First-timer in Trouble

[MelissaPam]

Hi Folks, Hoping you can help us out. My daughter is a big chicken fan but we live in the city where there is not much room. She heard about and fell in love with Serama chickens which are so small they can be kept in smaller spaces and were bred for living inside even!

Anyway, we bought an incubator (forced air, automatic turner) and ordered some Serama eggs. First problem-- they (12 eggs) were shipped on the coldest day of the year and the cold snap lasted a while, in the teens and single digits. I told the owner to wait a few days but he didn't. Anyway, it seemed like quite a few were duds but we kept those with any sign of development in the incubator. Second problem is that the incubator would glitch sometimes when turning and would turn on and off. The turner seemed to behave erraticly although the temperature stayed within .5 degree celcius. The manufacturer offered our money back.

We checked the eggs again at day 18 when we took out the turner and only 2 had developed. We threw out the rest and boosted the humidity to about 65%.

Well now it is day 24 and no signs of life. Following advice on this site we just candled them and marked the air sack. No signs of pips. We did the float test and they were low floaters which seems to indicate viability.

What should we do now? How long do we wait? Please help!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi Folks, Hoping you can help us out. My daughter is a big chicken fan but we live in the city where there is not much room. She heard about and fell in love with Serama chickens which are so small they can be kept in smaller spaces and were bred for living inside even!

Anyway, we bought an incubator (forced air, automatic turner) and ordered some Serama eggs. First problem-- they (12 eggs) were shipped on the coldest day of the year and the cold snap lasted a while, in the teens and single digits. I told the owner to wait a few days but he didn't. Anyway, it seemed like quite a few were duds but we kept those with any sign of development in the incubator. Second problem is that the incubator would glitch sometimes when turning and would turn on and off. The turner seemed to behave erraticly although the temperature stayed within .5 degree celcius. The manufacturer offered our money back.

We checked the eggs again at day 18 when we took out the turner and only 2 had developed. We threw out the rest and boosted the humidity to about 65%.

Well now it is day 24 and no signs of life. Following advice on this site we just candled them and marked the air sack. No signs of pips. We did the float test and they were low floaters which seems to indicate viability.

What should we do now? How long do we wait? Please help!

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I think Seramas being bantam would have hatched at day 20 ish. By day 24, don't think I would still be hanging on. I would accept the refund for the incubator. But wait for some more experienced advice as I am fairly new to hatching as well.

Do you know how the float test is supposed to work? Even for eating eggs.... seems to me like the only thing a float test is checking is the size of the air sack. I don't know that to be true, just wondering.

So on the shipped ones that you threw out.... did you open them and check for fertility?

And did you let them sit a while to put their air sacks back in place after shipping?

Have you heard anything like clicking or peeping from the eggs? I would guess they probably can't peep until after internal pip at least.

How old is your daughter? Chickens are a great experience!

Sorry your hatch isn't going well.

Hope it gets better!

 

[MelissaPam]

Thanks for the warm welcome! Well this site and others are full of instances with a hatch at 25 days even for bantams.

Here's what I relied on for the float test: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching

I did not independently check the accuracy of the thermometer on the incubator and no we didn't open the eggs we threw out. They all died very early though and were either almost clear or small dot with/without big blood ring.

 

[orrpeople]

Thanks for the warm welcome! Well this site and others are full of instances with a hatch at 25 days even for bantams. 

Here's what I relied on for the float test: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ng-egg-viability-for-late-or-overdue-hatching

I did not independently check the accuracy of the thermometer on the incubator and no we didn't open the eggs we threw out. They all died very early though and were either almost clear or small dot with/without big blood ring.

The worst thing that could happen if you continue to incubate, is that the eggs explode - and being that you only have 2, it wouldn't affect too much (just the smell and the clean up). So, you could leave them in. When you candle them, typically viable eggs will give you some sign of life. If you tap, they will move or peck the shell; and sometimes you just feel the live weight movement when you pick them up.
Sadly, in my experience, I don't often have much success after about 22 days.

