fairsingfarm
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Post by fairsingfarm on Dec 30, 2013 22:28:30 GMT
Well tiz the season for hatching. I am hoping some experienced fancier's might chime in here. My last couple of hatch's have had poor performance I have had everything from early death's. to death just prior to hatching, to pip and then death's all in one batch. My latest hatch had some traveled eggs and some that were from my own stock. results seem to be the same for either. The poor results also seems to be consistantly spread amungst the different breeding pen's. I am pretty sure I am doing something wrong during incubation. I was getting the odd Spike in temperature, so i moved the incubators to the basement where there is zero draft and tempts are pretty consistant. I would be willing to open up the unhatched eggs and see what's going on, if only I knew what I should be looking for lol. I am incubating in a sportsman with a turner, and hatching in another sportsman with trays for segregating. I just set a full incubator, pretty excited as we have one of our new breeds developing, Azil's Any thoughts tip's or trick's? Many Thanks,
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Post by Chicks De Luxe on Dec 31, 2013 13:55:03 GMT
Hi Fairsingfarm,
I had the same problem this year but only with my silkies. A longtime breeder told me that in the silkies, for one reason, the inbreeding method bring that sort of problem. That is why the inbreeding method is not good for that breed. I had bought eggs from a breeder that use that method. Maybe that is a problem with your breed also? No problem with my Chantecler's eggs. Another reason could be, like you notice, the temp variation in the room. I think I got this issu also. But again, never with my Chantecler only with my silkies. I use a Brinsea mini advance. The same breeder also told me that she incubating with higher temp in the bator than 37,5.....a Good chantecler breeder also told me that he is incubating with higher temp during all the process and lower the temp in lock down...another way to explore.
here I tryed both method and honestly, it made no differences. Good success hatch with my Chanties and bad success with my silkies. I guess the problem is somewhere else and I am starting to think that they are really different issues incubating both breeds. The silkies is probly more ¨fragile¨ then others.
Isabelle
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Post by visserspoultry on Dec 31, 2013 16:27:59 GMT
I am not to experience, but, what was your average humidity during your incubation time and at your lock down. Did the chicks seem really wet when they hatched (to much humidity)or dryer then normal (not enough humidity)
That's all I got from my experience
hope it helps Josh
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Post by Visitor on Dec 31, 2013 22:15:27 GMT
You have described a variety of potential issues ("early death's. to death just prior to hatching, to pip and then death's"), so it will be impossible to focus on one issue. Your concern about temperature spike is relevant, as is your moving the incubator to the basement. I would suggest two potential issues overall: 1) temperature too high; and 2) humidity too high. Depending upon where you live, the overall humidity could be too rich based on the temperature of the incubator, causing the pre-hatched chicks to be too large and too wet to hatch naturally. If you live in a fairly humid environment, my suggestion would be to run the incubator (not the hatcher) a little under temperature (say 99 degrees vs. 99.5) and dry (as in no added moisture) during the first 18 days. A third, unrelated concern is the bacteria level in the hatcher. Do you fumigate the hatcher on a regular basis? Cheers,
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Post by Chicks De Luxe on Jan 2, 2014 0:31:58 GMT
Too much humidity??? Hum...I always heard that it can't never be too much...on the contrary. At lock down you have to increase humidity level the more you can. The problem is more often that humidity level is not high enough or hard to keep high. In my bator, since it is a small one, it is quite easy: I put water in half the container and in all the container at lock down and if I can a small sponge with water. As for temp it is a bit the same...if temp is too low the hatching will take longer and if it is too high they will take less time...but temp variation is not good tough......
But actually I learned something this week. when I was candeling, if I wasn't sure if an egg was developping or not (last candeling), I use to leave it in the bator in case. But I learned that I was better taking them out because of the bacteria that can grow from them....if it can help...
Isabelle
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fairsingfarm
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Post by fairsingfarm on Jan 2, 2014 18:07:09 GMT
I do clean the incubator, by wiping every thing down with diluted virkon. I have always wondered if it was enough to truly kill all the bacteria.
How would one fumigate? I picked up some Oxydine solution which is much safer for poultry. I would imagine that it would be less harsh then virkon.
Anyone have a good method for fumigating they would be willing to share?
I can get my Hatcher done now and the incubator once I have transferred everything over for lockdown.
I am hoping the new location of the incubator will improve my hatch rates. I have not had any temp spikes or dives so far. Any problems from there I can trouble shoot here. should help narrow things down.
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Post by Visitor on Jan 3, 2014 19:14:07 GMT
First of all, the dry incubation method I referred to above is for the first 18 days only: once the eggs are switched into the hatcher, then normal full humidity standards would be applied. Sorry if I was not clear about this. As for humidity being too high, yes, it can certainly happen during the days prior to the hatching phase:
"Incorrect humidity can cause embryos to die in the shell or chicks to be small. Too-high humidity can lead to omphalitis, otherwise know as 'mushy chick disease.' In high humidity the yolk sac does not absorb completely and the navel therefore cannot head properly. Bacteria in the incubator invade through the unhealed navels, causing death for up to 14 days after the hatch." (Damerow, 211)
My own observations on this matter include that too-high humidity leads to the unhatched chicks growing too large for the shell, thus making it difficult for the chick to manoeuvre around and release itself after pipping. I no longer put any water in the turning incubator at all, no matter what the relative humidity is, and I started this after years of at best modest success in the home hatchery craft. My results overall have improved since I changed over to dry incubation.
