Hoping I haven't ruined the batch

[Jrose]

So here's what happened. My LG 9200 with no add-ons went ballistic during this hatch. I calibrated it for 4 days before setting, and immediately after setting I was jumping between 95 and 105 for the first 2 weeks. Lots of 4 letter words happened in those 2 weeks! Week 3 we reached an agreement and found a median of 98 (at top of egg). During this time I lost 3 eggs (originally had 42 set).

Lockdown was last Friday (the 10th). At lockdown I sniffed and candled all 39 eggs. One appeared clear but didn't stink (and still doesn't!) Several had enthusiastic movement, others I couldn't tell (marans and OEs), but they didn't stink and air pockets looked good. None smelled. I figured I'd have a late hatch because of the week of 98, but locked down at normal time anyhow.

Today is the 15th, day 25. My hatch day should have been the 13th. 1 marans hatched last night. Pip to zip in just a few hours. 3 other marans have pipped. Of those three 1 pipped on Monday afternoon (well over 24 hours ago) and hasn't made any progress but is alive. The other 2 pipped yesterday and seem to be moving along better just over night.
The lone chick is in there crying his heart out, poor guy

The incubator began smelling of wrotten egg on Saturday (day 19), but I sat on my hands. I heard lots of pecks and eggs knocking last night but this morning all was still and no new progress. So today I chanced opening a window and grabbing an egg at random- it was very rotten. So I grabbed another at random, also very rotten and dripping slime. I grabbed 4 more but all smelled fine so I quickly replaced them. It now smells a little better.

I've read you can float the eggs, so I did a random 3 and all floated. They didn't smell so I put them back quickly. Then I read that this test is bogus and only helps if you leave the egg in the water to see if it makes ripples. Gr.
I re-upped humidity and am trying to sit on my hands again. It wouldn't be so hard if that lone chick wasn't screaming and crying in there. No happy wee peeping- it's wailing its head off and did so all night long. It quiets down when I come talk to it. I'd remove it but it would be alone and that makes me nervous.

I can't candle them properly, most have very thick dark shells. I'm so frazzled! Is there ANYTHING I can do besides wait? I can't believe I've boggled 42 eggs up this badly!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So here's what happened. My LG 9200 with no add-ons went ballistic during this hatch. I calibrated it for 4 days before setting, and immediately after setting I was jumping between 95 and 105 for the first 2 weeks. Lots of 4 letter words happened in those 2 weeks! Week 3 we reached an agreement and found a median of 98 (at top of egg). During this time I lost 3 eggs (originally had 42 set).

Lockdown was last Friday (the 10th). At lockdown I sniffed and candled all 39 eggs. One appeared clear but didn't stink (and still doesn't!) Several had enthusiastic movement, others I couldn't tell (marans and OEs), but they didn't stink and air pockets looked good. None smelled. I figured I'd have a late hatch because of the week of 98, but locked down at normal time anyhow.

Today is the 15th, day 25. My hatch day should have been the 13th. 1 marans hatched last night. Pip to zip in just a few hours. 3 other marans have pipped. Of those three 1 pipped on Monday afternoon (well over 24 hours ago) and hasn't made any progress but is alive. The other 2 pipped yesterday and seem to be moving along better just over night.
The lone chick is in there crying his heart out, poor guy

The incubator began smelling of wrotten egg on Saturday (day 19), but I sat on my hands. I heard lots of pecks and eggs knocking last night but this morning all was still and no new progress. So today I chanced opening a window and grabbing an egg at random- it was very rotten. So I grabbed another at random, also very rotten and dripping slime. I grabbed 4 more but all smelled fine so I quickly replaced them. It now smells a little better.

I've read you can float the eggs, so I did a random 3 and all floated. They didn't smell so I put them back quickly. Then I read that this test is bogus and only helps if you leave the egg in the water to see if it makes ripples. Gr.
I re-upped humidity and am trying to sit on my hands again. It wouldn't be so hard if that lone chick wasn't screaming and crying in there. No happy wee peeping- it's wailing its head off and did so all night long. It quiets down when I come talk to it. I'd remove it but it would be alone and that makes me nervous.

I can't candle them properly, most have very thick dark shells. I'm so frazzled! Is there ANYTHING I can do besides wait? I can't believe I've boggled 42 eggs up this badly!

When you water candle they need to float AND wiggle to be sure there is life. Mostly I'd say waiting is the thing, however you mentioned one pipping Monday and still not hatching? I am a break the rules defy the odds hatcher. I spot candle every night and I open my bator frequently during hatch (I keep my humidity around 75% at hatch.) I have been having very successful hatches in my LG 9200 w/fan. So, consider all that when you weigh what I am about to say. I would pull out that egg that pipped more than 24 hours ago and I would expand that pip hole. I would moisten the membrane and find out what is going on. I would probably even start a zip line if it seemed that he still enough life in him to finish the job. If there is any significant blood from the veining not having receeded or any sign of unabsorbed yolk I would wet a paper towel around it (not covering the pip) and replace it to the bator. If he seems to have strength left I would unzip a bit , use the wet paper towel and replace him let him try to finsih. If it sems as though he's just barely hanging in there, I would take the air cell end off allowing him to bring his head out of position, wrap the towel around him and return him. Then if there is no effort on his part after an hour or two, I would (if the veins weren't proment and yolk absorbed,) start to help hiim out.

