Day 18.....Lockdown

[LDeBona]

Still NO activity in my incubator. Humidity is holding steady around 60%. It will officially be Day 20 at 8pm tonight. I am about to go crazy!

 

[kallan]

I use one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-Model-3300-Candler/dp/B007E5H50M it came with my incubator for free
I like it because the lip of the flashlight is small enough to fit on the egg perfectly and no light escapes.
the lightbulb is recessed into the flashlight so it doesn't touch the egg (it's hot!)

I do not increase the humidity until my first pip happens. until then, they are still losing water weight so I let them do their thing. some folks increase it arbitrarily on day 19 no matter what, but I don't do that anymore.

did you weigh the eggs? I weigh on day 1, 7, 14, 18. I take their weight from day 1 and calculate a 13% loss, that is my goal for day 18, so I am able to monitor their weight throughout incubation and make judgements on weight loss in that way.

I don't know what day you are on, but I stop turning on day 19.
If the air cells were detached, I follow a different hatching plan, and I stop turning early at day 16.
so, there is no harm in stopping early, but really no reason to unless detached.

I'm on day 18, so I might stop turning tonight and let them get situated. I have the Brinsea set to turn every 3 hours since day 13. Up until day 13, I had manually turned only 3 times a day. Do you think this will harm/confuse the embryo? I haven't figured out how to give it a rest at night.

What do you use to weigh your eggs? I haven't been doing that. Too late for these four.

 

[kallan]

Still NO activity in my incubator. Humidity is holding steady around 60%. It will officially be Day 20 at 8pm tonight. I am about to go crazy!

Hang in there....I'm following along and learning so much at the same time!!!

My 4 should be here Sunday...can't wait!

Good luck and look foward to any photos you share.

 

[Frankie Ruiz]

i candled one of my quail eggs... its internally pipped !!!!!!

my first internal pip ever!!!!!!!!! i quickly closed the incubator because i didnt wanna take the chances of ruining the humidity! tomorrow is hatch day for the bobwhites im gonna set chickens eggs again on the 25th to get a valentines day hatch. i hope those turn out well!

 

[Houma Saint]

Still NO activity in my incubator.   Humidity is holding steady around 60%.   It will officially be Day 20 at 8pm tonight.    I am about to go crazy!

 

[Houma Saint]

Hang in there I was at day 21 when I finally there was movement. Before that I was like you going crazy thinking nothing going to hatch. Them bam 5 yesterday and one this morning

 

[Farmer Viola]

Still NO activity in my incubator. Humidity is holding steady around 60%. It will officially be Day 20 at 8pm tonight. I am about to go crazy!

I am saying prayers for your eggs! cmon babies!

i candled one of my quail eggs... its internally pipped !!!!!!

my first internal pip ever!!!!!!!!! i quickly closed the incubator because i didnt wanna take the chances of ruining the humidity! tomorrow is hatch day for the bobwhites im gonna set chickens eggs again on the 25th to get a valentines day hatch. i hope those turn out well!

YEAH!! so cool when you find it!! okay now close the incubator and sit on your hands!! lol

congrats

I'm on day 18, so I might stop turning tonight and let them get situated. I have the Brinsea set to turn every 3 hours since day 13. Up until day 13, I had manually turned only 3 times a day. Do you think this will harm/confuse the embryo? I haven't figured out how to give it a rest at night.

What do you use to weigh your eggs? I haven't been doing that. Too late for these four.

no, it wont cause harm.
what you can do, is candle the eggs and look for the lowest dip in the air cell, is facing upward toward the sky. by having the lowest point in the air cell up, this is the natural way the egg would normally situate itself in nature (the full part weighs more and thus rolls to the bottom/contacting the ground).

here is a pic of what I mean:

it should help them get into position and hatch quicker if they are already oriented properly it should also pip at the top of the egg this way. right where you can see it!!

to weigh I use a food scale with a single egg cup. I cut 1 cup out of an egg carton and use it to sit the egg on the scale. measures in grams for accuracy
this is a fancier version of mine: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Prec...7_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1389821134&sr=1-4

 

[LDeBona]

Hang in there I was at day 21 when I finally there was movement. Before that I was like you going crazy thinking nothing going to hatch. Them bam 5 yesterday and one this morning

That's what I'm hoping for! Hey, are you from Houma, LA?? I'm a Louisiana girl. Born and raised in West Monroe.....but I live in Dallas now

Leslie

 

[Houma Saint]

That's what I'm hoping for!    Hey, are you from Houma, LA??     I'm a Louisiana girl.    Born and raised in West Monroe.....but I live in Dallas now

Leslie

Born in New Orleans moved to Houma about 20 years ago

 

[Lyrika]

Malpositioned chick is still wiggling around, I can see him wiggling through the bator window. Every so often I hear a cheep. Humidity at about 65%. I rigged up a system with some tubing and sponges so I can adjust it properly without opening the bator.

It's nice to have people to share in the waiting with. I'm so impatient for these eggs to hatch!

While we're waiting, here's a picture of one of my Christmas Day hatch quail, Blitzen. I am pretty sure she's a she now. She's my favourite because she just lays in my hand, as pictured.