 

[orrpeople]

Also, (because sometimes my brain moves slowly!) shipped eggs are notorious quitters, even after day 18 - largely because of the shaking they incur during shipment. I bet you might be able to find a local breeder who can either sell you some chicks, or hatching eggs to get you off to a better start on your chicken adventure! Be careful though, once you start with chickens, you might find yourself with a houseful!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I'm also sorry to hear about your the challenges with your hatch - unfortunately, I can relate. With my first attempt at incubating duck eggs, I ordered some from a neighboring (but too far to drive to) state, figuring they would arrive quickly with few stops en route. I was mistaken. Not only was it unseasonably cold, the shipment was delayed because it took a ridiculously circuitous route several states away from my location, and it somehow arrived at the wrong post office, even though it was addressed correctly. When I raced down to the post office to pick up the package, the counter clerk told me that it was a good thing I had gotten there because they were going to send the package back to the main post office location.

After 35+ days of hand turning and waiting, none of the eggs hatched. Regrettably, I didn't do eggtopsies (which I do routinely now), but I've hatched several batches of duck eggs since then and realize, in retrospect, that the eggs definitely didn't look normal while developing. They were very possibly frozen (given the below-freezing temperatures), shaken, experienced pressure fluctuations from being flown, and maybe even x-rayed. Those eggs just didn't have much of a chance.

While I have since hatched shipped chicken eggs, my most successful hatches have been from my own eggs - I know exactly how they were stored and handled. If I must have shipped eggs, I purchase from sellers near me (same state or border state). Like @orrpeople said, locally-sourced fertile eggs should have a higher probability of hatching.

Best of luck - I hope those last 2 hatch soon!

 

[henryraven86]

What would be a good temperature to hatch eggs i was thinking 38.0c
What do you think?

 

[feedman77]

What would be a good temperature to hatch eggs i was thinking 38.0c
What do you think?

37.5c is what it should be but 38c I think you would be fine.

 

[MelissaPam]

I'm also sorry to hear about your the challenges with your hatch - unfortunately, I can relate. With my first attempt at incubating duck eggs, I ordered some from a neighboring (but too far to drive to) state, figuring they would arrive quickly with few stops en route. I was mistaken. Not only was it unseasonably cold, the shipment was delayed because it took a ridiculously circuitous route several states away from my location, and it somehow arrived at the wrong post office, even though it was addressed correctly. When I raced down to the post office to pick up the package, the counter clerk told me that it was a good thing I had gotten there because they were going to send the package back to the main post office location.

After 35+ days of hand turning and waiting, none of the eggs hatched. Regrettably, I didn't do eggtopsies (which I do routinely now), but I've hatched several batches of duck eggs since then and realize, in retrospect, that the eggs definitely didn't look normal while developing. They were very possibly frozen (given the below-freezing temperatures), shaken, experienced pressure fluctuations from being flown, and maybe even x-rayed. Those eggs just didn't have much of a chance.

While I have since hatched shipped chicken eggs, my most successful hatches have been from my own eggs - I know exactly how they were stored and handled. If I must have shipped eggs, I purchase from sellers near me (same state or border state). Like @orrpeople said, locally-sourced fertile eggs should have a higher probability of hatching.

Best of luck - I hope those last 2 hatch soon!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds a bit like mine.

Day 26 and no signs of life. We will open the shells tonight and see what's inside. I do see blood vessels in the membranes under the air sack while candeling. My daughter is heart broken. But we will try again with local eggs or chicks. Thanks everyone!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Sounds a bit like mine.

Day 26 and no signs of life. We will open the shells tonight and see what's inside. I do see blood vessels in the membranes under the air sack while candeling. My daughter is heart broken. But we will try again with local eggs or chicks. Thanks everyone!

Sorry to hear it.

I truly believe that having animals and those that don't make it when we are young helps us to learn how to deal with loss as we get older.

Hope your next adventure goes well! Maybe put your general location on your profile? Might make it easier for someone to help you find the eggs you are looking for or make other suggestions more appropriate for your location.