Day 24 and still no chicks!!!

[marymac]

I am going crazy watching my eggs!!! They were supposed to hatch May 1 and they are still no pips. I keep checking and I can see movement when I look with a flashlight at each egg. I have 12 and all 12 of them move, but slowly. Are they ever gona hatch or are they dying? I'm trying out a new incubator and using the themp/hyg that came with it , so I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it has been holding steady with temp and humidity. Is there anything I can do?

 

[SarahFair]

Are you opening the bator? If you are, DONT! It will dry them out and cause them to stick.
Only thing you can really do is wait IMO..
Did you have any major drops in your temps?

Good luck!

 

[EggSpudition]

Quote:
Let me know how it turns out.. what kind of incubator are you using?

 

[musicjengel]

Sorry to be negative but here's another thing to think about. When I candle my eggs, I've fooled myself (and my students) into thinking there is movement if I move the eggs too much...then gravity or equilibrium or something makes the chicken move to the other side even if it isn't.

I hope I'm wrong!

Good luck!

 

[marymac]

Unfortunately I have opened it, due to the fact my humidity would not go up, so I added some wet kotex pads after I read here about using them , and they actually worked better than the sponge I tried. Since it is taking so long for them to hatch, I'm afraid they may dry out and my humidity will drop again, but so far it is between 70- 75%. I just got done checking all 12 of them with a led flashlight and they are still moving around

. I haven't tried to candle them since day 17, but I would think they are still alive as long as I see movement, right? I am trying out that new incCube incubator

 

[marymac]

Well today is day 25, and still nothing, BUT , they are still moving when I watch them with a flashlight. So I guess this means they are still alive, right. Any suggestions? What should I do?

 

[Heather8183]

That's crazy...I've read a few times on here people having eggs pip and hatch at 28 days! What temp are you running at? I've also read that if the temp is slightly low they'll be slow to hatch too...good luck!

 

[lilblessings5]

any pips at all?

 

[marymac]

It's pretty steady at 99.5-100.2 or so, but I'm not sure how accurate my thermometer is. It's new but I didn't calibrate it. Still it seems like a long time. I guess as long as i see movement I'll keep hoping.

 

[marymac]

Quote:
No pips that I can see. What would be the chance of one surviving if I opened it myself I wonder?