Early Hatching

[Rabid 1,936]

Was the incubator opened during hatching.

 

Only very briefly to transfer the chicks, and briefly to top water levels up for humidity, thinking about getting a humidity pump for it.

 

Sounds like the humidity, brinseas are known for it, spray the eggs a few days before hatching

I transferred the next hatch tonight, have been spraying the eggs now, see what if any difference it makes.

 

 

I have tweaked the temperature,humidity and turning settings, I remembered years ago when I had an issue an old guy said to me, the perfect setting is the one that gives results, it's trial and error, so I am tweaking them around every week now and see what works, done it by the book and not good, now for old timer methods !

[stevo79 569]

Try not adding any water at all until day 18. Then fill your trays and wait until you see one pip and then add more water. The reason I do this is because by then the eggs have already evaporated the egg moisture which means your chicks won't drown. whixh is probably what happened to your chicks.

atb?

I know I said 16 but I meant 18 lol

Edited March 31, 2016 by stevo79

[stevo79 569]

I can't express enough that by puting water in all the way through. Your just have another poor hatch. An old friend of mine told me this years ago when I worked weekends on his rare breed poultry farm. It's never let me down

[Rabid 1,936]

Cheers Stevo, I am willing to try anything to get these hatch rates up

[stevo79 569]

It will work mate trust me?. Don't worry neither if

You put too much in it will settle down. Sometimes my incubators steam up lol. But I get good hatches and no drowned chicks. Atb

[burnie69 376]

Don't open the doors until all chick's have hatched. You've lost all the humidity in doing so and the egg sacks have dried out resulting in the remaining eggs not hatching. By a hygrometer off eBay if measures humidity. Run it at around 35-40% for 18 days then push it up to 70% for the last 3 days. It's also measure the temp so you'll know if your incubator is running at a true temp. I've brought eggs back from the states and had 29 outta 36 so the proof is in the pudding.

[burnie69 376]

Also I'd like to add. It all depends on where the incubator is situated down the the natural humidity levels. Cold damp room produces more humidity than one what's dry and bright. What works for one doesn't work for others . I've messed around with all sorts of different makes over the years and as long as there running straight around 37.5 temp you can manage the rest. By like I said in my last post by a hygrometer £15 well spent.

[francolin 449]

when I was hatching in polyhatch machines,i had 3 running constant ,got best results with no water added, and never opened till all hatched,

[stevo79 569]

when I was hatching in polyhatch machines,i had 3 running constant ,got best results with no water added, and never opened till all hatched,

Are you not even putting water during hatching??

Cheers

[francolin 449]

 

when I was hatching in polyhatch machines,i had 3 running constant ,got best results with no water added, and never opened till all hatched,

Are you not even putting water during hatching??

Cheers

[/quoteat ]stevo I hatched a large amount of quail at one time, these machines were run constant,i never added water even when eggs pipped, they hatched dry,then removed chicks hooverd incubator and refilled with eggs,this was years ago,so cant remember what humidity readings were but I was hatching year round,atb

 

[francolin 449]

stevo I also had a orange incubator, fan assisted, door opened at front it had 3 pull out trays,cant remember the make,but this did better with water in,and they were all run in same room, so do know how that works, lol

[francolin 449]

Don't open the doors until all chick's have hatched. You've lost all the humidity in doing so and the egg sacks have dried out resulting in the remaining eggs not hatching. By a hygrometer off eBay if measures humidity. Run it at around 35-40% for 18 days then push it up to 70% for the last 3 days. It's also measure the temp so you'll know if your incubator is running at a true temp. I've brought eggs back from the states and had 29 outta 36 so the proof is in the pudding.

as stated I kept records at the time my best hatches were with no water added, in still air, could this be due to area I lived in,humidity in the room ect,its a good few year ago so I cant remember humidity readings ect,but I did try game eggs in same incubators and got poor hatch rates,atb.

[stevo79 569]

Interesting mate?

Edited April 3, 2016 by stevo79