First time incubating chicks!

[CRad]

Hi, getting worried now. It's my first time incubating and the eggs went in on Wednesday 12th March. Does this mean they will hatch by this Wednesday? Also keep looking up but what day do I take them off the automatic rocker? And when do I stop candling? I also read I need to take the rails out but they won't stand up, is it ok to lay them sideways?

When candling I can see movement but alot of veins is this normal?

Sorry so many questions

 

[subhanalah]

I remove my egg Turner and place the eggs on their sides on day 16 (some wait til day 18, but this makes me nervous for malpositions).
Candle them when you remove them from the turner and mark the lowest point on the aircell and ensure that is facing up when you place the eggs on their side.
At the beginning of day 18 be sure to increase your humidity for hatching.

 

[DanEP]

Also don't candle after day 18 they should be in lock down, which means you make sure there is enough water in the bator to maintain a higher humidity level and then leave your bator closed till they hatch and dry.Since this is your first hatch it's hard to say when they will hatch. The temp in your bator can change this to some degree. A little high and they will tend to hatch early and a little low and they will hatch later. either way is ok. The hardest part is to be patiant if you have a lot of eggs in the bator it can take a couple of days for them all to pip and and then zip and finally hatch. Oh and bantam eggs tend to hatch a little early.

 

[CRad]

Thank you, they are chicken eggs. So if I candle them tonight then tomorrow take it off the rocker and wire out then leave them on there side with the lid back on and don't open till all the chicks have hatched? Only got 6

 

[subhanalah]

You will! Leave the wire mesh bottom in the incubator (I'm assuming it's a styrofoam incubator) for the chicks to hatch/walk on.

 

[CRad]

Yeah sorry meant the wires that are keeping them stood up

Just hope I have some chicks

 

[dstinett]

We stress ourselves way too much over incubating eggs. when I started, I did everything by the book. truth is, mama hen can be quite rough with her eggs. just don't play toss with them. Since mama hen gets off the nest 2x day, I limit opening incubator to 2x.

 

[subhanalah]

I candled my eggs frequently. Maybe now that I have one hatch under my belt, I can only compulsively candle the last several days before lockdown instead of consistently through the whole hatch, lol.

I try to let my eggs cool for about 5 minutes once a day. I pull out my Turner on day 16.
The only thing I would do differently is adding humidity the instant I see the sharp decline of the air cell in a 24 hour period.

 

[Abundance Farm]

I am on my first hatch also so I am following your thread. I am on day 10 with 24 eggs in my brinsea octagon, mostly marans and I can't see a thing with candeling. You inspire me to buy a scope. There is still time on this hatch to do so. I will be watching what happens for you. Birth is always very exciting and scarey! good luck and thanks!

 

[Abundance Farm]

okay, I bought the scope! My eggs went in on Thursday morning! So we are riding this baby out together.