Anxious, help!

[5littleeggs]

Hey guys!

I am hatching 5 eggs in a small incubator. I made sure the temperature was accurate using 2 different digital thermometers. I followed the instructions adding 100 ml of water every other day. I took out the egg turner on day 18 and added more water than usual to up the humidity.

I candled them on day 7 and they were all fertile (big webs of veins, no streaks of blood, seemed perfect). I candled them again on day 14 and they were still developing well.

It's now day 21 and I am waiting for them to hatch. I know some chicks hatch a day or two late, but this is my first time incubating eggs. Did I do something wrong? I've heard all these horrifying stories of mummified eggs and stuff.

 

[Offshoreorca]

Hey guys!

I am hatching 5 eggs in a small incubator. I made sure the temperature was accurate using 2 different digital thermometers. I followed the instructions adding 100 ml of water every other day. I took out the egg turner on day 18 and added more water than usual to up the humidity.

I candled them on day 7 and they were all fertile (big webs of veins, no streaks of blood, seemed perfect). I candled them again on day 14 and they were still developing well.

It's now day 21 and I am waiting for them to hatch. I know some chicks hatch a day or two late, but this is my first time incubating eggs. Did I do something wrong? I've heard all these horrifying stories of mummified eggs and stuff.

Did you count the first day as Day 0? It's not unusual for chicks to hatch on Day 22 so don't worry if all was well if they were good going into lockdown. If temperature and humidity are good - and the air cells were progressing well (you should always monitor these), then you've done all you can do. Hatching is nerve wracking! So hard to wait.

 

[5littleeggs]

Thank you! That makes me a lot less worried.

 

[chickens really]

Keep waiting or take one out and Candle it? Nothing terrible will happen if you Candle the eggs again today.

 

[5littleeggs]

While I'm here, I have to ask:
One of the eggs has definitely moved from facing forward to facing sideways. Is this the chick getting ready to hatch? It hasn't moved since then (several hours ago).

 

[Offshoreorca]

Just make sure there are no external pips you can't see if you're going to candle. I personally don't until at least the end of Day 22 (if the first day was Day 1 and not Day 0). If you set them on a Monday, they should start hatching on a Monday. But yes, @chickens really is right that if no one has externally pipped already, opening the incubator and candling one won't hurt. However, what will be will be and there is little you can change now except to know whether they are still moving or not.

 

[Offshoreorca]

While I'm here, I have to ask:
One of the eggs has definitely moved from facing forward to facing sideways. Is this the chick getting ready to hatch? It hasn't moved since then (several hours ago).

Movement of the egg is a good sign. Mine stopped moving a day or two before hatching once the chick was in position to pip! They might just be a day behind what you are expecting.

 

[quailmaniac]

Hey guys!

I am hatching 5 eggs in a small incubator. I made sure the temperature was accurate using 2 different digital thermometers. I followed the instructions adding 100 ml of water every other day. I took out the egg turner on day 18 and added more water than usual to up the humidity.

I candled them on day 7 and they were all fertile (big webs of veins, no streaks of blood, seemed perfect). I candled them again on day 14 and they were still developing well.

It's now day 21 and I am waiting for them to hatch. I know some chicks hatch a day or two late, but this is my first time incubating eggs. Did I do something wrong? I've heard all these horrifying stories of mummified eggs and stuff.

My chicks hatched on day 23 which is rather odd but still possible, keep holding out hope!

 

[5littleeggs]

Thanks everyone! I'll leave the eggs alone for now and see if they hatch, then candle one at the end of day 22 if nothing happens.

 

[Shu Shu]

Congrats! Everything will be great, hang-in there, mine are hatching mow and I can't pry myself away from the incubator.