Chicken eggs day 26

[Epedrazz]

ok so hopefully the title got your attention. But of an odd hatch this time, it’s my first time hatching in a good few years and I now have a 2.5yo daughter I wanted to hatch some with. Things were going well until about day 16 when I noticed the lid had been left off the incubator and the eggs were room temperature. I quickly put it back on and resumed as normal. Then they got cold a second time when an intrigued toddler turned the dial down and they were 76 degrees. Again I continued as normal into lockdown not expecting much but on day 23 heard cheeping from the incubator and got excited. 24 hours later silence so i candled, saw a beak in the air sac and broke an external hole in the shell but alas chick was dead. Buried it and carried on as normal. It happened again yesterday - chirping, silence, dead. We currently have 5 left that look viable. I know we’re not supposed to candle now but what else could I do? So here we are, day 26, temp 100 and humidity 69. Any suggestions on what to do? Wait? If I hear chirping do I help it? Should I try the float viability test?

 

[aart]

No float!! They aren't always moving and submerging can damage chances.
I would just wait....it's hard but, cooling temps will delay hatch....or could make it a bust.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We currently have 5 left that look viable. I know we’re not supposed to candle now but what else could I do? So here we are, day 26, temp 100 and humidity 69. Any suggestions on what to do? Wait? If I hear chirping do I help it? Should I try the float viability test?

Hi welcome to BYC!

I also am not a fan of the float test.

More details please? Is your incubator still or circulated air? Are you using calibrated temp/hygrometer? On day 16 when you noticed the lid was off and eggs were room temp, what was that room temp and how long were they low? Where did the eggs come from? What was your temp and humidity during incubation before lock down?

Did the second chick make it to external pip?

I won't personally try to help a chick out that can't even pip. There is often a reason why these chicks aren't strong enough to make it out. Last time I had a power outage 50% of the chicks that hatched had bent toes that just got worse with age and weight. I learned the value of being able to cull even a chick that hatched on it's own if it has defects.

IF the chick does externally pip, then generally you try to make sure the membrane doesn't dry out and turn brown... waiting a good MANY hours for it to rest and start zipping... they are absorbing their yolk and rebuilding strength to kick out. But too soon causes issues too. I know it difficult! Honestly, I often cause more problems than I prevent when I do try to help.

What I would do... maybe raise my humidity even more, and if I hear peeping I peep back. I might even tap a little on top to simulate other chicks pipping and do some chirping of my own.

In addition I would want to candle. But I would drape a blanket or towel around the bator and let it drape over my hands to preserve the temp and humidity as best as possible.

Normally by now I would say it's a loss... but you know you had extenuating conditions, so hang in there!

Pulling for ya!

 

[Epedrazz]

Hi! Thanks for your replies. It’s a still air styrofoam incubator and i have a hygrometer for temp and humidity. Kept it around 99.5 before lockdown but it’s not in an ideal spot by our back doors so run a little cool some nights - around 97
The lid was off or slightly ajar for about 6 hours and they were down to about 65 if I remember correctly. I did a quick google and it said they may still hatch but late. I thought they were goners back then so I was super surprised (and excited!) to hear chirping.

So you think if I hear anymore chirping just leave it be? Don’t try and do an external pip for it? They are probably completely messed up from my totally inaccurate incubation ‍ I’ll be much more vigilant next time, I forgot how exciting it can get towards hatch day!

 

[aart]

So you think if I hear anymore chirping just leave it be?

Yeppers!

While you wait, here's some light reading to distract you
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-incubation.73350/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubation-humidity.73386/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It’s a still air styrofoam incubator and i have a hygrometer for temp and humidity. Kept it around 99.5 before lockdown but it’s not in an ideal spot by our back doors so run a little cool some nights - around 97

Okay, so your temp was too low the entire time... still air should run around 102. Was that the temp ion the floor or at the top of the eggs?

No, absolutely don't do an external pip for your chicks!

Waiting is so hard. There's still hope, I think!

 

[Epedrazz]

Lol thank you. I think the wait is worse than waiting for my own labors when I had my kids!

Oh and a dozen of the eggs were ordered from eBay but not many of them developed, I think they must have gotten bumped in transit or something. The rest are from our good friends and I just popped them in hoping for the best and they’ve done better than the ones I ordered!

 

[Epedrazz]

Okay, so your temp was too low the entire time... still air should run around 102. Was that the temp ion the floor or at the top of the eggs?

No, absolutely don't do an external pip for your chicks!

Waiting is so hard. There's still hope, I think!

Ok thanks

 

[Epedrazz]

Sorry hit reply too soon. Yes I’ve since been reading that the temp should be 101-102, when I first started all I saw was it should be 99.5

I have the hygrometer on a little wooden block in there so it’s the same height as the top of the eggs

 

[aart]

Oh and a dozen of the eggs were ordered from eBay but not many of them developed, I think they must have gotten bumped in transit or something.

Shipped egg can be a crap shoot and take some special attention.