Beginner - Help needed please

[Shemira]

Hi folks,

My current situation is a bit grim and I have been up most of the night with worry.

This is my second hatch, and hoping for some guidance:

12 eggs incubating in Janoel 24s.

Went into lock down 3 days ago.

(preface - it has been a real struggle to maintain humidity – day 19 when I got up in the morning it had dropped dramatically overnight. Since then I have been continually adding water but it just wouldn’t stay up. Today I put wet sponges in and it has finally stabilized).

Day 19 – 1 chick pipped (external)

Day 20 – In the morning 2 chicks hatched, the chick that had pipped the day before hadn’t progressed. In the evening, I removed this egg to check and the chick had died (it was very dry and hard).

Day 21 – now. I know it is theoretically only hatch day today. I have been hearing another chick in the incubator chirping all night. No others have pipped. I am feeling really worried it will get stuck too.

I know it’s not recommended to intervene but if I could just save this last chick…

There are still 9 eggs in the incubator, but only activity from one egg at this stage.

This is so hard!

My first try the incubator the humidity ran too high and most of the chicks drowned

 

[Birdlove2011]

I have felt your worries and struggles in this situation and mostly you just have to have nature take its course. But for some guidance- did all eggs enter the incubator at the same time? I have had eggs hatch at the 21 day mark all the way to 24-25 day. Opening your incubator now could harm all eggs. The one chirping has it pipped?

 

[Shemira]

I have felt your worries and struggles in this situation and mostly you just have to have nature take its course. But for some guidance- did all eggs enter the incubator at the same time? I have had eggs hatch at the 21 day mark all the way to 24-25 day. Opening your incubator now could harm all eggs. The one chirping has it peeped?

Thankyou so much Yes all on the same day. I just came back from checking the incubator and 2 have now pipped. Humidity is currently stable. I feel a little hope the first time in 24 hours!

The one that died, would that be because it had been pipped for so long (about 36 hours)?

 

[Birdlove2011]

Yes that is what i am thinking since the humidity was not stable at that time and it did not have the proper climate to hatch. Now that humidity is stable and you are seeing improvement in the hatches I feel you are more in a safe zone now. The fluctuations in humidity is a big influence my first incubation I had similar issues with shrink wrap and dry out.

 

[Birdlove2011]

Please keep me posted on your little ones. I'm glad the sponge method helped stabilize your humidity. That's good on you for thinking of that. I hope all goes well for the rest. Good luck to you.

Oh by the 24 day or so if there are eggs unhatched I feel your ok to open your incubator to check their status at that point.