Day 19, I need a miracle.

[21hens-incharge]

Have you candled the eggs?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Have you candled the eggs?

Yes, all was going perfectly with all 7 eggs until day 13 when I transferred my broody to a nice pen in the middle of the night and I woke up to find her off the eggs (on a very cold morning) and she was pacing by the door trying to get back to her original empty box. I put her back where she wanted to be and just crossed my fingers until I did a final candling on day 17. I'm pretty sure that half of the eggs didn't make it through the cold morning but I saw life in 1 definitely and possibly on 2 of them and I didn't see the harm in leaving all 7 under her just in case, especially after talking to some other wonderful members here....then today...which I hadn't intended touching them, much less putting together this malarkey mess of an "incubator", it's really hard to see into the eggs that I was feeling good about but again, 1 looked alive even after being left all day. So that brings me here, desperately trying to give them a chance because it has been a heck of a start to life for those little fluffers if any manage to make it!

 

[Studio Chick]

It's ok Cluck, stop stressing...it is what it is at this point. You have done everything you can do.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes, all was going perfectly with all 7 eggs until day 13 when I transferred my broody to a nice pen in the middle of the night and I woke up to find her off the eggs (on a very cold morning) and she was pacing by the door trying to get back to her original empty box. I put her back where she wanted to be and just crossed my fingers until I did a final candling on day 17. I'm pretty sure that half of the eggs didn't make it through the cold morning but I saw life in 1 definitely and possibly on 2 of them and I didn't see the harm in leaving all 7 under her just in case, especially after talking to some other wonderful members here....then today...which I hadn't intended touching them, much less putting together this malarkey mess of an "incubator", it's really hard to see into the eggs that I was feeling good about but again, 1 looked alive even after being left all day. So that brings me here, desperately trying to give them a chance because it has been a heck of a start to life for those little fluffers if any manage to make it!

Hang in there! I have read about some craaaaaazy miracle hatches on here.
I am rooting for the tiny ones to pop out like popcorn for you.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

My update for today, my local tractor supply didn't have an incubator thermometer so I got a candy thermometer like fire370 suggested. I ordered the appropriate thermometer and paid for overnight shipping. The temps are staying surprisingly consistent in the box, lol. So I'm going to refrain from buying one of the cheap incubators they have at tractor supply since it sounds like it will take too long to stabilize for it to be much help anyway and I'll save up for a nice one (maybe brinsea? Everyone seems happy those I think.). Hopefully I can avoid future hatcing catastrophes and start posting more positive and helpful news!! Thank you again for everyone that responds so quickly and are so ready to help here! This is a wonderful group of people!!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

 

[aart]

For the future:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[CluckNDoodle]

For the future:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

This is great! Thank you so much aart!

 

[fire370]

Following up on this. How did this turn out?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Following up on this. How did this turn out?

I'm actually still waiting. When I checked before putting them in the "fake-ubator" I threw together it didn't look like most of the eggs made it through the day of being cold but one is still alive. The egg was rocking last night but still no external pips. Today would be day 23 so I don't feel great that the chick is going to hatch but I'm giving it every opportunity just in case it's just delayed from getting cold on two separate occasions. When I checked the others, I pulled two eggs that stopped developing around day 13. So we're down to 5 eggs and just the one that was alive last night as far as I'm aware. Temps and humidity have stayed fairly consistent though. I'm not sure at what point I should try helping...