Christmas Setting - First Hatch

[DaybreakOrps]

So I am home and there is nothing but the same pip from this morning. It doesn't appear remarkably bigger nor do I hear any chirping. This is all I have? Are they all goners? What is wrong??

 

[Pyxis]

It might be your temps are a little low and that slowed down the development. I've had a chick hatch on day 24 before. If you'd like, and I know people say you can't do this but I do it all the time, you CAN open the incubator quickly if you want to check the egg with the pip, just make sure you get the humidity right back up. But it can take 24 hours from the pip for them to hatch. They have a lot of stuff to absorb in there

 

[DaybreakOrps]

Should I increase the temperature? The incubator reads 38.2 C and 57% humidity. I am going to leave it closed for now, as I don't know what I could do if I did hear it peep. Shouldn't the others be pipping too?

 

[Pyxis]

I wouldn't increase the temperature at this point, but I'd calibrate the thermometer before the next hatch, just in case it's reading high. Or if you have another thermometer you could check the temps with, that would be good and then you would know if it's been running low or not. But as long as you haven't had a temp spike, they're probably all fine and just running behind a little bit.

 

[Pyxis]

Actually, 38.2 is a little low. For still air, you generally want to keep it at 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit at the top of the eggs, so if it's been running at 38.2 the whole time, that's a degree lower than it should have been, so that would definitely explain the delay.

 

[DaybreakOrps]

Okay and there is another problem. I just went to the store to get a thermometer to double check the temp. As it turns out, poking the thermometer in the side hole (used to refill water) to get a temperature check showed a temperature of 98 or so, which would be about 99 if you add a degree to the medical thermometer. SOOOO...........my temp has been running low the entire time. I have increased it to 39.5 on the screen and it is up to 99.2 and rising a bit. The humidity in the house is so low because of the dry winter air, I bought a humidifier that I am running next to the incubator as I can only get the humidity to 58%. So I will let them sit for awhile and we will see. I opened the top twice to check temp and add sponges but only for a second, so I hope it didn't damage the pipped egg. But I had to figure it out for the others. Fingers crossed for #13!

 

[Purpletie3]

Okay and there is another problem.  I just went to the store to get a thermometer to double check the temp.  As it turns out, poking the thermometer in the side hole (used to refill water) to get a temperature check showed a temperature of 98 or so, which would be about 99 if you add a degree to the medical thermometer.  SOOOO...........my temp has been running low the entire time.  I have increased it to 39.5 on the screen and it is up to 99.2 and rising a bit.  The humidity in the house is so low because of the dry winter air, I bought a humidifier that I am running next to the incubator as I can only get the humidity to 58%.  So I will let them sit for awhile and we will see.  I opened the top twice to check temp and add sponges but only for a second, so I hope it didn't damage the pipped egg.  But I had to figure it out for the others.  Fingers crossed for #13!

Can you position the sponge under the hole you put the thermometer through...so you can add water to the sponge without lifting the lid? I had these really long wooden skewers I could stick through the air holes of my styrobator and move stuff around .

Good luck. I hope they are all just running late.

 

[Pyxis]

Good luck! Glad it was low temps as I suspected, that doesn't really hurt them, just slows them down. I'll get some pictures of my peeps to tide you over, lol. See if you can get it at 99.5 F, as that is the perfect place for it. Don't know why I was thinking you had still air, you said forced air, lol. But 98 would have been low and slowed them down some.

 

[carsonfarr67]

Thank you every one for your tips on helping me hatch my first ever chick. Here are some pics!

 

[DaybreakOrps]

Good news!!!! Number 21 has pipped!! and #13 is wiggling. There are internal peeps that I am hearing, so my son and I are putting on a pot of coffee and gonna watch!