Day 14 - we started them out fat side down in the incubator!!!

[pepperkorn67]

Is there anything to be done about it now?

We started our hatching with clean eggs from our chickens - didnt sterilize but there was no poo on any of them. My husband put them fat side down in the incubator -- we have some DARK black spots as if the chick is sticking to the shell -- is all this OK? Is there anythign we can do now?

Can anyone to direct me to a "I started this whole process completely screwed up what do I do now besides wait for my chicks to die?" section?

Thanks for all your patience - my stupid questions are just too specific to successfully search the forum on! I did give it a shot

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, at this late date, I would just go forward.

I would take out the turner. I would lay them down on their sides. I would have turn them, manually, the next few days and then prepare to hatch following normal procedures.

You're so far into the process, there's no point in trying to do anything exotic here. Just hope for the best. We often get chicks who successfully hatch from the "wrong" end.

Just my gut advice. Hope it works out for you.

 

[hildar]

Have you been turning them daily??? That is the only reason I believe why they would be stuck at one end. We are suppose to turn them daily

 

[pepperkorn67]

We have a stupid oscillating incubator -- we've been thinking of just turning them onto the pointy end now but worried it would disorient them. (durr or something -- I sound so foolish -- because I AM obviously!) We have our x on one side o on the other and see them moving side to side regularly - but maybe we will do the manual thing now these last 10 days or so. Thanks for the help you all. Keep the thoughts coming - nothing is unappreciated even call me dummass

 

[what did I do]

I think the poster who said to put them on their side is right. Put an X on one side and an O on the other side turn X to O an odd number of times each day until day 18. How is your humidity?

 

[what did I do]

Relax do it is not worth getting worked up over. Chicks die over the silliest thing yet can be very forgiving. I have some that are hatching right now that went for an hour long car ride half way through incubation. We hatched some chicks at the fair last summer. They turned the power off on the incubator at night. They still hatched even though they were COLD and SWEATY. I washed out the incubator and plugged it back in, chicks hatched.

 

[pepperkorn67]

FYI -- we turned them fat side up and now at day 20 they are pipping - many on the side of the shell and one at the small end of the egg -- so it seams fine for the most part - no harm done at that point anyhow.

 

[what did I do]

FYI -- we turned them fat side up and now at day 20 they are pipping - many on the side of the shell and one at the small end of the egg -- so it seams fine for the most part - no harm done at that point anyhow.

Good to hear. Keep us posted on the hatch.