Day 20 HELP

[msheets]

May 13th was day 20 for my 38 chicken eggs & I can't hear them, see any pipping, or notice them "rocking." I've candled them often from day 3 up until today & out of the 44 original eggs only 2 were unfertile & 4 expired. I haven't turned them since the 11th & the humidity/temp is correct. I candled them today & the chicks' shadow fills the egg then stops about 1/4 cm away from the air sac, between the (moving)dark mass & air sac I can see blood vessals/normal fluid. Is this normal? Shouldn't atleast some of them pipped by today? I thought if they were at day 20 there would be no gap between them & the air sac due to their size & need to pip through the membrane? One more thing, 2 of the eggs' shadows go all around the egg like the others except one side. On that side there's a large "V" shape stretching from the top of the egg (bottom of V) to the air sac (top of V). Are they alive? Thanks so much! M.Sheets

 

[nittanyxi]

today is day 20 for me too. 3 of mine have hatched but I don't hear peeps from any of the other eggs but that doesn't mean that they aren't going to hatch. Day 20 is one day early. sometimes they hatch late too. If your temp and humidity are correct I wouldn't worry about it. I would stop taking them out to candel them though. I don't think you are supposed to open the incubator once you have locked them down. I think you are supposed to keep the humidity consistent. I bet by tomorrow night you hear some peeping or at least see some of the eggs move.

 

[msheets]

I candled them right before lock down & then on day 20 since there wasn't anything happening, I'm thinking nowthat wasn't a good idea...anyone else have this happen?

 

[nittanyxi]

If you candeled them on day 20 and none had piped yet you should be ok. If they pip and there is low humidity that would be a problem. You know something is growing in them. They are just taking their time to hatch. some don't hatch till day 22-24. Just make sure the humidity is around 60-65. If you need to put more water in don't open the incubator. pour it through a hole somewhere. Try not to check on them to often it just drives you crazy (I've been there). I finally went out to do some shopping and erends. when I got back two hours later there was some activity.

 

[countrychix]

On my first hatch I never heard any peeping until they had completely pipped a hole through the shell, and then only occasionally, and I never saw any eggs rocking. I never candled after lockdown unless I was sure that no others were going to hatch (day24).