Holding my breath and crossing my fingers

[Shaun]

Tomorrow will be day 26 for the Blue Slate/Lavender eggs (and two chix eggs) in my new (used) incubator. Despite the 2 hour-ish power outtage, I've got HOPE since many of you tell me they should be fine.

I will be firing up the old incubator to use as a brooder tomorrow, taking the new incubator out of the rocking cradle and attempting to raise the humidity so they've got a chance to hatch. May even use some sponges in the corners despite it being a Brinsea, as I know I can raise the humidity more with the pump, but I don't want to open the incubator for these last two days.

And THEN I'll be holding my breath and praying for some eggs to hatch.

If by some grace I have a hatch, I have turkey starter crumbles and vitamin powder ready. Is there anything else I should do in preparation?

Will keep you posted, although Tues will be difficult, as I'll be at work. Will post pix if I have baby turkeys on Wed

 

[WingingIt]

Good luck!

 

[BubAnna Angus]

It's really quite amazing what a chick has to go through just to start life. . . Good Luck to you!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Remember, turk chicks aren't the sharpest pencils,so, you will probably have to make them drink by day 3.

 

[lilchick]

I usually place a few marbles in the tray of their waterer. It attracts them to drink and if they fall in it saves them from drowning..... They are kind of slow to catch on. I try to put mine in with a few chicks that teach them where the food and water is....
While eating they will peck each others beaks sometimes to the point it bleeds. To discourage picking I cut up grass and clover into fine pieces for them to eat each day...
A covered dog kennel pen for their playpen during the day if it is warm and dry out. As soon as they feather out I carry mine out each day to the pen to get exercise and sunlight. It is hard work to raise them but well worth it in my opinion.. Good luck!

 

[ziggywiggy]

Quote:
I have some eggs hatching now that were literally under water. I found them after a very hard rain and put them in an incubator. The hen had been setting on them for about two weeks. It's amazing what they can survive.

 

[Shaun]

Thanks for all the encouragement!

I've two chicken eggs that should hatch with them in the incubator to "show them the ropes" as it were. So far, we've found turkey eggs nearly impossible to hatch - we've only had one incubator poult (which survived) and two hen turkey hatched babies (both hatched by our incubator baby grown up) - both of which died within a few days of hatching - one to ? and one to a predator.

We've literally attempted to hatch dozens of eggs unsuccessfully, which is why we bought a Brinsea hoping for much better luck. We can hatch chickens left and right, but turkeys have been a difficult and discouraging trial for the past two years.

Took the incubator out of the rocker this morning and am adjusting the humidity and temperature. Will plug in the old Little Giant incubator this afternoon in readiness to use it as a brooder.

Still holding my breath and crossing my fingers that I'll have more than 2 chickens!

 

[Shaun]

OH MY GOSH

I have two eggs that are pipping, and it's only day 25 !/2 !! But one of them is pipping on the small end!! Is this because they didn't have a chance to get a chance to rest and get organized in the shell before starting to pip? Will this cause problems? Should I have stopped the rocker earlier?

I really didn't expect to see anything until late Tues or Wed - esp since they got cooled with the power outtage. But as I was walking by I saw something on the dark sponge floor and when I looked it was bits of shell! When I took a closer look, it looks like at least one more is pipping already.

Since I got NO pips on the last attempted hatch -- this is progress!

Still keeping my breath held and fingers crossed

 

[Shaun]

So, 3+ hours since I first saw the pipping on the wrong end. At least the egg is where the pip is not on the bottom but over halfway up the side. Still, in the last 3 hours, I've seen no more progress with either egg. The other one is on the right end of the egg, but there's just a crack, not even a true pip like on the other.

When we've had chickens hatch, it didn't seem like it took this long to see SOME progress, am I just too anxious? Do turkeys take a lot longer than chickens, or are these guys in trouble?