[rileyfin]

Last year I hatched numerous batches of eggs (all silkies) with reasonable success in a rather basic incubator. This year I have a brand new R com suro, it regulates heat and humidity and turns the eggs for you, it also lets you know of any fluctuations - I love it, hehe!

I know the incubator is running well as I have hydrometer inside just to double check, however I am having very poor hatching rates. Is it a bit early?

20 eggs in 10 candled clear on day 8, 2 showed early death - red line in egg - 3 more died during next 10 days which left 5 eggs to hatch. Hatching day nothing, 24 hours late 1 chick 24 hours later another chick which was not right and died, other 3 eggs chicks dead in shell.
12 eggs came in post from 2 separate breeders, the other eggs were mine and I know the cockerel is treading as I see him more often on the hens than off!

So, I know eggs can get disrupted in post, some of the eggs show bubbles when candled, but COME ON!!!!

Is it too early, too cold or just bad luck?

I have to say my golden chick is the cutest hairyest silkie chick I have ever seen, will try and post photo. Hope it survives!

[kegs]

I really can't help because I've only every hatched 3 lots so far so I'm not experienced enough.  If it were me though I would be tempted to double check the temperature reading of the incubator especially as it's new and so many of the eggs failed early on in the process.

There is also an interesting article on the Brinsea web site which discusses the merits of a cooling off periods during incubation which apparently increases the success rates. http://www.brinsea.co.uk/cooling/?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0

Looking forward to seeing the pic of your chick. 

[Casey76]

I'd say it is still too early to have good fertility to start with.

I know our cockerels have only been active over the past week or so, as the days are still very short.

[tstainesmoore]

yeah it is still very early to get good results but then again you should get more than 1 chick, i personally dont like using eggs from the post just because the postman can sometimes fancy a game of football with them, dead in shell was probably caused by either too much or too little humidity, probably too little as it is winter still? try again and see if the results improve.

[Chookiechook]

I have had three suros in the past and found each and every one of them useless.  Mostly dead in shell at end.

The clears were just bad luck as if fertile they would have done something.... but early deaths could have been temp spike... unlikely in the suro, mine always kept good level temps.....

Humidity is the one thing that I put my deaths down to...... the machine either stays too humid, or is out of callibration.  You need to check it with a seperate hygrometer and maybe consider running it dry or at a much lower humidity. 

The 40% that most machines recommend seems to be just too high for some reason.   I have an ova easy 190 egg bator and never put water in,..... it runs at 26% at this time of year and the humidity rises to around 40% naturally when the first chicks hatch..  I have just got 20/24 chicks out..... there were some clears but I wasnt counting them as they were never going to hatch   the four non hatchers didnt pip internally so again not the fault of the incubator... they just were not strong enough to make it out

Hope this helps....   

Try googling problems with suro and maybe it will link you in with a load of threads on other forums where people are discussing thier disasters.  there are also a fair few fans though, but they all seem to have the early machines

[rileyfin]

thank you everybody, I have read that the suro can be a bit cold round edges so have raised to 37.8, as per advice on another website.
Think i will also try lowering the humidity level, it cannot harm

I do think it is maybe a little early, just very impatient and luv having chicks around, have 6 due to hatch tomorrow and put them under a broody yesterday so keep your fingers crossed everyone.

will post a photo of golden fluffy chick, just have to wait till Thurs when I'm off work, I dont know how it can see, it is bearded and going to be a stunner hope it survives and is a girl