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Update so far. I have the eggs under an electric brooder hen and when I candled them last night they were ALL moving like mad! I'm surprised and delighted. I don't trust the thermometer which is telling me that the heat is too low but they feel very warm to me and I don't want to up it anymore...

Thanks for your replies. I can get hold of a light bulb but don't have access to a thermometer. Although I can ring around and see if one of my neighbours has one...away to do that too. I'm relieved to hear that humidity might not be an issue. They are in the kitchen which tends to be quite...

Hiya, I had 6 eggs in my mini incubator at 8 days. The incubator died and was cold for a number of hours, but I stuck the eggs on a hotwater bottle wrapped in a towel, with a fleece jumper above to warm them up again, and when I candled last night there was movement in 4 of them. I'm continuing...

Hiya, I've just had my best hatch of all time even though my incubator wasn't turning for a good few days in the incubating period. The alarm kept going off and I thought it was because the heat had dropped. Took me several days (at least 7!) to work out what was wrong! I turned them myself for...

I got one! This is the one that I opened in a panic and now I'm really glad that I did. The other peeping one quit before making it through the shell. When I opened it to check it had turned around so that it's bottom was in the air sac, yolk still unabsorbed. I have one egg left in the...

Mixed emotions update. I lost the first 3 eggs. The 2 that had cracked went all smooshy inside, and when I was peeling the rest of the shell off the first one it exploded. Yuck! It stank too! I'm guessing the duckling must have died pretty soon after I noticed it had peeped through into the air...

Still waiting! I'm pretty sure it's still alive, and the one beside it has cracked now but not zipped as such, and membrane still intact. Wierd duckys! Then another has a bit of blood showing so must be doing something. Arghhh the waiting is killing me!!!

My incubator is set up to turn every hour so I'm sure more doesn't hurt so long as going in different directions from time to time (my incubator alternates direction each turn). As to veins, on some of mine I was never able to see the veins on those that continued developing. Seems to depend on...

I decided to dampen the membrane a bit and I removed some of the shell. Turns out the membrane was still intact at this point! I couldn't tell if it was still alive but have misted all over, and the other ones, and popped it back in the bator.

That's a pity. Well the one with the crack has zipped ALL OVER THE PLACE! It's killing me I'm just praying it hasn't got too tired to finish off. The membrane is clearly visible - looks patchy in places. I'm wondering now whether to give it a quick misting or leave well alone.

4 days left and I would candle for the last time as the last time I peeked at these eggs they looked pretty well developed and oh help! 3 have pipped into the air sac, one of which has already started on the shell!!!!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh They were still turning and humidity around 50%...

I had the chickens at around 45% for first 19 days on last hatch so I'll up it a tad then. I'll aim for around 55%. I can get the 'bator up to 75% without difficulty so will aim for that during lock down. Just having a look in a book I have here and it has optimums as 60% incubating for...

Hiya, I've set my first ever duck eggs and have the incubator set to 28 days. What's the recommended incubating and hatching humidity for these? Any other tips you found useful? Thanks in advance, Kirstie

Pic at last! Bantam cross on the left, Dorking (maybe!) on the right. They are approximately the same size which surprised me, but the so called Dorking has feathers on it's legs like the other one and it has me wondering if one of my friends Bantam cockerels are getting to her Dorking hens...

BB thanks, so cute! Aww all the little chickies are adorable!! Brenda, I hadn't heard of the hot water tip. I'll keep that in mind. The 2 little chickies are in the brooder and doing really well. Eating, drinking, sleeping etc. Hopefully I'll get around to taking some pics soon, otherwise it...

I lost the pipped one. I tried to help it a bit last night. I swear it didn't breathe for about 5 mins and then gave a gulp. I kept it damp and put it back in the 'bator but no sign of life this morning. I didn't want to totally shell it last night in case it was doing something vitally...

I have 2 out now! The 2nd pipper is still just pipped - beak out and breathing but very lazy! Humidity is good so I think I'll give it to the morning and then give it a hand when I remove the other 2 if nothing doing. It's like it's forgotten what to do! The other egg no pips yet although early...

Well yesterdays pip is now a cute chick (day 20) so guess that one inherited the hatch early gene. I've 2 more in there pipping and zipping in there now - both large fowl (dad is a dorking, mum could be light sussex or similar). There's one more in there that is a bantam x not doing anything...

Hi Brenda, nope nothing else happening yet. Could be a pipping and zipping day for me tomorrow too then You never met another Kirstie? Wow! There were 3 in my year at school! Talking of names, I saw the name Cheyenne on this forum and my youngest now has it too (she's 4 months old)! Don't...

It is! Not been to Scotland yet although I'ld like to. T'is where the name came from. Wishing now that the incubator was in the living room so I don't have to keep getting up to see what's happening.