Day 19. Anxiety

[Krisitne]

It's not looking good. I did a candle and tap and nothing. They aren't moving, no signs of pipping, no noise. I have put them back in the incubator, because you never know - but I am feeling a bit broken. They were all fine on day 18 and I followed all of the advice to the letter.

Is it possible they are just sleepy/very still - or have I lost them? I know you don't know the answer to this. I just don't know what to think or do. I wanted those babies so badly.

I am not holding much hope (sorry to be such a downer). Will do a water test tomorrow if nothing happens in the meantime. I don't know what went so wrong

Don’t give up yet. People have had this happen and then day 23 or 24 the chicks start popping out of the shells. What was your humidity the first 18 days and then what did you raise it to on lockdown? You will get a million different opinions on humidity but mine was 45% for the first 18 days and then I raised it to 55% for lockdown and they all hatched. I’m scared of humidity any higher, for fear of drowning them. That said, others have success with higher humidity but those numbers worked perfect for me.

 

[Mother of Chicks]

Don’t give up yet. People have had this happen and then day 23 or 24 the chicks start popping out of the shells. What was your humidity the first 18 days and then what did you raise it to on lockdown? You will get a million different opinions on humidity but mine was 45% for the first 18 days and then I raised it to 55% for lockdown and they all hatched. I’m scared of humidity any higher, for fear of drowning them. That said, others have success with higher humidity but those numbers worked perfect for me.

I had humidity of 40% days 1-12 but then the air cells were a bit small so I dropped it gradually to 30% (which helped the air cells even out). Day 18 raised humidity to 65%.

I am just going to leave them in there a bit I guess. All candling up to day 18 was bang on what it should have been apart from me altering humidity to deal with slightly under developed air cells. I could see chicks move and develop fine. These were shipped eggs so maybe that had something to do with it...

I have my next batch in the other inc now and I am petrified I am going to damage them. I didn't think this was going to be easy - but I never knew it would be this hard.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

My first pip wasn't until late in day 22 and the two that hatched first (on day 23) didn't have any signs of movement or wiggles before they pipped. I hope your chicks are okay.

 

[Mother of Chicks]

My first pip wasn't until late in day 22 and the two that hatched first (on day 23) didn't have any signs of movement or wiggles before they pipped. I hope your chicks are okay.

That's encouraging. Did you candle them? x

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I just candled them now because I had one pip on the wrong end...there was liquid coming out of the shell and I could see the beak but after a while it totally stopped moving...but I still have some obvious signs of life in my unpipped eggs, some are too dark to see through. I think the one who pipped the wrong end did die.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I can still see veins in some. I don't see movement, they are probably too big to be moving much now.

 

[wtxgrl]

I had humidity of 40% days 1-12 but then the air cells were a bit small so I dropped it gradually to 30% (which helped the air cells even out). Day 18 raised humidity to 65%.

I am just going to leave them in there a bit I guess. All candling up to day 18 was bang on what it should have been apart from me altering humidity to deal with slightly under developed air cells. I could see chicks move and develop fine. These were shipped eggs so maybe that had something to do with it...

I have my next batch in the other inc now and I am petrified I am going to damage them. I didn't think this was going to be easy - but I never knew it would be this hard.

I have read someone had them hatch at day 25. Dont lose hope. Surely theres not much room for movement. Keep us updated, but if it were me id give them til day 25.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Just saying, I rarely see movement in the last few days of incubation.

 

[Krisitne]

I had humidity of 40% days 1-12 but then the air cells were a bit small so I dropped it gradually to 30% (which helped the air cells even out). Day 18 raised humidity to 65%.

I am just going to leave them in there a bit I guess. All candling up to day 18 was bang on what it should have been apart from me altering humidity to deal with slightly under developed air cells. I could see chicks move and develop fine. These were shipped eggs so maybe that had something to do with it...

I have my next batch in the other inc now and I am petrified I am going to damage them. I didn't think this was going to be easy - but I never knew it would be this hard.

Usually if they are ok at day 18 and then dont hatch, it's to do with humidity change at lockdown. Maybe for your next lockdown, do the humidity lower, like not over 60%. But still...dont give up on these guys yet.

 

[Mother of Chicks]

Thank you all for being so lovely. I will hold out a while and see what happens <3

Send pics of newbies to keep us all going through the tough times

B x