First time and the suspense is killing me!!

[MommaSampson]

This is my first time trying to incubate eggs and I only put 4 in to start. Statistics won out and only 1 made it to day 18. I put it in lockdown on Monday and it's killing me waiting to see if this egg is going to hatch. I'm not real hopeful cause I had some varying temperature and humidity in the beginning but I still really want it to hatch. How long after 23/24 days do you wait before you know it's not going to hatch?

 

[red golden]

If one is killing you. I think you might as well buy a large cabinet bator or two more small ones. Before you know it you will be posting i have just set 100 lol.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

This is my first time trying to incubate eggs and I only put 4 in to start. Statistics won out and only 1 made it to day 18. I put it in lockdown on Monday and it's killing me waiting to see if this egg is going to hatch. I'm not real hopeful cause I had some varying temperature and humidity in the beginning but I still really want it to hatch. How long after 23/24 days do you wait before you know it's not going to hatch?

COOL!! Have a read at the assisted hatch article in my signature... it will calm you and explain what your chick is doing in that egg.... and how long to wait to candle and tap to check viability

 

[MommaSampson]

I set 10 Sunday. My husband said before he knows it I'll have the whole dining room full of incubators!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

lol true story!!

 

[red golden]

yep you'll be posting in the incubators anonymous before long i knew it lol.

 

[Muddy]

We just hatched our first. We didn't really do much but fly by the seat of our pants and it worked out pretty well, thankfully. I was convinced none would hatch and we have 14 chicks now. One tried to hatch but something went wrong on hatching. I don't know, because it a fully formed chick as far as I could tell, and the crack was pretty big. But I'm still celebrating.

This could easily get addicting!

 

[MWoodling]

Ok, I'm a newby too and I found a new term to add to the terminology forum.... What does "lockdown" mean? Is that where you stop turning them and wait for them to hatch? Is it crucial to stop touching them and candling? Ugh...my little duck eggs were doing so well and now nothing, no change.

 

[1655ot]

Yes that's right. It comes from the fact that you stop turning, add water for higher humidity and "lock the incubator down" and don't open it until they've hatched.

 

[Allicoop]

I just did my first incubation...and there was a time I didn't think any would hatch....but I got 22/26. I did have to help 2 after 24hours ( they had pipped externally but after 24 hours had not progressed) I read so much on here about assisting and it is sooooo true, they came out fine. I don't think I left my incubator for more than 10minutes from lockdown. It was so exciting......I had one hatch on day 19 and the last one on day 22. So it can vary a bit. Just listen to the wise ones on here when they say, sit on your hands and don't rush in as you may do more harm than good...