Help! Day 7 & Incubator Knocked HARD

[WVduckchick]

I'm sure you are fine. Small fluctuations on the thermometer dont affect the eggs nearly so fast remember. Hang in there. My thermometers are all over the place, so I don't know if this hatch is gonna turn out or what. I have decided that I don't like this incubator at all. BUT, the ducks are alive on day 25, so what do I know? Lol. Gimme 5 more days and I should have real evidence.

By the way, if you are sure there are no other pips, and the first 2 are dry, I am of the inclination to quickly get them out. Of course others disagree, so go with your own gut on that one! I can't wait to see pics of the little boogers.

Oh, your post looks funny because of where you started typing... Within the quote box. I think.

 

[MacCana]

Thanks, I think I just needed someone to tell me to calm down and take a breather. I get like this every time I lockdown a hatch lol.

My thermometers have decided to switch places on me....the one that was staying on the low end is now the one reading higher than the other. But I've figured out the culprits behind the temp changes that have made me touch the knobs today! The little chickies have been bumping into the little sensors, forcing them up towards the vent holes, and lowering the temp from my view. I feel silly! Now if I can only get it settled where they'll give me readings between 98 and 100, I'll be happy.

And I am inclined to do so also, but another egg from their group has pipped (been pipped since lunch really) so I'm scared to open the incubator. I have had 2 hatches where I shrink wrapped chicks doing so. I don't trust that I can get humidity back up in time.

Ah well, we'll see! I'll update if/when the EEs begin hatching. Let me know how your ducks go. I can barely wait 21 days, I don't think my nerves could handle hatching ducks

 

[WVduckchick]

Always nice to have a hand-holder lol. And yes if another has pipped (great news, btw) definitely leave the others in there.

I put a piece of shelf protector under my eggs, and I just broke the cardinal rule and opened the lid long enough to slide the whole mess to one side, just an inch. It was covering my water channel and my humidity was too high. I have a straw contraption to siphon out water thru a vent hole, but the channel was covered. I opened it quickly, slid it over and closed. Now I can slowly add or siphon water. Rookie mistake. I figured better now than leaving it too high too long. Hopefully I didn't ruin anything. Your turn to tell me its ok! LOL

 

[MacCana]

Oh well if you were able to get humidity right back up, I'm sure it will be fine. I ended up having to break the rule myself! I had to get out the 3 possible polish frizzle/sizzles, bc they had been in there since afternoon yesterday, and were getting hungry and thirsty. They also started picking at the EEs that just began hatching this evening, so I had to open it to take the little boogers out. They ate and ate and ate lol. I'm glad i took them out when I did.

The other egg from their group looks like it died just short of pipping. The vessels had receeded and everything. So maybe the temp spikes/dips did it when I thought my thermometers were fluctuating and I messed with the knob.

I pulled out the EE egg with the shifted air cell bc it hadn't pipped yet. It didn't completely absorb the yolk when it died so I'll just chalk that up to the detached air cell just ruined it's chances.

I then went on to the next EE egg that hadn't pipped.....MISTAKE. I candled for movement, didn't see any, so went to do an eggtopsy. Well, opened it on the air cell area and seen blood start and a heartbeat. HOLY CRAP. I wet my finger with warm water and wet the membrane and put it back in the bator. I'm not pulling anymore out for at least another 24 hours. I always make rookie mistakes when I get impatient. I just hope it's able to keep developing and be able to break out. MY humidity has jumped really high, staying 85%-97% ( i open it a bit at this point, the humidity is kinda nervewrecking, but I don't think any could drown at this point.

Guess there's a reason why the saying goes "Don't count your chickens before they've hatched."

There's 3 wet EEs in there now, with 2 more pipped and that one I opened. A few others are still doing nothing. But I'm not touching em now, nope nope nope ***sits on hands***

 

[WVduckchick]

Omg I'm sorry about the one you opened. That's my biggest fear because I did it with my first batch. Had pulled the whole air sac end off, still saw no movement, sliced all the way across the membrane and there was his little beak, opening and closing, and blood spilling like crazy. Obviously he didn't make it. I felt so bad! So I feel for you now, and hope yours fairs better than mine.
And I'm like you, I would probably have pulled the others out too. Its hard to watch. Still have my fingers crossed for the ones left! I was so hoping the shifted air cell guy would make it!

