Newbie at incubating...

[alpinefaith]

Are my eggs going to hatch?? I have 30 eggs incubating, it is now day 22. So far, one healthy chick has hatched, and 2 others pipped and then died. I also removed one rotten egg and one that didnt develop. Temp has been constant, maybe went up a degree yesterday, but came back down overnight. Humidity is holding at 75%. Just trying to understand where I went wrong. I had seen 2 of the remaining eggs rocking, but no movement now for the last 24 hrs. Did they die? I know they don't all hatch at the same time, but the recent bad hatches have me worried. I was late taking them off the turner for final lock down, could that have over stressed the chicks? What else should I be doing?

 

[alpinefaith]

Update: one more survivor hatched, and another pipped and died. Are they weak chicks? What causes this? Waiting for the rest of the eggs to pip....

 

[Elemes]

Just seeing your post. What was the outcome? Did you get your questions answered? What was the humidity during the 1st 18 days?

 

[alpinefaith]

Hi elemes! I also posted this under incubating/ hatching and got some good info on humidity and Temps. It looks like I had temp too low, and humidity too high, and some of the eggs I used were not fresh enough. So I did everything wrong.

Initially, I was told humidity should be 50-60%, and once I filled the Wells, it settled at 60, so I was satisfied with that until the last 3 days when they say you should increase it, so I got it to 75.

Anyway, after my second chick there has been no more activity so I think the rest have died in the shell. I waited, hoping, but I am about to give up and clear out the incubator. Even late hatchers should have pipped by now. I guess this was just a big learning experience, and I should count my blessings that I got 2 happy bouncing chicks out of it.

 

[Elemes]

Well you're right to count the blessings you have and concentrate on the hatched. They'll need you now! Don't be too hard on yourself! I fought battles this past month with about every force that could have preyed on the eggs and managed to just get 1 little hatcher. Glad you got some helpful stuff here though!!