Have I cooked my eggs?

[mudhen]

OK, I think I've screwed up.
Stupid me, I put a heating pad on low out in Millie's nesting box because it's been so cold and I was worried about her and the eggs.
She's been on these (3 RIR+4 AD) eggs since the 21st....
So today I go out (after doing more reading on hatching etc) and put a thermometer under Millie.
103.
I killed them, didn't I?
I've unplugged the heating pad and plugged in the red heat lamp up above instead. (Didn't do the heat lamp in the first place for (stupid?) reasons stated in my other topic.)
Man, I feel so dumb:/
I am expecting a few araucana eggs any day now. So I guess I can swap them out for the ones she's sitting on.
sign me proto-baby-chick-killer

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

I doubt that cooked / killed them, 103 is only a degree and a half over still air incubator temperature.

The only way to tell for sure is wait a few more days and candle them.

And check to make sure the heat lamp doesn't cook the hen

Good luck!

Lisa

 

[mudhen]

Oh God...more to worry about, I don't want to cook Millie!

Just sent my (grumbling) husband out there to check on her. ( I have issues with the outdoors in the dark)
You've made me feel better about the eggs. I'll candle them this weekend and see what's what.

 

[mudhen]

Well, Millie and my first attempts at hatching didn't work out.

The 3 RIR eggs were due Saturday, candled them and all three are like 2/3 dark liquid.
The 3 American Dominique (AD?) eggs are similar.

She is still on the four Ameraucana eggs which are due this Saturday, but when I candled them I couldn't see anything (like all dark). I've got three in a UFO/mini incubator of my desk, and two are 2/3 dark, one is a small dark blob.
My candling results don't look anything like the photos shown in all the reading I've been doing.

I bought an incubator and am setting it up in the house for when I receive a couple of batches of eggs I got from ebay: barred rock, and and four each of buff orp, black australorps, and partridge rocks.
Maybe I'll have better luck with them if the eggs don't freeze on the way.

I'm disappointed, but I didn't want Millie to get sad over this. I know, its stupid, she probably wouldn't be doing anything esle but sitting in her little cubby anyway because its so cold, but I really think she would be depressed if she doesn't end up with some peeps.

So I'll stay hopefull for the AA eggs due next Saturday.

 

[cadman68]

I usually candle mine at about a week or so because it is harder to tell if they are good or not the later you wait to candle. At a week or so you should be able to see the vessels really easy. Usually a higher temperature like you had them at would mean a early hatch, it tends to speed up the formation of the chick but could cause dehydration which is sometimes fatal, it just depends on how long the temp was at 103. I wish i could help more.

 

[mudhen]

Thank you, cadman68
Being fairly new at this hatching business, I am happy to hear every bit of advice. As far as candling them goes, I haven't been able to see anything like the pictures show, no matter when I candle.
It makes sense that they would be harder to make out later on.
Certainly an early hatch is not the case here so far. My mistake with the warming pad initially (while I'm sure Millie was enjoying a nice warm nest) may well have killed the embryos by over heating them. I would guess now it was that warm for about three or four days, but I can't be sure.
We'll see if anything happens Saturday when the AAs are due and again on Tuesday when the ADs are due.

 

[jimnjay]

Mudhen, What are you using to candle? I have found a mini maglight dialed down to the smallest beam is the best so far. It really helps to see what is going on inside. When I used a cheaper version all I could see was dark blobs. If you have the opportunity to buy a mini maglight it is well worth the 8-9 dollars. Hold the Egg sideways and shine the light on the large end sort of at an angle and rotate the egg around. At 5 days you will see veins but darker eggs are harder to tell. As the embryo grows you will see the movement by around 10-14 days. Usually when there is a dark blob during the later days, it means you have a chick in there. Bad eggs do not get the very dark part. Make sure you have a chart with the proper egg development size and air cell relationship to refer to. It helps you determine if things are progressing as they should. Its hard to tell about all of this untill you experience your first hatch but as time goes on you will be able to tell what to look for.

 

[mudhen]

Well, I've been using a regular flashlight. Initially, I tried a little mini-mag light I had on my keychain, but didn't see anything at all, maybe not powerful enough?
I'll definately invest in the right kind soon, we'll see what if anything happens with this last two groups of AAs and ADs. If nothing, I'll give it another go with a new batch of eggs (and new flashlight!)

 

[Lil Chirp]

Quote:
You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Folks, this thread is over a year old!