Hatching problem

[hayley3]

Hi,
I am hatching 12 silkie eggs that I bought from eggbid.
My previous experience in hatching was the quail eggs that I received with my Hovabator. And even opening the lid during the hatch, I had a 50% hatch rate.

I have an automatic egg turner and the incubator is forced air with a thermostat. I bought one of those wet bulb thermometers but I was afraid to open the lid for fear of losing humidity. (Any ideas on where I could get a hygrometer that I can leave in the incubator?)

It's day 21 and I only have two pipping. They pipped this morning at 6 am. One of them just recently made the hole bigger but is just sitting there. I can see the tooth and the white membrane. The other one is completely quiet. It never did pip completely.

My quail hatch was already done at this point. I've read troubleshooting tips and for the two that made it to pipping, it said humidity was too low. I filled the second trough (just like the instructions said). Everytime before when I opened the lid, there was plenty of humidity.

I'm devastated that my silkies are not going to make it. I did everything just like the first hatch. Any advice on what could've happened would be greatly appreciated. Any thing I can currently do?

susie

 

[hayley3]

The crying from the little bird is killing me.
Now I see blood around the opening.
Does anyone know what that is?

An update: instead of cutting a circle, he is cutting vertical with his egg tooth.

 

[silkiechicken]

Give them another 24 hrs to hatch. I hope he makes it.

 

[hayley3]

So you think that maybe the others might try to hatch late?
I hope he makes it too. That is just torture hearing him chirp inside that egg prison. I helped two the last time and they made it, so tomorrow I am really going to want to reach in and snatch him outta there. But I don't want to jeopardize the rest if there's any possibility of them still being hatchable.

Thanks,
Susie.

 

[silkiebeginer]

I know every one says not to open the bator during hatch, but I opened mine at least a dozen times. Mine started piping what I thought was two days early so I had to keep opening it to add water and sponges and so on to get humidity up. I had 20 eggs in bator and had 18 hatch. 4 of them I had to help out of shell after they had been piped for hours. I am nearly positive that it was their size or position in the egg. They just couldn't get turned around to cut the egg in the circle. It just stayed in that one spot for hours. All are doing great. I just couldn't stand by and watch. My first one piped about 12 hours before the 2nd one and it was at least 24 before all were finished. Watch for egg movement, thats how i kinda kept an eye on who was ok. Every once in a while I'd see the egg wiggle a little.

Good Luck....Jennifer

 

[ChrystalGail]

I'm no expert, but from what people say here... I would wait another few days to see if you have some late bloomers. I've read of people waiting until day 28 to take their bad eggs out. I sure hope things look up for you!

Good luck!

 

[hayley3]

Great, great news this morning!!!!!
Those two came out of the shell during the night and they are okay. OMG, I can't believe it!
Two babies!

Okay, now, what about the others. There is no signs of pipping in the other eggs. Should I just reach in and grab the other two now and put them in the brooder?

Thanks so much for helping!

 

[Flufnstuffs~FluffySilkies]

Hello,
I would leave them for now, I only reach in and grab them if it looks like they are over active and start rolling the other eggs around like balls.
But if ya see no sign of life in the others later today, I guess ya could grab them quick.


IT JUST ACCURED TO ME THAT YOU SAID YOU DID NOT OPEN THE INCUBATOR MUCH.
Did you candle the eggs to make sure they were all devekoping????
You may have some rotten eggs in there and if that is the case they could let off some nast gasses contaminating the others or even explode.
I think we need more infoo to give good advice. What is the humidity leval at???

 

[hayley3]

I opened it every other day to add more water but other than that I tried not to open the top.

I didn't candle them. I tried to candle the batch of quail but never had any luck figuring out what I was looking at, so I didn't bother. I need to get a candler and a hygrometer. Any recommendations?

Update: Just found a hygrometer and candler at eggcartons.com, and not real expensive either. I had searched before but didn't find any hygrometers that were specifically for an incubator.

 

[Pine Grove]

hayley, gqf manufacturing has the same egg candler's for $9.75 I know these ppl they are good to deal with