First attempt

[Jayzandra]

I built an incubator with an ice chest, water heater thermostat, light bulb and computer fan. I let it run for a week as I collected eggs for hatching to make sure it was stable. I set 15 eggs on feb 26th. The temp has been a steady 100 and humidity around 55-ish, turning the eggs three times a day. I candled them on day 7 and all but 1 were developing. (it was porous) I couldn't see into the blue ones at all, so I'm just hoping....
I'm so excited and so anxious at the same time! This is my first attempt at incubating eggs EVER. I candle the white ones every few days just to make sure they're still growing, and as of today they still are.

Dad is an "Ameracauna". Moms are an "Ameracauna" (blue eggs), Silver Laced Wyandotte (light brown eggs), Silver Grey Dorking (white eggs), and Cuckoo Marans (dark brown eggs).

I can't wait till they hatch!!

The Black Star only lays fart eggs.

 

[Jayzandra]

I have a question about the air cell. I'm on day 17. Tomorrow is day 18 and going into lock down. How big are the air cells supposed to be? I don't think mine are big enough? My humidity has been around 55-ish pretty much the whole time. I couldn't get a good pic of them being candled, so I traced the air sac with a pencil.

 

[Roseyroberts]

Some look a little small but others look fine. I always trace my eggs air cells on lockdown day, by hatch day the cells are much bigger!
Hopefully yours will be just fine!
I have found that 30% humidity until lockdown works really well for me.

 

[Jayzandra]

should I leave the humidity as is or raise it like recommended?

 

[Roseyroberts]

The small air cells are due to too high of humidity during the incubation, however, I think you only have till day 18 to correct that...pretty sure that on day 18 you must raise the humidity or your chicks can become shrink wrapped.

 

[subhanalah]

They need to lose a lot more water in order to have room to position and hatch.
With all the extra moisture inside the egg, I don't believe they will be shrink-wrapped, but I have never personally experienced this.

I can only say what I would do. I would lower humidity, and closely monitor them to see if you get internal pips. They will likely be sticky-gooey when they hatch and will need assistance.
You can wait for internal pips before raising humidity. I haven't read any threads about how to salvage a hatch at this point, so unless someone with more experience comes along to give advice (which I hope happens soon!) You're going to have to play it by ear. Praying for your babies. I hope they make it okay.

 

[Jayzandra]

I think I'm just going to leave the humidity as is. If you're supposed to RAISE it so they don't dry out, then maybe they'll drie out just enough if I leave it alone...