Incubator Problems

[vfr400boy 3,130]

Iv been getting 100% fritillary on my Minorca eggs I candle them at 10days , the problem is getting them to hatch only got 3 out of 12 eggs they are slow to hatch temp is 37.5 thers plenty of water in the bottom, it's a brince octagon thanks

[Rabid 1,936]

Join the club pal, I have the brinesea advance, when I candle I am getting excellent fertility, but probably loosing a third of them due to not hatching or dying straight away.

I posted a thread on here, take a look at the replies, some interesting comments.

 

I am playing with the settings at the mo, everything seems to point towards humidity rather than temperature, I ran my incubator dry last week until the eggs went into the bottom for hatching before adding any water, I also opened the vents more for better oxygen, mine should start hatching tomorrow, but I have two chicks out and looking good this morning ! Even though I dropped the temperature.

 

The last two weeks hatch were spread over 3 days ! They should hatch on the Sunday, but usually start Saturday and still coming out Monday evening, not sure how I feel about these brinesea machines now.

 

Check this link for the replies I had.

 

http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/355472-early-hatching/

Edited April 9, 2016 by Rabid

[Chicken_man 1,651]

I check the humidity day 18 and only add water if required, also keep shut till all hatched, no matter how tempting it is to open it.

I think a few lads are having problems just now. Got some due nxt Sunday. 9 out of 10 fertile and forming well, but a lot can happen in a week. The last few days are crucial for a good hatch rate, so let's see.

Got a broody sitting also, that's by far the best, but not always possible for early youngsters.

Atb

[stevo79 569]

Iv been getting 100% fritillary on my Minorca eggs I candle them at 10days , the problem is getting them to hatch only got 3 out of 12 eggs they are slow to hatch temp is 37.5 thers plenty of water in the bottom, it's a brince octagon thanks

You've probably put too much water in mate. As I've said before don't put water in until day 18 by then all the egg moisture has evaporated. Then add water, fill your trays and you should see better results. Also but a hygrometer on eBay the cheap as you like. Atb

[vfr400boy 3,130]

Thanks for the replies, I will try that and open the vent some more ,

[Guest Navek]

I use one the cheapo polstyrine ones off eBay had the temp at 37.5 with a wet sponge in a little bowl of water first time I used it I noticed the water was getting dry and humidity was dropping so I opened the box to top the water up and the humidity vanished so I poked a little hole in the box were the bowl was and used a squeezed water bottle with a pipe on and made sure the water was room temp not freezing cold and had better luck that way...thing is with England is the weather is shite and a incubator in a room can run one temp and humidity one day and another the next due to outside weather change .. Trying to find a room in the house with runs at the same time with a decent amount of light coming in but not to much so the room doesn't heat up if it's sunny outside....humidity was the key for me hatching ...... And been able to keep my self from opening the box every time one started piping lol

[MoChara 1,600]

Location is just as important as the incubator in my eyes. First ever hatch I had it on a counter out of sun and would have been next to a window so I thought any draft will mess it up... Got 7/7 hatch healthy.

Moved for the next hatch not far but further from the window and it was a nightmare, over heated fan dry the lot and had 6/13 hatch most dead in shell full term...

 

Turns out the window across from bator helped due to more oxygen circulating around and in the incubator - well that's my view any how's only answer I could come up with.

[devon flighter 421]

your not on your own vfr im using broodies and so far this is my results this year , im doing pretty crap this year, just had my 3rd hatch and not good again ! sat on 10 eggs, 6 hatched and only 2 surviving after 24hrs !

last hatch sat on 11 only 3 hatched and

the first hatch sat on 13 and 6 hatched and only 3 alive now ! fertility been ok but seems a few struggling to get out of shell or not starting to chip or keeling over in the first day

 

maybe its just the year ,fertility is fine with me and these are all from different pens of birds !!!!!! i though i would be finished now but im thinking of doing a few more sittings to get the numbers to give me a choice, in fact ive just knocked up a couple more broody coops ,these small hatches are more trouble and take up a coup for the same amount ! hey ho if it was easy we would loose interest i suspect

[burnie69 376]

If your humidity is too high during incubating your chick's grow to big in the egg and the air sack at the top isn't big enough for the chick's to break out and use the space to spin there head round to start piping out. Like I've said is previous posts buy a hygrometer off eBay around £15 and keep your humidity at 35-40% for 18 days them for the last 3 days up it to 65-70%. It's works boys I've messed around with all different makes over the years and it works with them all.

[Rabid 1,936]

I think truth be told you have to gauge humidity by the air space in the egg, I know years ago we used to dangle the eggs regular as you liked, I remember asking why we did it if we knew they were fertile, think he said it was to check the chicks progress, I have been reading up on it these last few weeks and quite a few of the older books mention similar things

[burnie69 376]

Weighing eggs through out the incubation is the correct way of doing it. I don't I just do as I put.