Hi everyone... I've got 12 eggs due to go into lock down in 3 hours. I candled them this morning and the air cells range in size in the eggs...and also the eggs range in size. All eggs went in at the same time...I've got a home made bator with a fan and temp has been between 99.3-100.6...but holds pretty steady at 99.5. Fluctuation is when I open to put water in. I have five eggs that have some clear space in the bottoms of them still (one big egg that has substantial space). I turned the eggs a lot...5 times a day and also rotated them in the egg carton holder so they all got to be on the outside edges in case of different temperatures within the bator. I wouldn't think that the different sizes of eggs would make a difference in their development, but maybe I'm wrong (?) Seems like if it takes 21 days, it would not matter what size the egg is. I feel like my temperature and humitidy were pretty steady. I'm guessing that they will hatch later than the other 7 that are completely dark in the bottoms. If this is the case...what if they take longer to hatch...and the other chicks are at the time limit for being in the bator and need to be taken out so they can eat and drink? I want to give them a chance but at the same time--not harm the hatched chicks by leaving them in too long. I'm just afraid to open the bator for fear of killing the other five unhatched eggs if they haven't hatched yet. What a catch 22!!! I feel darn if I do and darn if I don't--after reading all the different advice for the past couple days. If the eggs aren't pipped yet, is that a safer time to get the chicks out? If they're pipped...I don't want to shrink wrap those chicks to get the hatched ones out. Dang...this is more stressful than when I gave birth to my own human babies! Any help would be greatly appreciated
im no expert im only on my second hatch but just be quick about taking the chicks out and dont do it if the eggs are pipped you'll just have to wait but a chick can sit up to 3 days with out food or water (i wouldnt use this however) i take mine out soon as they look dry enough and let the other eggs sit and continue to hatch
I wait for about 48 hours after the 1st chick has hatched to take any chicks out of the bator. They can survive for 3 days without food or water. If you open the bator, you loose heat and humidity. As hard as it is to be patient, just try!, and everything will be ok!
If you're worried, you can grab a clean or new spray bottle, fill it with warm water. Crack the incubator just enough to pull the chicks out, and spray a mist into the incubator a couple times. You humidity should nip back to where it started all right. You will have let some of the CO2 out, but you will most likely be ok.
