Help Needed Please! Day 21 no pips, movement or chirping!

[OroraOra]

I am really worried about our eggs
We got them from ebay 21 days ago and so far, they are in our forced-air incubator.
The temp is 37.7C (or 99.86F) and the humidity is 63%
We hear no chirping and we see no movement. In addition to that, we went into lockdown on day 16 due to the mix of normal and bantam eggs but even they aren't hatching yet
A few days ago, on day 18, a chick pipped but suffocated in the egg. We think it is because we put styro on the incubator for the first 18 days, eventually realizing that they need a plentiful amount of oxygen. It was truly tragic. Everything had developed perfectly. We gave it a funeral.
Please help.
Thanks

 

[Ruby Rogue]

If no one has externally pipped, you can candle a couple to see if there's movement, veins, and internal pips. That's pretty much all you can do at this point. It's better to have a few thermometers and hydrometer than to go by only your incubator's built in ones. There can be hot and cold spots which could explain the early pip and why no one else seems to be doing anything. Sorry you lost a chick

 

[OroraOra]

Thank you so much for the reply
We aren't sure about candling as it is in lockdown. Would anything go wrong? If a chick has internally pipped, should we help it? Thanks

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Don't keep the egg out for very long, don't leave the incubator open. Try to bump the humidity after you open the incubator. I personally wouldn't help them unless you know how long they have been pipped internally (or externally).

There is a great article on assisted hatching, I would read it if you haven't yet. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

I've had chickens eggs hatch on day 24 unassisted, and I've heard they can go much longer than that, though 25 days is most people's cap.

 

[OroraOra]

Thank you very much for your help! I really appreciate it!

 

[Ruby Rogue]

If you're really worried and you think you might need some more advice, try to get photos of the eggs if you decide to candle them. I would first read the article on assisted hatching.

 

[OroraOra]

Don't keep the egg out for very long, don't leave the incubator open. Try to bump the humidity after you open the incubator. I personally wouldn't help them unless you know how long they have been pipped internally (or externally).

There is a great article on assisted hatching, I would read it if you haven't yet. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

I've had chickens eggs hatch on day 24 unassisted, and I've heard they can go much longer than that, though 25 days is most people's cap.

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it!

 

[MGG]

Don't assist until they've been externally pipped for 24 hours first. Candle them all. It won't hurt a thing. Mark any live eggs with a check mark or something.

 

[Sonya9]

At this stage I would water candle. Candling with a light will either show a clear egg (infertile) or a solid black mass (fully developed chick) but likely won't show signs of life. Water candling will show if the chick is alive. If no eggs move then candle with a light to see if they ever developed at all.

Use body temp/luke warm water and see the video below on how to do it. Mark the eggs to differentiate which ones moved and which ones didn't then of course return them all to the incubator (except any clear infertile eggs with no mass inside). Of course you can also make a small 'x' on top of the eggs in the incubator before you remove them so you return them to their original position.

 

[MGG]

Please don't float test them @OroraOra . It's a terrible idea, and I wish it wasn't so popular. It doesn't work. Candling is the only method. You'll know by candling if they're alive. There will either be veins at the top (live egg) or not (dead). Dead eggs look cloudy and confusing. If in doubt leave them. Leave any and all eggs until day 25. Then you can candle and toss the remaining eggs. Always candle before you toss just to check. You can open them up and eggtopsy them if you feel up to it (I always do).