HELP! Day 23, still no Pipping! Read post please!

[CritterCrazy]

Hi all!

I purchased eggs online and had 14 Porcelain D'Uccle's arrive to my home. I had the bator running for a week prior. Holding steady at 99.5 degrees.

The eggs went in the bator and this Saturday (Nov 1) was the 21st day. No pipping!

I had candled the eggs ever 5 days or so, to see if there was any life. Many of the eggs showed veins. Some I couldn't see really well because my light was a bit dim. I did find growth in all but 2 eggs.

My husband decides on Saturday that the eggs were no good. This is our first bator experience. Hubby cracks open two eggs, nothing inside but yolk. Hubby cracks open a 3rd egg, which feels heavier than the previous two. BABY CHICK inside!!! Chick had part of its tummy still exposed, about the size of the end of your pinky finger. We figure chicks are not ready and leave the rest alone.

We have 11 eggs left. 8 of them are really heavy. Three are not so heavy. The 8 heavy ones have turned a darker shade of brown. The three light ones are still off white in color.

Has anyone EVER hatched a batch after day 23? Still no pipping and today is day 23. I don't know what to do. The baby he broke out of the shell had a heart beat and was not fully formed. I don't know what to do??!!??

Help if you have any info that might be of assistance please.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
Are you sure you counted your days right?? What date did you put them in the bator ?? Did your temps go up and down at all ?? Sometimes if the temps drops a little it can delay the hatch !! If the baby had a heart beat but was still aborsbing the yolk sac it sounds like it was close to hatching (it still might not of even if he didnt open it) !! What was your hum day 1-18 ? What did you up the hum to on day 18 ?? Is your bator a still air ??

 

[CritterCrazy]

I put them in the bator on a Friday afternoon, around 5:00 pm. I read if you put them in the bator late in the day, count that as day zero and the next day as day 1. Friday made 21 days (three weeks) from the Friday I dropped them. Saturday made 21 days (three weeks) if you count the next day as day 1.

I have a window foam bator that I borrowed. My temp gauge is just a regular mercury thermom. It held at between 99 and 100 the entire time. The only time they were out was when I candled, at which time they were only out for around 1 to 2 minutes each. The longest they were out and the only time the temp dropped is when I had to take them out of the auto turner to place them on the wire insert for hatching. I lost all my heat, as you normally do with this type of bator. The heat quickly rose right back up to 99.5.

I don't have a humidity thermom. I just had the built in try full of water for all the days, except when I laid them on the wire. I then added two trays of water and kept them totally full. I had moisture build up on the windows of the bator..still do.

How close do you think that one chick was from hatching? I want to candle them so bad but I'm afraid to disturb them. I did turn them 25% turn because they had been on their side for too many days since they didnt hatch on the 21st day.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
Its hard to say how close it was to hatching, If he still had some yolk sac I would guess 24-48 hours (again that's just a guess) He was fully formed ? And taking up the whole egg ?? I think some of your problem has to due with not having a hum gauge !! If eggs get to much hum day 1-18 they can drowned in there shells and wont lose enough weight to hatch right, if they don't get enough they can stick and not hatch !!
That's why having a hum gauge is very important, if the hum is not up'd high enough on day 18 they will stick and not be able to hatch !! But also drowned if up'd to high. In some cases adding a little water can go a long way and adding a lot will go no where !! Does your bator have a fan in it ?? Temps for a still air are 100-102. Them cooling off for a min or 2 will do no harm, a mama hen will get off her eggs for up to 30 once a day to eat,drink,poop so don't worry about that !! Since you know one egg had a live chick in it some what ready to hatch I would give them another few days.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

If your bator is still air and not forced air then I would wait a bit longer as your cooler temp would have caused delayed hatching possibly. I can't promise they will still hatch as there are many variables that come into play but the only way you will find out is to wait it out. Good Luck to you!

 

[CritterCrazy]

Thank you all so much. The bator has a fan in it. I'm bator stupid and this is my first hatch.

We just noticed that the large ends of some of the eggs seem to be elevated. Is that a good sign?

 

[swtangel321]

Next hatch get a hum gauge that will help you !! Yes as the eggs get close somtimes they seem to do that !! Keep us update !! Hope you get some pips soon

 

[CritterCrazy]

Well I'll be sitting up with the eggs all night! I've held a watch over them for three days, what is one more going to hurt! lol

I'll keep ya'll posted. Wish us luck.

 

[jvls1942]

I have had eggs go five days beyond ..(long story) normally I give them 3 extra days. but check them before discarding.. I always break each egg when discarding, and I cannot tell you how many live birds I found, even after 3 days..

I have modified all 8 of my styrofoam bators so that I do not have to open them to add water..

there is a convenient hole in the top where i insert a plastic tube that reaches between the eggs and all the way to the bottom.. on top of the tube I have taped a funnel..I pour in hot water because I do not want to use up any heat warming up cold water inside the bator.. 120* water will cool down in a few minutes without much increase in the overall incubator temp. this also instantly increases the humidity..

I do not have many of those plastic
inserts any more.. I just plugged all the holes in the bottoms of the bators and drilled a couple of overflow holes through the sides of the bators at about 3/4 inch deep.. works for me..

.....jiminwisc.......

 

[CritterCrazy]

Oh my...5 days over. I'll drive myself crazy by then! I'll give them till Wed or Thur. Thanks for the info.