As for fumigation, I use the following: liquid formaldehyde mixed with water in a 40% solution; potassium permanganate. Both ingredients can be purchased at the drug store. I mix the two in equal visual measures (perhaps a 1/4 teaspoon of each) by first placing the solid chemical in the bottom of a Pyrex container, then adding the liquid just before placing it in the incubator. The resultant gas produced by this combination of chemicals is extremely noxious and thus quite dangerous to work with. DO NOT INHALE the gas produced. I perform this fumigation each week just after I have loaded the hatcher with eggs, thus I fumigate both the hatching incubator and the hatching eggs. I am very careful to place the container in the top of the incubator (I use Sportsman incubator for both functions), quickly shut and seal the incubator door, and then start the machine. I let it run for approx. 20 minutes before I remove the container and quickly air out the interior of the incubator. This process always takes place on either day 17 or day 18 of the hatching process, never later (I am a cautious about exposing a chick who has just pierced the inner shell membrane, and is thus breathing in air from the air cell, to poisonous gas).
Since I began using this fumigation process, I once very foolishly placed the container on the top tray and started the fan prior to sealing the incubator door, effectively blowing a horrible gas straight up my nose. I can assure you that I never repeated that particularly bone-headed move. Please be careful if any of you decide to try this method.
I am indebted to Gail Damerow, author of "The Chicken Health Handbook," for information from both points above. Cheers,
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Post by Admin/Site owner on Jan 4, 2014 1:18:34 GMT
Visitor....please sign up to our forum...you seem like a seasoned veteran and would fit right in here......i would also double check my temperature.....I use a minimum of two thermometers per incubator....I never play with the temps during incubation. Always set the machines at 99.5 ....keep your humidity stable also....do not play around with it....personally I keep mine at about 60%. ONLY and ONLY when i move them to the hatcher do I bump it up to about 75%.....I will see if another member can help out we have some very resourceful people on this forum..... cheers stephane
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fairsingfarm
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Insurance Broker/Hobby Farm Enthusiast, Competes in Horse Carriage driving Combined Driving Driving
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Post by fairsingfarm on Jan 4, 2014 5:36:49 GMT
Thank you very much for the help Visitor. And yes please join us!
Frances
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fairsingfarm
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Insurance Broker/Hobby Farm Enthusiast, Competes in Horse Carriage driving Combined Driving Driving
Posts: 28
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Post by fairsingfarm on Jan 4, 2014 5:43:51 GMT
Visitor....please sign up to our forum...you seem like a seasoned veteran and would fit right in here......i would also double check my temperature.....I use a minimum of two thermometers per incubator....I never play with the temps during incubation. Always set the machines at 99.5 ....keep your humidity stable also....do not play around with it....personally I keep mine at about 60%. ONLY and ONLY when i move them to the hatcher do I bump it up to about 75%.....I will see if another member can help out we have some very resourceful people on this forum..... cheers Thank you Stephane for the assistance Hoping to have a much better hatch next go around. We have 13 Azil eggs developing as we speak. Due in 2 weeks, hoping to get at least 80% on them as well as a couple of other special breeds I have set.
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fairsingfarm
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Insurance Broker/Hobby Farm Enthusiast, Competes in Horse Carriage driving Combined Driving Driving
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Post by fairsingfarm on Feb 6, 2014 0:34:50 GMT
Ok made several modifications, got a new thermometer and discovered that my Brinsea spot check thermometer was 3 degrees below accuracy.....
so did a thorough cleaning and loaded the bator up
I am sitting at about 45% humitity, temp hovering around 99.8 to 100.3 in my sportsman, set about 200 eggs.
I am hoping this round will be successful.... Keep you all posted
Frances
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Post by darrensmale on Feb 9, 2014 10:07:43 GMT
Frances, hopefully you can get the bators up and flying. You had some great looking birds a tsarina that are for worthy in any breed pen.
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Post by chickcrazy on Feb 11, 2014 4:45:09 GMT
so far everything is looking good in the incubator. looking good on the asil figures crossed all 12 eggs hatch frances can fill in the rest I just want the little monsters to hatch
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fairsingfarm
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Insurance Broker/Hobby Farm Enthusiast, Competes in Horse Carriage driving Combined Driving Driving
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Post by fairsingfarm on Feb 11, 2014 4:47:44 GMT
Frances, hopefully you can get the bators up and flying. You had some great looking birds a tsarina that are for worthy in any breed pen. incubator up and running well, temp hovering around 100. humidity around 42%. just candled. 20 eggs 100% fertilityfor the showgirls!!! several black Cochins . color silkies bbs, black/lav, black, white from 2 of my lines.... however the biggest disappointment was my new show lines .zip! wtf ! these guys are being ai'ed. apparently my skills in that department need improvement..... no wise cracks guys! lol I seem to be successful with the Cochins but not the silkies..... dang! the ladies are really laying up a storm too.
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fairsingfarm
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Insurance Broker/Hobby Farm Enthusiast, Competes in Horse Carriage driving Combined Driving Driving
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Post by fairsingfarm on Feb 11, 2014 4:48:56 GMT
forgot to include 13 azils's from the pair only one clear
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