Could our dates be wrong?

[mjm417]

According to what hubby wrote on the calendar, Valentine's afternoon was day 21 for us - and here's what we have:

Yesterday/Tuesday am there was 1 pipped through and it progressed ever so slightly in the afternoon: the shell is broken off in a few tiny pieces and the membrane is pierced and I can see tiny black feathers, and yesterday it was rocking and I could see it breathing and could get it to chirp at me, today there is no progress and I can't get it to move or chirp, anything I can do for this one or just keep waiting??

6 other eggs were moving slightly yesterday and I heard pecking from the other side of the incubator, and I think a chirp or two. Especially if I would go in there and talk to them! Today/Wed I can't see any of those moving but a whole other one is rocking and pecking, but no pipping and no other noise.

And we have 6 others that haven't done anything at all, but we candled before lockdown and saw what we think we were supposed to see...so i'm thinking that maybe he wrote the wrong date?? or we could just suck at the incubator thing!?

Anyone have an encouraging word or advice?


FYI: they are all our own australorp eggs, and we'd really like some chicks so we don't have to order any, because we had to eliminate the rooster, it was attacking everyone and with 2 small children, that's just not a good mix. They were rescue chickens and obviously they were malnourished and mistreated before we had them. But the 2 hens we have left are sweethearts now

Thanks! mj

 

[sonjab314]

Hi and first of all

. What is your humidity running?

 

[justmeandtheflock]

Exactly when were they set? They aren't due until after 21 full days of incubation are over. They may have been getting in position and are now resting and obsorbing the rest of thier yolk. What kind of incubator are you using? What have the temps been running at? If the temps are a little bit low it can cause a slight delay in the hatch.

 

[mjm417]

Exactly when were they set? They aren't due until after 21 full days of incubation are over. They may have been getting in position and are now resting and obsorbing the rest of thier yolk. What kind of incubator are you using? What have the temps been running at? If the temps are a little bit low it can cause a slight delay in the hatch.

Ok, they were set in the incubator on the afternoon of Mon the 24th I *thought* and that's what my husband wrote down, he was working from home that week, and took care of setting them up and turning them the first couple days, so I didn't pay much attention or research beyond what he told me until the end of the week!
The only reason I question it is because I didn't physically do it, but he's very much a "details" guy so I really have no reason to question him.

We are using the Little Giant still air - which I know now isn't the best, but it was all we could get on short notice (cause we decided only the day before we killed the rooster that we wanted to try and hatch the eggs, so we saved them for that day, the day the rooster died and the day after because he was allowed to mate before he became dinner, aren't we nice?!)

Temps have been at 99.5 the whole time, that hasn't been hard at all actually.
BUT the humidity is anyone's guess, we haven't acquired a hygrometer yet - so I know that is probably all out of whack, but I have been following the advice on here, and we have a sponge in there currently.

I know that if we don't get chicks, it's pretty much our error, but that's how ya learn right?!​

 

[sonjab314]

I see part of your problem. With a still air bator your temp should be 101.5 not 99.5. You have not killed the eggs but it did slow down their growth. Wait a few more days before doing anything rash. You really need to get a hygrometer. Humidity is a crucial element in incubating and hatching.

 

[mjm417]

Quote:
OOO that is really awesome news! Thanks, I knew that the temp being lower would slow it down, but I didn't know I had the wrong temp (even though it's 'right' on the thermometer!) And I definitely know now about the hygrometer, I didn't start looking at what to to expect from lockdown through hatching until this past weekend..

Will just any hygrometer I find work, is digital better because it can be more exact or is good ole fashioned dial more trustworthy?

 

[justmeandtheflock]

How are they doing?

 

[Heluerto]

I suggest getting some moisture in there now to raise humidity, if the one that has pipped and now gone quite has not managed to get out, it might be stuck to the insides.

 

[mjm417]

Quote:
Well the one the pipped the other day has had no progress...I think i'm going to take it out and see if it's salvageable, It hasn't moved though, so my gut says it's dead.

What do you guys guess would be the longest time allowed after a pip to still be alive (either hatching on it's own or with help)??


BUT we do have another that pipped yesterday afternoon and has gotten a decent hole, but hasn't really made any progress since last night. But he's still poking his beak out and chirping and pecking, so that's good. I did put more water in there and as soon as I get my kids dressed we're going to go find a hygrometer. I haven't seen any of the others moving this morning yet...

I haven't found any good pictures of what the membrane is supposed to look like, It does look dry to me, but what do I know!?!

 

[mjm417]

ok so I got brave and took my pipped but dead egg out and yeah it was super dried up and stuck...so I made the executive decision to help the alive one out - i took some of the shell off and the outer membrane was rubbery, i was able to take some of that off very carefully and the inner membrane was white and looked shrink wrapped! but responded well to warm water & a q-tip i moistened him up and put him back with a wet washcloth as suggested by the thread on assisting...going to get the hygrometer now and we'll see what happens when I get back!

thanks again for all the help!