Going in Lockdown but egg looks too "watery"? UPDATE! w/PICS

[aurorarose25]

I have a few eggs that when I candled there looked to be too much yolk or "water" in the egg. The baby is still moving, the veins are big and plump should they incubate a little longer?

I put some in on 5/5 and some on 5/8
Temp has been 99-101 humidity 16%-27% (trying dry hatch method)

 

[BawGock]

Hi,
At day 18 the eggs should be pretty much filled with chick with the exception of the air cell.
Are you certain that they are on day 18?
And have the temps on your incubator possibly ran a degree or so low?
That can slow development down, too.
Carolyn

 

[Ceinwyn]

It sounds like your humidity might be too high as well. All eggs regardless of breed have to lose a certain amount of weight to hatch properly or they simply drown when they try to pip.
Watching for the aircell to drawn down is a much better indicator if the chick is ready to enter lockdown than a calendar is.
Lower temps can cause the chicks development to be several days behind so candling is a more accurate measure of what is happening as far as devopment goes.

 

[Ceinwyn]

From the days you set them some of your eggs are on day 17 and others are on day 14. I'd try to hold of a day or two before entering lockdown unless you have a second incubator for hatching you can move your older eggs into.
Try to wait until you see a large drop down to one side of the aircells on your older eggs before you lockdown to try to give both sets of chicks the best chance.
You shouldnt have any problems with shrinkwrapping chicks as long as none externally pip before you raise your humidity.

I found a great article that explains the importance of humidity and hatchability.
http://www.eggincubator.biz/set-humidity.html
here's a study that was done as well...its alot more technical.
http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd21/3/roma21038.htm

Hope that helps and I wish you and your little ones the best.

 

[valley ranch]

Do you see movement?

Just reread your post. your humidity has been plenty low. I would tomorrow as you planned and kick up the humidity. You ofcourse didn't count the day you set the egg.

I think maybe you are on day 17 depending on when you set the eggs.

I set some eggs at 10:00pm on the 4th on this month. At 10:00pm of the 5th the eggs had been in the bator for 1 day.
If you set you eggs on the 5th the egg will have been in the incubation for 1day on the 6th at the same hour you set you eggs.
I think you'll be fine enter countdown on the 18th full day your eggs have been in the bator.
Hope you have a great hatch.

 

[BawGock]

Great pics

That egg does not look like a day 18 egg to me. Is it one you set on 5/8?

Your 5/5 set would be locking down tomorrow and your 5/8 eggs wouldn't be lock down until Thursday of this week.

Since the dates are so close, I'd wait until TUesday to stop turning and bump up the humidity.
OR you could even wait until you see your first pip in the 5/5 batch and then raise the humidity then(but still stop turning on Tues).
But you have be watching them like a hawk not to miss the first pip.

Best of luck!
Carolyn

 

[valley ranch]

I'll wait to see how this hatch works out. The humidity during this incubation has been on the low side. I'ed want to get the himidity up for the ones that are about to go into lockdown. I never enjoyed having more than one staring date. BawGock's suggestion of holding off lockdown may be a good tact.
Hope you keep posting your Temp and Humidity.