Help!! Temps dropped

[MaryRose213]

I have set 41 eggs with 9 hatching on day 22. Last night, day 22 -23, the temp fell to about 90 degrees. As soon as we noticed this, we turned up the heat back to 99-100 degrees. Today, day 23, 4 eggs hatched and 2 eggs that pipped overnight had dried membrane leading to the chicks dying before full hatch. I still have about 25 eggs left to hatch. I have since added more water just in case. The last chick hatched around 2:00pm today with no more action from the rest of the eggs. Is there still a chance that the rest of the eggs will hatch? There are no pips or zips at the moment.

Thanks

 

[lazy gardener]

Possible. I can't advise you, only tell you what your options might be:
1. Keep the humidity up and wait an other day or 2.
2. Tap the eggs and listen carefully for peeps, look for rocking.
3. Quickly candle them to see if you see any signs of life.
4. Do a float test to see if you see any signs of life.
5. If you see signs of life, hear peeps or see an internal pip, you might want to intervene by pipping a small hole in the top of the air cell, but then you will be on commit for an assisted hatch, which can be exhausting, both emotionally and in terms of lost sleep.

Either way, after this hatch, you'll want to evaluate your hatching methods, and your thermometer/hygrometer. It sounds like your temp was a bit low through out the hatch and/or the humidity too high. But, I'm only guessing here as I am in no way an expert. Good luck Mary Rose. We're all on a learning curve here!!

 

[MaryRose213]

Thank you for your quick response. This is my first hatch so I didn't really expect to have 13 hatch successfully. The temps have always hovered between 99-102. For the humidity, not really sure. We had the troughs filled the entire time adding more water for lockdown. I will try the following and just wait and see. Next time we will try the dry method and add water at day 18 to see if that would be better.

Thanks

 

[lazy gardener]

I think you'll have much better luck with the dry hatch method. I'm glad you have 13 healthy babies from it, and perhaps you'll even yet see some more. I'm starting day # 13! Hoping to be over run with chicks next weekend. The time goes by fast!

 

[MaryRose213]

I followed your advice to candle and after trying several eggs one was actually knocking. I guess we will see him pip before long

 

[lazy gardener]

Sweet!!!

 

[MaryRose213]

I have joined the Easter hatch-a-long starting Mar 29. I am hopeful that that hatch will produce more chicks than this one. I am low on Laying hens which is why I am doubling up on hatches. Good luck on you hatch.

Mary

 

[MaryRose213]

Do I need to help with his hatch or let him be?