Worried!!!

[sunnydt]

I have a hovabator and the temp was at 100 varying a half a degree above and below. I do not have a humidity meter. I just followed the water instructions for the hovabator which is to fill one part with water the first 17 days then fill both parts for the remainder. I have a automatic turner which I removed and stopped turning the eggs on the 18th day. It does have a fan and yes they were shipped eggs from someone that is highly recommended even on this forum. I only let the eggs sit for a couple hours then put them in the bator.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Sunny...I wish it were so easy as to say exactly what goes wrong. I've ask the question time after time...why do they develop all the way to about 18 days, then die without pipping? Or they pip the aircell and then die before zipping and hatching?

I will say this. EXCEPT FOR SILKIES...keeping the humidity on the lower side during incubation (around 30-35%) and then increasing to around 65% day 19 - 21 and running the temp just a bit higher (around 100.3) I had better luck when using a styrofoam bator. I know some folks have great hatches in the styrofoam bators but I could NOT hatch worth a crap in them and sold mine. I had better hatches in my homemade incubator with temp swings than I did in the styro bator.

Since I bought my Rcom Suro King, I've had great hatches....and I don't know why. Perhaps it's the ventilation...they need enough fresh air being drawn in. It is terribly discouraging, I know. I was just about to give up completely and just purchase chicks, but the Rcom was on sale and I decided to take one more stab at it.

Shipped eggs are certainly harder to hatch, but generally it's related to the eggs developing at all.

 

[sunnydt]

Thanks for your reply. I think next time I will buy a hydrometer and see if that helps at all. Like I said the first hatch was 60%, compared to this one that was good so I dont understand what went wrong. I am glad though that I now have 10 happy healthy chicks out of it.