Day 22: No Pips :(

[chickyrookie]

This is my first time hatching, and it's been a headache. I bought a Little Farm 9300 incubator at yard sale and couldn't wait to use it.

I've read hours and hours of "how-to" articles. I mostly struggled with calibrating temp and humidity, but have done everything else as by the book.

It's now early morning on Day 22 and I don't see any pipping. I may have "cooked" these guys while trying to figure out the temp/humidity calibration. I'm pretty sure my bator is totally off (at least that's what the 3 alternate readers say that I put in the bator.)

Any suggestions? At what point do I throw them away?

 

[IvanK]

Hi!

Have you candled the eggs along the way to see if the embryos were developing? If I were in your position and I didn't candle yet, I would candle now to check for development. You should be able to make some conclusions about your eggs afterwards. Also, what temperature and humidity were you maintaining (or what do you think the averages were)?
If your temp was off you may want to wait a little while yet...I've heard hatching can be delayed or sped up by off temps. It may be in vain but waiting might be worth it if even one little chick hatches.

 

[chickyrookie]

Hi!

Have you candled the eggs along the way to see if the embryos were developing? If I were in your position and I didn't candle yet, I would candle now to check for development. You should be able to make some conclusions about your eggs afterwards. Also, what temperature and humidity were you maintaining (or what do you think the averages were)?
If your temp was off you may want to wait a little while yet...I've heard hatching can be delayed or sped up by off temps. It may be in vain but waiting might be worth it if even one little chick hatches.

I couldn't wait anymore and candled a couple eggs. They definitely have something going on in there. Also, I could've sworn I saw something moving a tad bit when I candled it. I put them back in, added some water, and I am hoping for the best. The humidity was a bit low today, but the temperature seems to be around 101-102.

I hope tomorrow is the big day....

 

[Miss717]

Update?

 

[chickyrookie]

Update?

Well, my days were off. Today is DAY 23 and no pips. I candled ALL the eggs last night. Three quit developing early, and the rest looked so dark, it was hard to see (chicken, right?)
I bought a new candler. It's a really good one. I tried to look for movement in the egg, but I didn't see anything. I put them back and I'm going to give them one more day.

I think I might have drowned them while messing with humidity. I didn't know that my bator's reading could be wrong, so I was trying really hard to increase humidity. I bought 2 other hygrometers and it was fine the whole time.

 

[aart]

Give me a couple more days....low temps might be at play.
Eggtopsies might give some clues, if you can bear to do it.

Before next hatch, test your therms and hygros.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[chickyrookie]

Give me a couple more days....low temps might be at play.
Eggtopsies might give some clues, if you can bear to do it.

Before next hatch, test your therms and hygros.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

Well this morning is Day 24, so if nothing is happening when I get home, I am going to do 1 eggtopsy. Not sure what I can diagnose, but I'm going to buy ANOTHER hygrometer and calibrate the bator to a T. I do think it something to do with the high humidity.