10 days 'til hatching...this is scary!

[NewGuineaChooks]

I've lived with chickens for most of my life, but trying to incubate eggs is so scary!! I've had nightmares twice in the last 4 days, and now I think one of them is starting to smell. argg.

I wish I could candle them now, but only one is white, and as a newbie, I don't see enough to make it worthwhile. :-(

At what point does chick body heat start affecting the incubator temperature?

Any one else have some due to hatch around the same time?

 

[Poison Ivy]

You should try to find the one that is smelling and get rid of it before it explodes in your incubator and all over your other eggs. If you candle just look for the air cell on the end and if the rest of the egg is dark you should be ok. Good Luck my eggs are not due until the 21st.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Well, I -did- check for stable air cells, and they are all there, on one end, not floating around at all, so at least that's good. All the brown ones look dark in the middle. The EE ones:not a clue...don't have a good enough light.

I'll ask my sister to add her nose to the search for the smelly one.

Thanks PoisonIvy!

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Hmm,
Drug my sister down to the basement last night to smell the eggs. She doesn't think any of them smell like much of anything. Thinks I'm overreacting.

But, then she said -she- had a bad dream about rotten eggs last night. So, I guess I'm nice and generous... sharing the nervousness!

 

[sara]

Good luck! It's nerve racking but also very exciting!

 

[justusnak]

Tomorrow is day 21 for me! WOOOHOOO!!!! Mine are cornishx hen bred to a Buff orp Roo. I know...dont bash me, she cornish should have been processed LONG ago...but we fell in love with them, and they are healthy and happily laying eggs.

I just cant waite to see what type of chicken comes from those little eggs.

 

[sara]

Quote:
Post pics when they hatch!

 

[justusnak]

Quote:
Post pics when they hatch!

I just came in from checking them. They are in the shop this time. Keeps me sane! LOL
ANYWAYS....One has pipped!! YES!! Should be tomorrow....Ohhh. I just cant waite! I will start a new thread...when I get pics, Dont want to hyjack this one! LOL

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

That's sure exciting!

 

[chickenmama22]

I have some eggs due to hatch on the 14th. There are 24 from my friend (Americana and Aracanas?) and 18 Brahmas I bought online. I think my friends are doing well -- most have nice air sacs and dark inside. The Brahmas must have had a really rough ride with the post office; the air sacs were moving around and most (all?) of them look like duds.

I know what you mean about the brown / dark eggs. It's so hard to see inside them. This is only my second batch in the incubator; first batch 11 out of 24 survived. Not the best ratio, but I bought the eggs at a roadside stand of all places.

This has been the longest 14 days for me. I keep thinking I've calculated wrong and they should be hatching NOW!

Hang in there!
Nancy