How are they still alive?!?

[chickenmomma16]

I had only 2 eggs (both Wheaten Ameraucana) developing at about day 10 +/- and I was just double checking them because I thought only one was developing but I had 2. Yay! Well, I’m sure what happened is my 1 year old daughter got into something and I walked away from the incubator forgetting to put the top back on!!! That was 8:30 last night. This morning I didn’t go back in that room until 9:00 and found my eggs cold. I remembered something about not calling a chick dead until they are warm and dead so I put the top back on and I was sure they would be dead but I just checked for movement AND GUESS WHAT!!!!!!

THEY ARE STILL MOVING!!!!

I’m so excited! Now let’s hope they hatch! I know they will be late. How long are they supposed to survive being cold? I wasn’t expecting them to survive at all being almost 12 hours without any heat.

 

[oregonkat]

Well, being cooler is better than being baked so that's good! I have no idea how it will affect the hatch time, maybe a day or so? Glad they are still moving, perhaps there will be no difference at all. Good luck with the hatch!

 

[sumi]

Chick embryos are amazingly tough little things! I remember a few years ago we had a thunderstorm and heavy rain. I went to check on the flock after the storm passed and found one of my broodies managed to not only misplace her egg, it rolled out of the coop and was lying outside! It was very wet and cold by then, having been in the rain for awhile. I slipped it back under the hen anyway, it was due to hatch in about 3 days and it did! Perfect, healthy, happy little chick

 

[chickenmomma16]

I’ve had such bad luck with hatching my eggs, I thought for sure I’d killed these 2. These eggs are 2 of 14 set... last year I set over 60 eggs and ONE hatched. This year I have hatched 5 of 11, 1 of 9, 6 of 25. Not too great hu? They just haven’t been fertile... So I’d really like to hatch theses babies. Maybe I’ll have to give them icy names

 

[oregonkat]

I’ve had such bad luck with hatching my eggs, I thought for sure I’d killed these 2. These eggs are 2 of 14 set... last year I set over 60 eggs and ONE hatched. This year I have hatched 5 of 11, 1 of 9, 6 of 25. Not too great hu? They just haven’t been fertile... So I’d really like to hatch theses babies. Maybe I’ll have to give them icy names

Ooo, those hatch rates are not super, for sure! Are these your own eggs? Shipped eggs? If they are your own, perhaps your roo is not as up the task as he should be. Maybe you hens aren't either, are they older?

 

[chickenmomma16]

Ooo, those hatch rates are not super, for sure! Are these your own eggs? Shipped eggs? If they are your own, perhaps your roo is not as up the task as he should be. Maybe you hens aren't either, are they older?

My eggs, and the birds are my initial investment from a breeder and I bought them as chicks. Everyone is 3yrs old. I’ve switched cocks 3 times. Take that back, 4 times! I had a completely unrelated cock for a while but I got rid of him because he would only mate with the dark colored laying hens not my Ameraucanas. I just started a supplement for them so we will see if that helps. But the roosters just started molting so there goes fertility again.

 

[oregonkat]

What are your breeds? I am going to tag some folks here because this is interesting and I am not an expert by any means but maybe some other more experienced folks can help.
@sumi, @WVduckchick, @aart, @azygous, @KikisGirls, can any of you help here?

 

[WVduckchick]

Glad your chicks are still developing.

I recently removed some extra eggs from under a broody. Some were much further along, so I only removed recent additions. But they were already growing I left them laying outside, and I couldn't help but candle them every day. It actually took several days before they all quit. With temp swings from daytime highs in the upper 90F's to lows in the 60F's, it was pretty amazing that they lasted as long as they did. (I intended to toss them, but couldn't do it until I was sure they were dead)

So..... while we are waiting on your 2 little ones to hatch, maybe we can help you figure out why the prior hatches have been less than stellar.
Tell us about your flock, your incubator, the settings you use, temp/humidity, etc. How's the weather in your neck of the woods? Locale makes for some differences in incubating. High elevation... Super dry or super humid.... those types of things can effect our hatching practices.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Wheaten, Blue Wheaten, Splash Wheaten Ameraucana. I currently have 2 cocks and 4 hens from my original breeder purchase of 20 chicks (that’s all I have left after a dog attack, culls, and a bacterial infection diagnosed by my state vet normally associated with food poisoning but I hadn’t given treats or food scraps so...?)

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

I’ve had such bad luck with hatching my eggs, I thought for sure I’d killed these 2. These eggs are 2 of 14 set... last year I set over 60 eggs and ONE hatched. This year I have hatched 5 of 11, 1 of 9, 6 of 25. Not too great hu? They just haven’t been fertile... So I’d really like to hatch theses babies. Maybe I’ll have to give them icy names

Icy names would be so cool!!!

How about, CHILLY? Remember Chilly Willy?

And, there's FROSTY, too!

The names will work for both hens or roos.
But, if you're wanting hens, I will pray for two little hens, for you!