Are my eggs dead?

[Dsmitt]

We have 14 bantam polish and 7 silkie Eggs that we’re incubating, they all developed very well until day 16 which when we put them into lockdown, our humidity levels through incubation were 40-58% (I read somewhere for bantam chickens it better to put in lockdown at day 16)- please let me know if I’m wrong. Anyway we moved them to a better incubator and put them upright in eggs cartons, the eggs wiggling on day 16 and 17, but now it is the end of day 21 and there has been no pip or movement, should we have nothing to worry about, or what went wrong?

 

[JaeG]

If they are upright I would take the top off the incubator (which is fine to do because none are externally pipping) and candle them in place to see what's going on.

The appropriate humidity for your set-up will be different from anyone else's but your humidity was on the high end, meaning the eggs may not have lost enough moisture to make the air cells grow large enough to sustain the chicks oxygen needs between internal and external pipping. Don't panic yet - candle them to see what is going on.

 

[Dsmitt]

JaeG, thank you so much for replying, we candled them and found out that half of them died early on and the other half died sometime during lockdown, only one made it through the aircell than died, super disappointing, we had them in a crappy incubator anyway, we will just use the Brinsea permanently for now own

 

[JaeG]

JaeG, thank you so much for replying, we candled them and found out that half of them died early on and the other half died sometime during lockdown, only one made it through the aircell than died, super disappointing, we had them in a crappy incubator anyway, we will just use the Brinsea permanently for now own

It's always disappointing when they don't make it. Were they shipped eggs? I've had awful luck with shipped eggs, but I'm trying again from a different breeder and crossing my fingers and toes that I'll get a few chicks hatching.

 

[Dsmitt]

It's always disappointing when they don't make it. Were they shipped eggs? I've had awful luck with shipped eggs, but I'm trying again from a different breeder and crossing my fingers and toes that I'll get a few chicks hatching.

Yeah they were shipped, we wanted cool breeds like polish or silkies, and there are no breeders in my area, a lot of them seemed to have died at lockdown, I think it has to do with our super unstable incubator, we just ordered a brand new Brinsea, and some more eggs, so hopefully we will have better luck. Another problem is that in our previous batch of 30 eggs, only one hatched, and he is alone, so any tips on what to do with the lonely dude?

 

[Ruthster55]

Yeah they were shipped, we wanted cool breeds like polish or silkies, and there are no breeders in my area, a lot of them seemed to have died at lockdown, I think it has to do with our super unstable incubator, we just ordered a brand new Brinsea, and some more eggs, so hopefully we will have better luck. Another problem is that in our previous batch of 30 eggs, only one hatched, and he is alone, so any tips on what to do with the lonely dude?

Incubators work best in partnership with broody hens. Do you have, or know anyone who has a broody hen that has just hatched chicks or is close to her “due date” ?

Had a lonely-only incubator chick that went in a cage with a hen’s brood last night after dark.

This morning, I was worried because the other chicks are several days older. However, the hen accepted the chick and it was doing fine today.

 

[JaeG]

Yeah they were shipped, we wanted cool breeds like polish or silkies, and there are no breeders in my area, a lot of them seemed to have died at lockdown, I think it has to do with our super unstable incubator, we just ordered a brand new Brinsea, and some more eggs, so hopefully we will have better luck. Another problem is that in our previous batch of 30 eggs, only one hatched, and he is alone, so any tips on what to do with the lonely dude?

Do you have a mirror you could set up for your lonely only? A cuddly toy is supposed to help under the heat lamp. It will think you are its family whatever you do though and the more time you spend with the little cutie the more s/he will expect it.

Fingers crossed your new Brinsea will produce some much needed buddies for your baby. If you don't mind a house chicken for awhile bring them up next to your current baby (but separated initially) so they can see each other right from the start. Hopefully that will turn them into a little unit. I find indoor rabbit cages make great brooders.

 

[Dsmitt]

Do you have a mirror you could set up for your lonely only? A cuddly toy is supposed to help under the heat lamp. It will think you are its family whatever you do though and the more time you spend with the little cutie the more s/he will expect it.

Fingers crossed your new Brinsea will produce some much needed buddies for your baby. If you don't mind a house chicken for awhile bring them up next to your current baby (but separated initially) so they can see each other right from the start. Hopefully that will turn them into a little unit. I find indoor rabbit cages make great brooders.

Hahah, its been a couple of days since he has hatched, and boy is he imprinted in humans, everyone we leave the room it’s constant popping, I didn’t think one little chick could be so loud, we are going to drive an hour to get him a little buddy tomorrow so hopefully it works out

 

[JaeG]

You might have to do a bit of tough love for a couple of days seeing as he is so imprinted on you. He'll still expect your attention, even though he'll have a friend, so you might have to ignore his cries until he's finding comfort with his new buddy rather than with you. But they'll be great mates once things have settled down.