 

[Jrose]

When you water candle they need to float AND wiggle to be sure there is life. Mostly I'd say waiting is the thing, however you mentioned one pipping Monday and still not hatching? I am a break the rules defy the odds hatcher. I spot candle every night and I open my bator frequently during hatch (I keep my humidity around 75% at hatch.) I have been having very successful hatches in my LG 9200 w/fan. So, consider all that when you weigh what I am about to say. I would pull out that egg that pipped more than 24 hours ago and I would expand that pip hole. I would moisten the membrane and find out what is going on. I would probably even start a zip line if it seemed that he still enough life in him to finish the job. If there is any significant blood from the veining not having receeded or any sign of unabsorbed yolk I would wet a paper towel around it (not covering the pip) and replace it to the bator. If he seems to have strength left I would unzip a bit , use the wet paper towel and replace him let him try to finsih. If it sems as though he's just barely hanging in there, I would take the air cell end off allowing him to bring his head out of position, wrap the towel around him and return him. Then if there is no effort on his part after an hour or two, I would (if the veins weren't proment and yolk absorbed,) start to help hiim out.

Thanks! I actually had to do this on my last hatch (which was my first hatch ever). I had a mal-positioned chick that had a leg stuck over it's beak.

I've already opened the pip hole a little bit and started a zip line. I can't see if it's badly positioned, but it looks like it to me, the beak isn't sitting right. But there was a tiny amount of fresh blood so I left the membrane and just chipped the shell back a bit. It's more active now but can't seem to get UMPH. I may help a bit more before I leave for the day.

We have 3 marans out now! And the screaming baby stopped screaming! Thank goodness! Can you feel my blood pressure going down? Haha. I'm tempted to put them straight in the brooder- one is nearly dry, it's been 18 hours, the others are still floppy and wet, just a few hours old. But the 'bad egg fumes' in there make me uneasy. Thoughts?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks! I actually had to do this on my last hatch (which was my first hatch ever). I had a mal-positioned chick that had a leg stuck over it's beak.

I've already opened the pip hole a little bit and started a zip line. I can't see if it's badly positioned, but it looks like it to me, the beak isn't sitting right. But there was a tiny amount of fresh blood so I left the membrane and just chipped the shell back a bit. It's more active now but can't seem to get UMPH. I may help a bit more before I leave for the day.

We have 3 marans out now! And the screaming baby stopped screaming! Thank goodness! Can you feel my blood pressure going down? Haha. I'm tempted to put them straight in the brooder- one is nearly dry, it's been 18 hours, the others are still floppy and wet, just a few hours old. But the 'bad egg fumes' in there make me uneasy. Thoughts?

My first ever maleposition had its foot over it's beak. She's now an egg laying 5 month old pullet...lol

Play a video of chicks chirping by the bator (I use a you tube video of one day old chicks chirping) it really motivates them and gives them the drive.
Thoughts? I move mine to my brooder as they hatch. Once they are alert and start moving, they go to the brooder. Other's will nt open or move chicks till the end.

 

[WVduckchick]

If the smell is still there, I bet you have more rotten ones. I don't know how to tell, other than smelling them, but when you take the marans out, maybe you can get a wiff of the general area the stench is coming from, and candle a few?

Congrats so far, and good luck the rest of the way!

 

[Sarafena1982]

I am just today going into day 25 with my chicks. I was a mess lastnight because I couldn't see any movement in my eggs. Soooooo I did the water test. Both my eggs sunk but air sac side up so I was confused. I left them in the water for a bit and all of a sudden the eggs (both done separately) started moving all around in the water. So I WILL NOT TRUST the water test especially when I almost opened the eggs to see what was wrong with them still alive.

 

[WVduckchick]

I am just today going into day 25 with my chicks. I was a mess lastnight because I couldn't see any movement in my eggs. Soooooo I did the water test. Both my eggs sunk but air sac side up so I was confused. I left them in the water for a bit and all of a sudden the eggs (both done separately) started moving all around in the water. So I WILL NOT TRUST the water test especially when I almost opened the eggs to see what was wrong with them still alive.

If they sunk but are alive, I would bet the air cells are very small. And small air cells "usually" make it difficult for them to hatch. But yours could be an exception! The test is meant to estimate viability. If they float and wiggle, then they are definitely still viable. Sinking doesn't automatically mean "dead". Best of luck to you!

 

[Jrose]

Good feedback, thanks all!

I removed the shell in a zip line on the struggling marans and didn't mess with the membrane. Came back 20 min later and it was out and wobbling about. Clean and tidy, though one leg keeps curling up funny. I think it wasn't sitting in there right after all. I moved all 4 chicks to the brooder. They're doing well so far snuggling with 'mama hedgehog', the stuff hedgehog I use for chicks to cuddle up to and rest on.

I did sniff just a few more eggs and they smelled fine and fresh. There's still 33 eggs in there and I don't want to leave it open long enough to sniff them all! Gonna let the bator sit awhile yet. Maybe I'll get more pips tonight and tomorrow...

 

[scflock]

I am just today going into day 25 with my chicks. I was a mess lastnight because I couldn't see any movement in my eggs. Soooooo I did the water test. Both my eggs sunk but air sac side up so I was confused. I left them in the water for a bit and all of a sudden the eggs (both done separately) started moving all around in the water. So I WILL NOT TRUST the water test especially when I almost opened the eggs to see what was wrong with them still alive.

Day 25, still alive, and eggs sinking with small air cells? What was your humidity for the first 18 days?

 

[Sarafena1982]

If they sunk but are alive, I would bet the air cells are very small.  And small air cells "usually" make it difficult for them to hatch.  But yours could be an exception!  The test is meant to estimate viability.  If they float and wiggle, then they are definitely still viable.  Sinking doesn't automatically mean "dead".  Best of luck to you!

Thank you for the input. Would it happen to make a difference if they are bantam eggs?