[shetan]

does anyone have a chicktec humidity gauge?

could you tell me where the needle should be at day 20/21 of hatching please?

my broody hen left her 2 remaining eggs last night and hasn't gone back to them all day. i'm going to leave them in there until tonight before removing them. however they are both cheeping and am thinking of putting them in the incubator. i haven't used it before and switched it on this morning just in case. the temperature is fluctuating between 37 and 38 degrees and i have placed a dish of water in there along with the gauge.

any help would be gratefully appreciated. first time hatching for me so don't want to mess it up.

[kegs]

I've got a Brinsea incubator and I fill both trays with warm water and drape a jcloth in there as well.  This gets the humidity up to 60+ and I'd imagine the air is pretty humid at the moment anyway.

[shetan]

this incubator is actually a mini fridge with digital temperature gauge for hatching reptiles. i thought i'd give it a try. it only cost me £50

i've put a tub of water in the bottom and put the gauge in. its currently reading 70% which i think is a little high - however the gauge says it needs to be between 30 and 44%....i'm at a loss

[kegs]

No.  Look at the gauge again and No. 8 says all species after pipping 65-70%
Don't panic, you're doing fine.

[shetan]

ok........will need to remember to breathe.....

next question...

all literature says not to open the door after pipping. obviously i know that the egg's chances are decreasing the longer it cools. luckily they are currently in full sun and not stone cold. but once the shells do crack will they have adequate oxygen within the unit until they are dry and ready to be slipped back under mum? as its a 'fan assisted mini fridge' will that be pulling in air as it regulate the temperature?

this is an experiment after all but would rather ask lots of stupid question now and stand a chance of success rather than leave it to chance.

[kegs]

No such thing as a stupid question. 

Do not open that door... tie your hands together if need be.  If you open the door the humidity will plummet which will make it harder for the chicks to get out of the shells, but once the eggs pip that will help increase the humidity slightly.  There will be plenty of air for them and the warmth will help them fluff up.  Don't be in a rush to get them out and into a brooder as they can be very susceptible to chills and will be a lot healthier if they spend extra time in the incubator (they won't need food or water for 24hrs).

Let us know if they hatch and if you can see through the door take a pic too. 

[kegs]

Any signs of life Shetan?

[shetan]

we have success! one of the eggs pipped last night and came down this morning to find a wonderfully chirruping chick...all fluffy and flapping.

there is a real down side to this incubator - there is a gap between the shelf and the door so will need to work out how to block it off for future hatches.

stayed up till well past bedtime with camera at the ready to take pics but nothing happened. finally got dragged to bed by a very grumpy mahi who wanted her bedtime treat. came down at 5 and there it was....having fallen through the gap and right next to the pot of water (so lucky it didn't drown). didn't want it to fall again so took it out to mum and is now fine. was gaping a little so i think there is an issue with oxygen levels so may need to address that issue too....

i'll leave the last egg until tomorrow and then open it to see what happened. when we candelled it, i put a question mark on the shell because it didn't look the same as the others. it is heavier than the other eggs so may have had 2 yolks of something...will let you know.

7 out of 8 - not too bad me thinks! so glad i intervened with the last two.

[kegs]

Good news and well done you.  And at least you know what issues you need to address with the incubator having had just 1 chick in there.  Imagine if there had been a dozen!