I know what you mean. I decided to try hatching three years ago. Got the incubator and found this site and read and read and read. I ran into all sorts of weird terms that I had no idea what they could mean.. Shrink wrap was just one of them. I read and learned and tried it and my first hatch... NOTHING! Not one chick. I broke them open and was horrified to find them in various stages of development.. But shrink wrapping made sense then. Next hatch, I got one baby out of a dozen. Again.. I learned. Third hatch, most of them hatched and grew up to be real chickens. Since then I have hatched ducks, geese and swans. Still learning tho and still reading this site. The other night I couldn't sleep and read most of the night all about emu eggs and hatching.... Hmmmmm!!! I absolutely so appreciate all the time and effort people put in to help. Just can't help but think there are gentler ways to help than to tell someone who has messed up that they REALLY messed up. I know she was eyeing horrible enough. You could tell it in her posts that she was near panic. Hope she is ok.. Thanks to all who have made my sleepless nights more enriching.
I agree that NYRIR was not to harsh... That was not my intent . She was helpful and kind. Sorry I brought this all up. Just felt so bad for Squackbox . I have read many of NYRIR's posts and never been anything but helpful a nd understanding..
I was certainly not trying to be harsh with Squawkbox at all, just telling her that the situation made it super hard to tell her exactly how to procede. Seriously, what else could I tell her? There was no good course of action after opening up all those eggs two days early.
I want her to learn from this and change her course of action and think about how a broody hen allows the chicks to hatch in their own time. Nature needs no help from us and most of the time, when we think we know best, we muck it up. I couldn't tell her it was going to be okay when it probably wouldn't. It would not be honest, but I didn't see anyone being especially harsh with her, just being honest and firm. After all, the goal is a brooder full of healthy, strong chicks. Doing it that way is not going to accomplish the goal.
I have a couple or three late hatchers still not out of the eggs, however, my very well-used Hovabator failed me this time. In spite of air temps that were within perfect range all the way through at the point they were checked, most eggs on the outer edges of the turner quit something in the last five days or so, unfortunately.
I do put the blame squarely on the incubator this time and it will be stripped for parts and retired. My DH bought it for me back in 2006 and it's hatched many, many chicks, but time to go, dear old Hova. I have an older model, but rarely used, Hovabator, purchased at a yard sale (owner used it once) and it is coming up to temp right now for the next batch to try to add to the numbers I didn't get this time, though, sadly, I cannot replace any of my EE's eggs, which were fertile by my show quality BR rooster, who lives with my friend now. I do have one of her chicks in the brooder, though.
I lost the rest of hers, all four Delawares and about half of the D'Anvers, which were on the two outer edges of the turner. Because of the way they were double stacked at the beginning, I couldn't easily rotate their positions in the turner.
