Question about Incubator Temp and Humidity

[dave27889]

I have had really bad hatches lately from shipped eggs. They came from several sources but all top notch people. The last hatch of 50 chicken, Turkey and guienies was lousy. I only got 5 live chicks out of it all. The break down went like this 8 Turkey eggs- 4 were clear and 4 were fully developed but not hatched. The 8 guienies were 1 clear and 7 fully developed but not hatched. The chicks were 34 toal with 1 dying after peeping, 1 tore his belly out with it's toe caught in it's belly button, 1 born upside down ( don't know how it lived). 5 were developed and did not hatch and 5 lived. The rest were either started and quit or did not develop. They were all started at the same times and I even let them stay a few extra day. I got 1 of the 5 that way.
I ran temp at 100.5 degrees and humidity at 55% until the third day before hatching. I went to 65% at that time. I have had really good hatches before with shipped eggs. I have had about a 65 percent hatch rate. I use homemade foam cooler incubators with wafer thermostats and 60 watt light bulbs. I also used a hovabator incubator with a fan. I put the Turkey and guienies in that one because of the hatching time difference.
I am getting ready to hatch some more eggs next week and would love helpful input from anyone that can help. I hate getting anything to the point I got these eggs only to lose them at the end. I have cleaned out the incubators and disinfected everything that I use in the incubators. I let them sit for two days in the sun after washing them and disinfecting them with bleach. I then washed and disinfected them again and let sit for 2 more days. I have since brought them in and turned them on to run. They are working fine and are up to temp. They do not smell of bleach or anything else.
I am expecting eggs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I am using three different incubators and I keep really good records on all my hatches. I do not have a turner but tip the boxes at 45 degree angels three to five times a day.
Please let me know how you keep your humidity and temp set. I did increase the air holes in all the incubators. I wondered if they did not get enough oxygen. I have used these incubators since I started hatching 2 years ago. This was really depressing. Thanks, Dave

[denrful]

Two days in the sun and disinfected with bleach......that's got trouble written all over it!!

[dave27889]

What do you mean it has trouble all over it. You have to disinfect your incubator. Letting it sit in the sun drys the water up and the ultra violet rays naturly kill bacteria. Please explain what you mean please. Just leaving a comment like that does not help any. Thanks, Dave

[richbar]

Dave, you did what I would have done with the disinfecting and drying out the incubators. One of the problems with forums like this one is that anyone can comment and off the cuff comments without explaination are worth less than the screen space they appear on. Shipped eggs can be a problem from time to time and the further the eggs are shipped, the more time there is for them to be mishandled. I've had eggs with loose air cells from rough handling, and poorer hatches are likely when eggs are shipped in more extreme temperatures. Most breeders who sell eggs don't guarantee them because there are so many factors that can result in a poor hatch that are out of their control, including the post office handling of the eggs. One thing that I've been told is that you definitely want to have the eggs sit for a 24 hour period once they arrive, prior to setting them. That seems to help some. I hope this is helpful to you. Rich

[dave27889]

Thanks Rich, I hate it when people do as the other person did. People are looking for help and advice on here no junk. I just got an order of eggs sent through the mail today. There were 36 eggs in the box only half made it. Beside the mess the post office made was the stink the broken eggs made. It was horrible. I don't even think the surviving eggs will do anything. They had to be really ruff handeled to come out like they did. The lady wrapped it really good and even wrapped each egg. The big mistake was putting handel with care on the box and Fragile. That was a death sentance. I am still going to try them and see what happens. I have 3 other orders comming on Tuesday and Wednesday. I hope they get treated better.
Thanks for the advice above. I always let the eggs rest at least 12 hours and mostly 24 hours before putting them in the incubator. Take care and thanks again. Later, Dave

[Leo]

I always try to find the eggs I want as close to me as possible so they have the shortest shipping time. You may try dropping your humidity down just a tad. A lot of people have better luck with dry incubating eggs in styrofoam incubators...especially if it's a humid climate. Good luck with your next eggs!

[dave27889]

Leo, What level humidity do you suggest? I am going to have three types of foam coolers running so I may vary the humidity. Let me know what you have heard. Thanks, Dave

[jungle]

I would also recommend reducing down your humidity level as well. I rarely add water to my incubator and typically have very good hatches. I don't use a hygrometer so can't tell you what my humdity runs in there but rather, I candle the eggs every few days and watch the air cells. If they seem to be expanding too quickly I will add a small amount of water. Under my conditions in MA, that may be once during a hatch, sometimes twice. I typically add some water during the hatch but find that anything close to the 70% that many suggest leads to problems. I see that you are in SC so would imagine, unless you use AC, your room humidity would be even greater than mine. Too high of humidity during incubation often leads to large, weak chicks that have trouble hatching.

