Help I can't get my chicks to hatch!

[jshetler]

I am a 2nd grade teacher and this is my 2nd year trying to hatch chickens in my room. I have the incubator at 99.5 and the humility around 70. I candled them Monday and it looked like 7 of the 11 would hatch. They were due to hatch Tuesday and there is no movement or "peeping". What am I doing wrong? How long should I leave them in the incubator before I know they aren't really going to hatch. I'm so sad for my students in my class!!!! HELP!!

 

[WalnutHill]

I'd suggest candling them after class to see if there is still any movement. If so, put the eggs back in and wait a few days.

Was the humidity lower during the first 18 days of incubation?

I'd suggest "practicing" incubation at home next time before attempting in class so that you can be familiar with the development stages and the incubator's timeline.

It's not sitting on a windowsill or near the heater, is it?

 

[randerson846]

Have you been turning your eggs, what make is the incubator, or is it homemade?

 

[jshetler]

It is sitting in the back of the classroom away from everything. I had to humidity at around 50 before day 18. We did a practice run the before I did it in my room 2 years ago and we hatched out 10 of 15 eggs. I have even had a 4-h poultry person come in and talk to my class and help candle the eggs (last week) and she said they looked good. (except for 3 which I knew) I just don't understand why we can't get them to hatch. Should I rotate them?

 

[jshetler]

The incubator had a turner that came with it that I took out on day 18. Farm Innovators (FI) is what it says on the incubator.

 

[jshetler]

The incubator had a turner that came with it that I took out on day 18. Farm Innovators (FI) is what it says on the incubator.

 

[WalnutHill]

It's correct that you took out the turner. And you didn't count the day you set them on your hatching calendar, did you? The first day starts 24 hours after setting.

 

[jshetler]

So actually they should have hatched today. Because I put them in the incubator on the 4th of March. Is there still hope?

 

[randerson846]

Yes, sometimes the temperature is maybe measuring a degree higher than it actually is, so it could cause a delayed hatch, but i would leave them in at least 48 hours after hatch date some may just be late for various reasons

 

[WalnutHill]

There is hope, because if the temp was high or low the hatch can be delayed, or if the eggs were old. I'd give them another day or two.