Setting eggs to hatch in Brinsea??????

I have a couple trays ready for lock down but am wondering if I am suppose to leave them in the trays stood up with the slats or put the eggs on their sides.

Oh and set humidity to 60%?

I dont think it matters how you hatch them, I prefer to lay my eggs on their sides. Many have had good luck hatching in egg flats but I prefer the natural approch and letting them hatch on their side.
I thnk 60% humidity would be just fine. I hatch anywhere from 55%-60%.

I just hatched mine out in my Brinsea and had humidity issues at 55%. Had 'late stage death' with 14 of them and 3 with crooked toes. I would do 60% next time. That way if the humidity drops at all, there's less of a chance of it going too low. But it was my first hatch so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Did you open the bator to remove chicks as they hatched Chicory? I find that is more the reason for late stage deaths then anything. Also just slow to hatch causes problems even with adequate humidity. My last hatch was very draggy, the chicks were from eggs gathered when it was cold out, so not sure if it weakened them or not. But I had good pips and then some of the first to pip were the last to try to get out, if they mess around too long they do get stuck, nothing you can do about it.

I did once quickly and misted. There were 15 chicks all over another 24 that were still not hatched - 2 or 3 of them zipped and being rolled around with the unzipped and was worried that they were getting disoriented and rolled zip side down. Every time I walked up to the glass door they kind of panicked and it was chaotic in there. I thought it was okay to open as long as you misted and didn't open again for another 8 or 10 hours. No?

I need to get it right for your batch in May.

I really believe in not opening the bator until at least 24 hrs after the first one hatched. If they are a draggy hatch sometimes you have to open it, but most of the time it is 24 hrs for the entire hatch to happen. Resist checking on them, I know it is hard, but they will stay calm and not bother the other eggs as much. My hatching trays are very large in the sportsman, and some eggs really do get pushed around, but for the most part no harm is done by the chicks, more is done by the opening of the bator.

Hey Jayme, would you say that to be totally certain, wait 48 hours? I think I was almost 24 hours into it, maybe short 2 or 3, can't remember, but still had a lot to go. What would be the consequences of waiting 48 hours from the first one hatched if after 24, there were still a number left to hatch.

There would really not be any harm, these chicks are equiped to wait under momma for 24-48 hrs while she sits and lets them all hatch.
I wait 24 hours after the first one is out, not pipped but out, most normal hatchings will have them all out within the 24 hours. If it takes longer then it woudl be your choice. You could quickly pull them all out and then mist, the ones that have not hatched in the first 24 hours might get stuck anyways if they have pipped for too long...

I think I went from when the first one pipped not hatched. I feel bad. And I did help two who had zipped but not pushed out and they were dry. One made it and it was a Lav Orp.

There you go HighCountry - heed Jayme's words.

I agree with Hidden, leave them in there as long as you can without opening the door. HighCountry, are you still incubating on your other 2 racks? If you are, I would only increase the humidity to 55%. I hatch at 55% and incubate at 45% and have had no problems at all this year. I am hatching in 2 Octagon 20 Advance EX's and incubating in my Ova-Easy 380. It is really nice to be able to hatch in a different machine, it keeps it so much cleaner. I had 32/34 eggs hatch this week, all silkies, leghorn bantams, old english, and rhode bantams.

Regarding orientation of the egg, I always set them big-end up, and lay them on their sides in the hatchers, never had a problem with that.

Hope this helps,
Clayton

I really enjoyed reading this thread. I learned so much!

My test hatch was a success 34 of 36 eggs that went into lockdown hatched. Day 19 I reduce the humidity to 55% based on CBotkin's advice. I will reduce it back to 45% cause I still have eggs on another rack. VERY HAPPY with the unit.

Hatch eggs on side in the hatching tray no issues at all. Only complaint was it was torture no knowing how the hatch was going with the cover on LOL. Probably better though .... no impulse to help straglers.