help! day 20 of incubating

[chickabator]

Hi I am new here but I have been reading post on here for a while now.
I am on day 20 of incubating my rhode island red eggs. I am using an old and I mean old brower galvanized incubator. This makes the second time using it. I have kept the temp in the bator at 99.5 through out incubation. well the prob is the last time 6 weeks ago I set 20 eggs 2 hatched they are fine 3 weeks old now. well the eggs turned black on the inside but they did not have any chicks some had a little gray blob in them 6 were infertile.
well anyway. I am on day 20 of this batch. The first time I candled them was day 7 I know that I saw at least 9 that were alive they were moving in the shells, I waited till day 14 to candle again the eggs were mostly black inside but I could not see any movement. Today is day 20, I do not see any pipping and do not hear any chirping and there are no eggs wobbling. Have my babies died? This is about to destroy me.
I bought a lyons tx 6 bator and I am going to try to hatch some white jersey giants from my hen and rooster(he is mean) I am not going to set as many this time. can anyone help me here I am about to lose my mind worring over these eggs.

 

[tiffanyh]

Is it a still air? What has your humidity been?

Dont worry yet, only day 20. BTW, what day did you set them, the day you set them should be day 0. that used to throw me off a day since I counted that as day 1.
Most important, keep the bator closed to keep humidity up and leave the house before you go crazy!!!

 

[chickabator]

I set them on the 10th, yes it is a still air and it has an auto turnner, humidity has been 65 now it is 70 that is what I thought it called for I have two full water pans in it I fill with warm water the tem has not gone over 100.5

 

[arlee453]

I think your temps are too low, if you are measuring the temp in the incubator (not using a Water Wriggler), or using a WW, your thermometer may be off (do you have more than one? What kind , etc)

Still air should be around 102 from what I've read...

If so, then don't give up hope yet - they may still hatch, but may be a day or two late if temps were on the low side. I'd let them go until at least day 24.

 

[chickabator]

it is 102 at the top of the eggs that is where it is suppose to be but the internal of the eggs is 99.5 I have used 2 different thermometers. Hygrometer I thought I had done everything right this time , thought I had the last time too. but the last time 2 had pipped on the 20 th day and 1 hatched around 7 that night and the other at 2 am. I don't know if I am doing something wrong or not. the ww tem is 99.5

 

[Katy]

Don't give up hope. WW temp of 99.5 is within range of what you want it to be. It's only day 20 so technically they aren't due until day 21. I'd just try and be patient...easier said than done I know!!!

 

[chickabator]

a whole lot easier said than done. I was just so heart broke last time when only 2 hatched. I am really not too hopeful for this batch either. The seller of the eggs( a local farmer) washed the 12 of the eggs and put them in the refridgerator. I didn't think you were suppose to do that but I am new to all of this. Hubby is the one who wanted all these chickens to begin with and I got stuck taking care of them and now I wouldn't take anything in the world for them. I have went chicken crazy

 

[speckledhen]

Don't give up hope yet; although the farmer wasn't supposed to wash them or refrigerate them, there have been cases of refrigerated eggs hatching. If they were really poopy, I guess he would have needed to wash them, but sometimes that does push bacteria into the egg-depends on if he knew what he was doing and washed them properly. Anyway, that's water under the bridge and it's still early. Many times, right before they pip, they seem to get very still, even if they've been rocking the two days previously, almost like they're concentrating on how to get out of there! So, we're crossing our fingers for your hatch! Get busy with something else today and maybe when you get back to them, someone will have pipped. Good luck!

 

[chickabator]

I know, I have got to go feed my other chickens anyway. I have 16 barred rock pullets in a heated pen right now they are 6 weeks old almost 7 now. and then I have a total of 26 more to go and feed and two babies that are 3 weeks old today and tomorrow to take care of too along with 5 chihuahuas and 2 peek a poos 2 cats 1 very loving hubby and 2 girls 1 in the bed because she didn't have college today and one at school and an aquarium full of fish so I have my hands full anyway, but hubby makes me nervious over the eggs, they're not going to hatch just throw them out, he thinks I am crazy when I told him I saw them moving he couldn't see them and he couldn't see the blood veins but me and my youngest did

 

[chickabator]

well still nothing. I don't know what to do . I will leave them in there til monday if nothing then I will cut of the incubator and open my eggs up and see what happend to my babies