Richard

[Leo]

I would also recommend reducing down your humidity level as well. I rarely add water to my incubator and typically have very good hatches. I don't use a hygrometer so can't tell you what my humdity runs in there but rather, I candle the eggs every few days and watch the air cells. If they seem to be expanding too quickly I will add a small amount of water. Under my conditions in MA, that may be once during a hatch, sometimes twice. I typically add some water during the hatch but find that anything close to the 70% that many suggest leads to problems. I see that you are in SC so would imagine, unless you use AC, your room humidity would be even greater than mine. Too high of humidity during incubation often leads to large, weak chicks that have trouble hatching.

Richard

Jungle is right. I don't really monitor the humidity level but instead I candle the eggs every few days (you can use a flashlight in a dark room) and judge by the size of the air space as to whether it needs more humidity or less. I also wonder how hens increase the humidity for a hatch when they are brooding eggs? And how does the hen know when it's 3 days before hatching so she can stop turning the eggs? :shock:

[jungle]

And how does the hen know when it's 3 days before hatching so she can stop turning the eggs? :shock:

Funny you should menton that- I have had more chicks than I care to admit hatch in the turner as well!

Richard

[dave27889]

It all makes sense to me guys. I looked at that Dry Incubation write up That Bill Worrell wrote. It made a lot of sense and I am trying that right now. I put eggs in today. Wish me luck. I think they say to stop turning the eggs mainly with the auto turner so the chicks don't get stuck. Let me know if there is anything else that I should know about this method. I do have 1 question. I don't use a turner. I hand turn for right now. How will that affect what I am doing as far as opening the top to get at the eggs. I am also laying them down on their sides which I have never done. I always put them in a holder and put a small book under the incubator end and change each end several times a day at odd times and numbers. Thanks, Dave

[Leo]

It all makes sense to me guys. I looked at that Dry Incubation write up That Bill Worrell wrote. It made a lot of sense and I am trying that right now. I put eggs in today. Wish me luck. I think they say to stop turning the eggs mainly with the auto turner so the chicks don't get stuck. Let me know if there is anything else that I should know about this method. I do have 1 question. I don't use a turner. I hand turn for right now. How will that affect what I am doing as far as opening the top to get at the eggs. I am also laying them down on their sides which I have never done. I always put them in a holder and put a small book under the incubator end and change each end several times a day at odd times and numbers. Thanks, Dave

I don't think opening the bator long enough to turn the eggs will make much difference. It never did seem to when I used to hand turn my eggs. One thing you might want to do is take a crayon and gently make an "X" on one side of the eggs and a "O" on the other side. This makes it easier to make sure that all the eggs have been turned. All the x's will be up and then when you turn them all the o's will be up.

[Leo]

Funny you should menton that- I have had more chicks than I care to admit hatch in the turner as well!

Richard

Me, too. lol I'm bad to set eggs and forget to write the date down. I figure I can remember but then I forget what day I set them. More than once I have moved the eggs to the hatcher after I see the first pipped egg. Of course if I have the time to do it I can candle the eggs and tell they are close to hatching by the large air space.

[denrful]

First I must apologize.....I read your post as you were putting the hatching eggs in the sun and using bleach on them rather than the incubators!!! My MISTAKE and I just wanted to send along an apology.....

[Evy]

First I must apologize.....I read your post as you were putting the hatching eggs in the sun and using bleach on them rather than the incubators!!! My MISTAKE and I just wanted to send along an apology.....

You had me worried there ! I was pretty sure you knew better!!

[dave27889]

Yes let me set this straight. I washed the foam coolers out and then bleached the foam coolers out with a 10% solution of bleach and water. I then washed the cooler out with lots of water and let the coolers dry in the sun. I did this for two days and then brought the coolers in the house and let them get running a couple of days. The smell of bleach was gone and the incubators were at running temp and humidity. I never wash my eggs I might wipe them off if they are dirty but never wash them.
I am going to try dry incubation on one incubator and lay them on their sides marked X and O. I usually put my eggs large side up in holders and turn them like that. I think I may have had my humidity up to high my last sets of eggs. Thanks for all the help and Here I go one more time. Thanks to all, Dave