I Am An Idiot

[ninjapoodles]

Officially, I mean. I know it's no surprise to many of you.

OK, so, I have a very precious few BBS Ameraucana eggs incubating. I have had NO luck candling or building a candler that worked right, so I've been unable to see inside. I should have bought a candler or had someone walk me through making one before getting started--that lesson's learned.

Anyway, when Day 21 came and went with no activity, I just gave them up for lost. Out of curiosity, because I wanted to see if they had ever begun to develop in the first place, and how far along they got, if so, I popped the top off of one egg. I did it carefully not because I suspected there might be anything living inside, but because I was afraid of getting extremely grossed out.

Yeah, I know, lame.

I'm sure you know what is coming. Once I could see into the air cell, I saw movement. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I feel terrible. I covered the hole with a warm, damp cloth and put the egg back into the incubator with the others. I know I probably killed it, but now I'm hoping against hope that some of the others are viable and will make it to hatch.

How long should I wait, before giving them up for dead? I obviously jumped the gun the first time.

 

[SterlingAcres]

Give it a few more days. I had EEs and guineas hatch out 3-4 days late this go around.

 

[rooster-red]

If I can't see into an egg by candling I usually wait until day 24 to be sure.

I've had one hatch on day 23.

 

[morelcabin]

You're not an idiot...you're a first time egg hatcher! We've all done that!

 

[Solsken Farm]

You poor thing. How awful.

I wouldn't toss them out until day 25. Just me. I send you good luck that humpty dumpty and some friends hatch!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have read that they can be up to 2 days late, but I'm not sure. As far as the candler goes, I just use a flashlight. It is one of the bigger ones at wal-mart (maybe $10), but I sit in the room where the bator is with the lights off, wrap my hand around the egg, and set it (on it's side) on top of the flashlight. Of course, my eggs are relatively small, being bantam pullet eggs, but it works pretty good. I usually have to wait until day 8 or 9 to see anything, but it works well enough.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Thanks! None of them are "bad," by which I mean there are no odors or cracks or bulges, so they're certainly not hurting anything by sitting there a few more days if need be.

Also, we followed the directions on the incubator (LG still air) for temperatures, and everything I've read since recommends slightly higher temps for still air incubators. So maybe our temp was slightly too low and caused a slow hatch?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
That's the way I am too. I keep the little things in there just hoping and praying that they will hatch forever, until i know they won't. Now whenever I have candled them late like that, I haven't seen any movement. Maybe cuz of the flashlight?

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
That could be entirely possible. I bet you get a few pips soon

 

[PurpleChicken]

Depending on my bators temp and the hatch rate of the others I always open
the remaining eggs by the end of day 22. I've killed a few chicks, and a few have
made it.

When you cracked the air cell did you see the beek? Pump up the humidity.
Check your thermometer too. Chances are the bator is too cold.

All may not be lost.

A cheap little flashlight in a dark room will candle an egg relatively well.

You're not an idiot. I would have done the same thing. If anything you may have
saved the others or learned something that will help you on future hatches.

No worries.