasents to lock down I will have a few more things figured out. Any more suggestions and help would be greatly appericated.

 

[cracking up]

I agree with bigdawg. With new hatchers it's always hard to get the humidity right. You sort of develop a feel for it. I can't use hydrometers, all the calibrating and it just seems so complicated. Now I just throw in sponges and fill the water wells and it works.

 

[dustponds10]

Wow that is something. I really want to get this right because I am looking into getting some eggs that I will in turn help my fly tying hobby and illness if the chicks hatch and I really dont want to spend alot of money on the eggs if I cant hatch regular barn yard specials at a decent percentage. I wish I could figure out the sponge thing and what not but I just have to get a feel for it this way and go from there. Thanks again.

 

[kelliepulido]

50 is too high for the first 18 days

 

[cracking up]

I wasn't clear on the sponges. They're for lockdown and I'm in San Diego where it's dry, I've never had a problem with too much humidity.

 

[dustponds10]

50 is to high? What should it be at? What effects will it cause if the humidity is to high for the first 18 days?