I need to know what I'm doing wrong...

[sandburRanch]

I would encourage obtaining eggs locally if that's possible , if you haven't already been there done that . .

 

[chickens 4 life]

I would encourage obtaining eggs locally if that's possible , if you haven't already been there done that . .

I have hatched eggs that were laid by a hen I had and they all hatched out (my hen escaped). This is my first time hatching eggs in an incubator and local eggs weren't available near me.

 

[chickens 4 life]

I still have trouble finding out the breed of chicken the chicks are. I also managed to move the heater 3-4 inches away from where it was.

 

[chickens 4 life]

What day are you on now?

Can you move the lamp higher up. Away from the bedding? It’s hard to tell from the pic but it looks like it’s a fire risk with how low it is.

There isn't any bedding/paper in the area where I put the heater.

 

[NatJ]

Ok! I usually see them hanging around the spot where I divided the heat lamp from

In that case, if you take out the piece of cardboard, watch to see if their behavior changes.
If they are always hanging out in the warmest spot, the temperatures are probably fine for now (although you will need to lower the temperature as they grow, either by raising the lamp further or by providing more space to get away from the heat.)

UPDATE: Cracked open 2 eggs, dead embryos...
Two left...

Also the incubator smells horrible.

If the incubator smells bad, that might mean dead eggs were rotting.
But the remaining eggs are inside that horrible smell, and that can be bad for them (if they are still alive.)

I would suggest you candle and sniff each remaining egg.
If you see a chick moving inside the egg while you candle, it is alive.
If an egg stinks, it is probably dead.

If you're already on day 22 or 23, there is a chance of some being alive, but I think a better chance of them being dead. If they are dead, it's best to get them out as soon as possible. (Something is already making a stink, and you really don't want a rotten egg to explode inside your incubator!)

 

[NatJ]

I still have trouble finding out the breed of chicken the chicks are.

Of course, they might be a mix instead of a pure breed.

What information do you have? Do you know what breed(s) of chickens are kept by the person who provided the eggs?

Even if you cannot learn anything from that person, you can start checking the details you do have:
--what color eggs did they hatch from?
--do they have fuzz on their feet, indicating that they will grow feathers?
--do they have any extra toes? (Normal is 3 facing forward, 1 facing backward, per foot.)
--what kind of comb do they have? (Not all comb types are obvious at hatch, but rose combs tend to look wide and flat, single combs skinny and stick up a little, and pea combs somewhere in between.)
--take good photos now, so you can double-check details later. There can be many chicks that have the same color of down, and many adult chickens with the same color of feathers, but using both can help narrow down the options.

Points to watch as they grow:
--what colors and patterns show in their feathers (this can change as they mature.)
--whether they grow muff/beard on the face, or crest on the head.
--whether they grow normal feathers, or silkied feathers, or frizzled feathers.
--comb type should become more obvious in time.
--foot color can get darker or lighter as they grow, but at some point you will know what it is.

From the photos, I think they will probably have some pattern of brown and black. They will certainly not be all white, and I think not all black either. They do not have the clear stripes found on Brown Leghorns, Welsummers, and some other breeds of chicken. (All of those points rule out certain breeds of chickens, but there are many options remaining!)

 

[chickens 4 life]

Of course, they might be a mix instead of a pure breed.

What information do you have? Do you know what breed(s) of chickens are kept by the person who provided the eggs?

Even if you cannot learn anything from that person, you can start checking the details you do have:
--what color eggs did they hatch from?
--do they have fuzz on their feet, indicating that they will grow feathers?
--do they have any extra toes? (Normal is 3 facing forward, 1 facing backward, per foot.)
--what kind of comb do they have? (Not all comb types are obvious at hatch, but rose combs tend to look wide and flat, single combs skinny and stick up a little, and pea combs somewhere in between.)
--take good photos now, so you can double-check details later. There can be many chicks that have the same color of down, and many adult chickens with the same color of feathers, but using both can help narrow down the options.

Points to watch as they grow:
--what colors and patterns show in their feathers (this can change as they mature.)
--whether they grow muff/beard on the face, or crest on the head.
--whether they grow normal feathers, or silkied feathers, or frizzled feathers.
--comb type should become more obvious in time.
--foot color can get darker or lighter as they grow, but at some point you will know what it is.

From the photos, I think they will probably have some pattern of brown and black. They will certainly not be all white, and I think not all black either. They do not have the clear stripes found on Brown Leghorns, Welsummers, and some other breeds of chicken. (All of those points rule out certain breeds of chickens, but there are many options remaining!)

I got them as a bantam hatching egg mix, so random bantam breeds. I think our first chick is a Golden Sebright and second chick is still unknown, although I suspect it could be a Mille Fleur D'uccle (or any feathered feet and legs breed). Hatched from a tinted egg (very light tan).

 

[chickens 4 life]

Was letting them run inside the living room (with heat on, about 78-82 F in the room), took their food out too just in case they got hungry, then after I put them back in for about 5 minutes I realized that I didn't put the food in yet! I rushed out and spilled some feed all over myself and the floor!

 

[chickens 4 life]

Was letting them run inside the living room (with heat on, about 78-82 F in the room), took their food out too just in case they got hungry, then after I put them back in for about 5 minutes I realized that I didn't put the food in yet! I rushed out and spilled some feed all over myself and the floor!

They seemed very brave, pecking everything in sight.

 

[NatJ]

I got them as a bantam hatching egg mix, so random bantam breeds. I think our first chick is a Golden Sebright and second chick is still unknown, although I suspect it could be a Mille Fleur D'uccle (or any feathered feet and legs breed). Hatched from a tinted egg (very light tan).

Those sound like good guesses for now, and as you watch them grow you will see if you are right