 

[MacCana]

Yeah, this is like the 2nd time I've hurt a chick like this. Ugh. It sucks right?

& Well I guess there really are no rigid rules to hatching eggs....

There had been one that had been pipped since late last night. I told myself that I would help it out if it still hadn't gotten out on it's own by the time I got off work today....WELL, I get home and it's dead. It tried to zip and it couldn't. Guess it got tired from doing it so long and when it turned it's body from the air hole, it essentially suffocated itself. Dammit. Excuse my french, but I had a feeling I should've helped it. After causing blood in that one though, I as afraid to.

I'm about to go ahead and pull the other unhatched ones out and tap into the shell where the air cells are. Bc they should be pipped by now or close to it. I don'twant any others to suffocate themselves. After that, *without* touching the membrane (in case they are still absorbing yolk) I'll watch for movement or heartbeat. If I don't break the membrane before it's ready, if it is alive, I can't cause infection or bleeding out (the one I injured didn't make it by the way). I'll just stick it back in and up humidity and let it hatch.

And I was pulling for that little fella too! I'll be back with my results...

 

[MacCana]

Well, started into 3 of the 6th left, including a cracked one I sealed with wax, and one was internally pipped, one was about to, and the other had a heart beat so I put them all back, in the middle, and upped humidity for them. I'm positive I'll get at least a couple more chicks. I didn't even open the other three. They are way behind and I think I know why. I placed them all towards the middle, but as the first ones hatched, and started walking around, they rolled these eggs to the edges. There must have been such a temp difference by the edges, that they grew slower. And my incubator is forced air. Guess it still makes a difference.

They're all sitting in the middle now, so I'm just going to give it another 24 hours and see how many more I get.

We have 3 frizzle/sizzles and 4 EEs right now. Could possibly end up with another 6 EEs. I sure hope anyway!!!!

Pics to come tomorrow

How's yours going now @WVduckchick ?

 

[WVduckchick]

You have had a helluva time with these. But still hopes of more left to hatch, so that's good news! I don't know how to look for an internal pip without opening the lid?? I have seen a few bobbles, maybe, but nothing else yet. But... I did go about 18 hours without power, so it wont surprise me if these are a day, or even two, late.

 

[MacCana]

They are giving me a hard time aren't they!! I firmly believe it was when the chickies caused my temp readers to almost come out the vents, next to the heat elements is when I messed the few that were quitters up. Bc thats when I started mesing with the knob! Silly chickies

BUt anyway I opened the lid and took them all out, since none had pipped yet, other than the one that died. I figured they were still alive inside or dead so I candled, and couldn't see movement, like before. So this time, I used a small screwdriver to crack the air cell area and look in at the membrane. That's when I see signs of life, and the one that had internally pipped, so I put them all back in to give them more time.

Of course, this causes concern for shrink wrapping. But I really believe that won't happen bc as soon as they were put back in i jumped my humidity back up to 81% (I had to add more hot water for good measure). My other chicks came out perfectly last night when the incubator was climbing to 95%+. One chick was kind sticky and it was the 1st one so it hatched at 72% humidity. The others came out like a dream with the super high humidity. So hopefully this will help to fix all the craziness that's happened up until this point.\

You can try it with yours if you want, but make sure humidity is jumped right back up. I've not done multiple like this, but I didn't really have too many choices left other than leaving them in there a couple more days. I will share results, as always. If I'm right, the internally pipped ones should begin zipping tonight.

High hopes!!! I can fix this! *look of determination*

 

[WVduckchick]

Haha! I have high hopes for you too. 95% sounds awfully high? But if its working, stick with it. I'm trying to keep mine in the 55-65% range. Maybe I need to raise it a little. Hmmm. I did turn out the lights, lifted the lid for a few seconds and put the light on one that I knew was doing really well at lockdown. Was afraid to have it open too long, and I didn't see internal pip, but the air cell has grown a bunch! More than I expected but ok I think. Humidity jumped right back up, so I'll check another one tomorrow if nothing happens tonight. Tomorrow is actually day 28, so I'm not overdue yet. But I sure was hoping for a pip today, since they say ducks may take 48 hours to zip.

Anyway, thanks a bunch for the conversation. There are so many "new posts" here, I never see them all, so I'm happy I found yours! Its been fun.

So when do you want to set the next batch?? Lol teasing....