[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi All,

       I have some of my bantam eggs in an R-COM SURO incubator and would appreciate some advice about the process. This model is fully automatic and maintains a constant temp of 37.5 and humidity of 45% while rotating the unit on a cradle.

Can any experienced incy hatchers tell me if I need to manually increase the temp or humidity prior to hatching and if so, at what point and by how much?

Also,

the manual says to remove the unit from the candling device 3 days before the hatch date but as bantam eggs hatch after between 19 and 21 days when is the best time to do this? should I remove the dividers at this time?

Buffy

[BlueDaisy]

I've only ever down large fowl so thought I'd get my wee book out to see what it said about bantams. Well, it doesn't distinguish between bantams and large fowl! Just says chickens!

ANyway, when the unit comes off the cradler (to stop turning) the dividers need to be removed so that the eggs can lay on their sides. AT that time, perceived wisdom says to decrease the temp (to 37C) and increase the humidity (opinions vary widely).
I would probably do this on day 17.

However, my experience of my Suro has been lots of late dead in shell, and prolonged hatchings. My best hatch rate was last year with some speckled sussex which I collected so they had not been through the post. I had the incy set at 38.3C and 35% rH, until day 18 when I decreased temp to 37.5C and Increased rH to 45%.
There is much discussion about what are the best settings to use, and why things go wrong. On another forum there is  a long thread currently active about  this very subject, one man has even set up temp and humidity recorders underneath his broody hen while she incubates and is publishing the results for us all to see. She is currently maintaining a temp of more than 38C and rH of 32%

[shetlandpaul]

they can hatch on the 18th. but like big eggs stop turning 3 days before.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply BD.

I put 11 eggs in 2 weeks ago but only 4 were showing signs of life when I candled them at day 12. This could have something to do with the incubator but its also highly likey that some were not fertilised and some hadnt kept well prior to setting. As most of the eggs that were empty came from the same bird I suspect my cockerel might not be paying her that much attention ( I did name her Hattie as she reminded me of Hattie Jaques so perhaps she has the same effect on my cockerel that "Matron" had on Keneth Williams ) 

My broody is usually in charge of all the hatching and has always taken 21 days to hatch anything be it Summer or Winter, large fowl or bantam so I'm not sure how the incy will compaire with her in terms of temp and rH. Its interesting to read that the broody experiment that you reffered to indicated a lower level of humidity as I have always felt that 45% seemed rather high.

I will candle them again on Monday (day 17) to see if I can estimate the hatch date based on the rate of development. By that stage the chick should be occupying all the available space and all the albumen should be absorbed in which case they should be hatching out at 21 days.

As this was my first attempt with the incy I thought I should stick with the default settings and follow the manual but some of the instructions seemed a little unclear. 

Can you also tell what temp bo you set the brooding box at?

Buffy

[BlueDaisy]

Hi Buffy,
Sorry just noticed your reply.
My brooding box is a guinea pig cage, so it is quite open, but I keep it in my spare bedroom, so no drafts. I set the heat lamp up to dangle over one end, and put a thermometer under it, I adjust the height til the thermometer reads about 33C. Then I guage from the chicks reaction if I've got it right or not. If the chicks all huddle together right under it, then the lamp is prob dangling too high, and the temp too low. If the chicks lay in a circle at it's periphery then the lamp is too low, and the temp too high. I look for the chicks to happily run about the brooder box but settle under the lamp, but not in a big heap and not panting either! Hope that makes sense. As they grow the lamp is raised.
Maura

[shetlandpaul]

your humidity is low.

[BlueDaisy]

Whose humidity Paul?
If that comment is directed at me, I know it is and if you read the rest of the posts you will see why.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Hi thanks for this,

       I set up my new Brinsea eco glow chick brooder this weekend so I could get the brooding box temp established prior to my chicks hatching. Unfortunatly the unit stopped working after a few hours which is a bit diapointing.

     Fortunatly I do have a dull emmitter and an infra red bulb that I can set up.

With regards to humidity, temp and turning I have got some info from P and T poultry who suplied the incy. Their manual recomends between a temp of 37.5 for turning umits, 45% humidity for poultry incresed to 65% during the non turning days which should be day 19 to 21.

I will let you know how I get on,

Buffy

[shetlandpaul]

Whose humidity Paul?
If that comment is directed at me, I know it is and if you read the rest of the posts you will see why.

sorry the humidity was about buffy.
45 seems low to me i would be looking at 50-55 for the main bit and poping it up to 65-70 for the hatch. if i leave it as low as that the egg starts drying out and i end up with tough to hatch chicks.
try this articule http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/166/care-and-incubation-of-hatching-eggs

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks Paul,

   I have increased it to 55% and will up it to 65% for the last 3 days. What level would you recomend the temp and humidity be set at once the chicks hatch and are at the drying out stage prior to moving to the brooder?

Buffy

[shetlandpaul]

leave it the same. i usually shift them over once they have fluffed up as they tend to move the unhatched eggs to much. i have learnt to avoid doing diffrent birds at the same time ie turkeys and chucks you end up with a poor hatch of both.