Day 19-trying to keep my hands out of the incubator!!!! Reassurance please,,,

syndie

Songster
5 Years
Mar 1, 2015
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151
OCPA 16301
So day 19 is here soon to be 20, 4 of my 9 eggs have pip'd. I have this crazy fear that I may have placed my eggs wrong.

Here is the crazy, what if the others are trying to pip but I placed the egg down facing and the chicks are trying to poke holes in the bottom where the egg is on the mat? I promised myself I wouldn't touch the incubator during lockdown but these irrational fears are tempting me. Could this cause suffocation and dead eggs or am I crazy?

Please help my insanity.:/
 
Whilst some members like to keep eggs in the upright position (fat end up) to hatch, I believe the majority prefer to put lay the eggs on the incubator tray (i.e. with no support to hold it in any position.). If your eggs are in an upright position and pointed end up, I would either lay them flat or remove the supports (but try to do this as quickly as possible so as to maintain humidity).
 
I agree. I take my turner trays out before pip and let the eggs lay on their sides while they hatch. That's what a broody does too, just let them hatch on their sides.

I think gravity would be a factor, though. If the chick is pointed up, and so is the air cell, it should be able to pip fine, but when they try to get out of the shell, they may not be able to roll out of it.

Just so I'm understanding fully though, are the eggs still in a turner tray?
 
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No the trays are out and they are on laying on shelf liner. I just concerned about what I cannot see
 
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Oh, then they should be fine. They turn and wiggle in there; if they're upside down, they'll flip over while they're zipping the top off the egg, so moving them won't make much difference now.

Hands off lol, its so tempting to "help", but humidity needs to stay constant right now, so as much as you want to worry, don't. ;) these little guys are tough and already know what to do.
 

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