First time Incubator...

[Sidhe13]

Thanks for that explanation! I thought it was something like that but wanted confirmation.

Well it is midday Day 19, I can see that the air cells have grown some and after looking at some more candling photos on the net, I reckon I will just have to go with nature. I think the air cells should be big enough...they're just not as big as I would have imagined they would be at this stage from looking at pictures people drew. I don't want to disturb the eggs any more though. So I have upped the humidity and we are officially in lockdown!

I made myself a light-box candler last night. It allowed me to feel confident culling 2 more eggs. I ziplocked them and broke them open...one infertile, as suspected, and the other an early quitter (an eye and some pink stuff attached). Hooray for correct judgement! The shells of the 4 eggs I have culled are a lighter colour from a friend. The eggs from my chooks are a bit darker and even with the new and improved candler, I am still not sure enough to risk culling. So I will leave them alone. If I culled a viable chick I would be devastated...I would rather clean up a rotten mess than do that. I have given all the eggs a good sniff too and none of them smell rank, so here's hoping!

Now we wait....

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks for that explanation! I thought it was something like that but wanted confirmation.

Well it is midday Day 19, I can see that the air cells have grown some and after looking at some more candling photos on the net, I reckon I will just have to go with nature. I think the air cells should be big enough...they're just not as big as I would have imagined they would be at this stage from looking at pictures people drew. I don't want to disturb the eggs any more though. So I have upped the humidity and we are officially in lockdown!

I made myself a light-box candler last night. It allowed me to feel confident culling 2 more eggs. I ziplocked them and broke them open...one infertile, as suspected, and the other an early quitter (an eye and some pink stuff attached). Hooray for correct judgement! The shells of the 4 eggs I have culled are a lighter colour from a friend. The eggs from my chooks are a bit darker and even with the new and improved candler, I am still not sure enough to risk culling. So I will leave them alone. If I culled a viable chick I would be devastated...I would rather clean up a rotten mess than do that. I have given all the eggs a good sniff too and none of them smell rank, so here's hoping!

Now we wait....

Yeah, it is rather devastating. I did it once, I felt soooooooo bad!! I thought for sure it was a quitter. Now they all stay in unless the are clears, blood ring or a very early quittter, like yours, and it's obvious at day 18 it didn't develope. My philiosphy after that was 'If it doesn't stink it's staying in till the end!!'

 

[Sidhe13]

My other philosophy involves not assisting with a hatch...not matter what!

MAN! MY INCUBATOR LOST POWER!! Something somewhere tripped the fuse for the circuit to the spare room and I didn't even notice! Temp dropped to 30 deg Celsius before I realised! There was no alarm because there was no power! Are my babies dead?? It was a fairly quick drop since I was in there a couple hours before and everything was fine at 37.7 deg.

 

[lazy gardener]

Should be ok.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My other philosophy involves not assisting with a hatch...not matter what!

MAN! MY INCUBATOR LOST POWER!! Something somewhere tripped the fuse for the circuit to the spare room and I didn't even notice! Temp dropped to 30 deg Celsius before I realised! There was no alarm because there was no power! Are my babies dead?? It was a fairly quick drop since I was in there a couple hours before and everything was fine at 37.7 deg.

Eggs take longer to cool than air temp and short drops don't usually effect them to great extints.

I will assist a hatch if I feel it's neccessary. If I didn't I wouldn't have my beautiful black pullet. There was no way w/o a miracle she was getting out...lol

 

[lazy gardener]

" that. I have a beautiful green egg laying, pea combed black sex link who was severely shrink wrapped. I helped her out, and then found that one of her legs was stuck in a back wards position, looked totally dis-jointed. I put her back in the bator, fully expecting her to die. 4 hours later, she was still laying where I'd set her, occasionally chirping, but mostly quiet. I took her out to do a closer examination, and found that that leg and the entire side of her body, hip all the way to neck was "stuck" with a narrow band of membrane that even wrapped around her neck, and a bunch of dried goo. Since she was still fighting for life, I figured I had nothing to loose by seeing what could be done for her. I filled the sink with warm water, and floated her in my hands to loosen the membrane, and to see what would happen. She revived, started chirping, and after several minutes, the leg was maneuvered back into position with a bit of help. I dried her off, and warmed her up. She had some curled toes on that side. The next morning, by the time I got around to gathering supplies to try to splint the toes, I checked her, and her foot looked perfectly fine. She's a wonderful layer now. I don't even know which one she is! IMO, some of the failure to thrive is a direct result of the less than perfect incubation we provide.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

" that. I have a beautiful green egg laying, pea combed black sex link who was severely shrink wrapped. I helped her out, and then found that one of her legs was stuck in a back wards position, looked totally dis-jointed. I put her back in the bator, fully expecting her to die. 4 hours later, she was still laying where I'd set her, occasionally chirping, but mostly quiet. I took her out to do a closer examination, and found that that leg and the entire side of her body, hip all the way to neck was "stuck" with a narrow band of membrane that even wrapped around her neck, and a bunch of dried goo. Since she was still fighting for life, I figured I had nothing to loose by seeing what could be done for her. I filled the sink with warm water, and floated her in my hands to loosen the membrane, and to see what would happen. She revived, started chirping, and after several minutes, the leg was maneuvered back into position with a bit of help. I dried her off, and warmed her up. She had some curled toes on that side. The next morning, by the time I got around to gathering supplies to try to splint the toes, I checked her, and her foot looked perfectly fine. She's a wonderful layer now. I don't even know which one she is! IMO, some of the failure to thrive is a direct result of the less than perfect incubation we provide.

I totally agree and that is a wonderful story. I hate hearing people say that if they can't make it out themselves then there's something wrong with them and they aren't worth helping because they will be weaker chicks. Often times it isn't the chick itself but the circumstances, some of those caused by us. My girl is 4 months now and strong as the rest. She's actually the girl that my main cockerel wants...lol. Another thing is the comon belief that assisted chicks usually die after because there was no hope. While yes, some chicks aren't going to make it no matter what, a lot of assisted hatches fail because they are done too soon and the chick isn't ready or they are done incorrectly and rushed to get the chick out instead of helping in intervals giving the chick time to rest and strengthen in between.

 

[Sidhe13]

One wee bub has hatched with assistance. We had a humidity drop at some point and just it hasn't got above 65%. I know which incubator NOT to buy! I put a dry cloth under her to snuggle into and dry off. Still nothing from the other eggs and today is Day 23...what day do we give up on them?

 

[venymae]

Incubation question. We are incubating our eggs in cartons (w/ the bottom removed for circulation). When we stop turning and go into lockdown for a hatch, can I keep the eggs in the carton (upright) or do they have to lay on their sides outside the cartons? Thanks!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Incubation question. We are incubating our eggs in cartons (w/ the bottom removed for circulation). When we stop turning and go into lockdown for a hatch, can I keep the eggs in the carton (upright) or do they have to lay on their sides outside the cartons? Thanks!

You can keep them in the cartons. Some people prefer to hatch in the cartons. I lay mine down. There are pros and cons to both.