Day 21 :(

[mudhen]

Honestly, my heart goes out to all of you hatching eggs...it's so nerve-racking just reading about the trials and tribulations you are going through!!
Hang in there, I'm cheering for you all from the sidelines!!

 

[hinkjc]

Hmmm, temp at 100.

I am guessing that since this is a homemade bator, there is no fan. Is that so? If there is no fan, temp should be 101-102, which could explain your late hatch or possibly failed hatch. I would wait a bit longer. Also, 72 is a little high for humidity...what was it during incubation? They could have drowned in the shell right after their internal pip. How did the air cells look during candling? That is usually a good indicator if humidity was not proper. If the air cell is too small, the chick gets too big and cannot turn within the shell to hatch. If the air cell is too big, to much evaporation took place during incubation and the chick may not be able to reach the air sac properly or ran out of air before they broke thru the shell. Just throwing some thoughts out here to identify if it's worthwhile to keep waiting or just start over.

Jody

 

[Juliechickens]

Oh my Lord you guys are making me nervous! I'm on day 18 with mine and after reading what is happening with your hatches, I'm now freaking out!!!! Please keep posting to let us know if yours hatched!!!! Julie

 

[silkiepjsg]

I hate to say, but we are getting depressed over here. Maybe we shouldn't, as it is "just" day 23. My son is learning about chick development though, as I try to explain to him what might have gone wrong.

 

[silkiepjsg]

Well, here is an update from me. I decided to candle again, and this time I wasn't really sure I saw developing chicks (my shells are blue or bluegreen and hard to see through). So I started opening eggs up. Not one had a developed chick in it. I guess I was dreaming happy chick thoughts at 4 am, or had a bird outside the window, because I swear I heard peeping. It's enough to make me want to cry. Not even so much for me, but for my son. I had tried araucana eggs, so I could get a mate for my rooster. (We have a few other, mostly mixed breeds which we hatched out when he was 3.) Our araucana roo was the only araucana egg out of 6 araucana eggs that hatched in that particular batch.
I called the feed store today and they have chicks that are 1 1/2 weeks old. I don't know weather to go and buy chicks, or to try and incubate again.
Better luck to every one else. I'll enjoy your photos!

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

silkiepjsg,

I'm so sorry to hear that about your eggs! :aww That must be SOOOOO disappointing (and heartbreaking too, I have a little boy and I know how attached they can get).

Don't give up on trying to hatch a few! The harder fought the battle, the sweeter the victory. And your son will learn something there, about perserverence.

 

[silkiepjsg]

Thanks, that is a good idea. I like that, yes, we will try again. I've hatched before. It's just those araucanas, such poor fertility rates. No wonder they are rare, huh? They can't reproduce themselves
I don't suppose the shipping so far helps either.
Anyone in Calif with araucanas? I throw some in to try again with.

 

[justusnak]

Well....its 4 days past due date...and I see and hear nothing.

I soooo wanted this to work...so I went and bought a REAL incubator...no fan....no turner....so we are on day 4....I am turning them about 3 or 4 times a day...but the temp is holding at 99.....with no fan, should I increase the temp???Ohhh, help me, I have 24 eggs in the new bator!!

 

[speckledhen]

Deb, are you turning the new batch or the old ones that are overdue? If you're still turning the overdue ones, you should have stopped on Day 18. I bet you mean the new batch in the bator. I'm sorry if I'm being dumb this morning-lost alot of sleep!

Your temp may not be bad. Depends on you having an accurate thermometer. The ones that come with the bator are no good. You need a good one in there since temp is critical, more so than humidity. With a still air, the temp should be 101.5 or so at the level of the top of the eggs.

 

[hinkjc]

Sorry silkiep to hear that your eggs didn't develop. I have true araucana (rumpless/tufted) hatching eggs for sale - 8+ for $18. I just verified fertility and expect hatch next week. However, they would be shipped from PA, so long ride for these babies. Up to you.

justusnak - Yes, turn the "no fan" bator up to 101 at least. I hope you have better luck this time.

Jody