I'm a newb

[gemmat820]

I bought an incubator in response to a broody bad mom who was homicidal. The first two eggs were in the incubator for a few days before I realized I didn't set the cycle so they were sitting at 80 degrees with no turning for a few days.

I don't know if it's hopeless to save them now or if I should let them ride it out.

Thoughts?

 

[SilverBirds]

What day are the eggs on? How many days were they sitting at the low temps? Have you candled? Depending on the eggs stage and how long they were in the lower temps they still have a chance to hatch. If they do hatch it will probably be a few days later than expected due to the lower temps.

 

[gemmat820]

What day are the eggs on? How many days were they sitting at the low temps? Have you candled? Depending on the eggs stage and how long they were in the cooler temps they still have a chance to hatch.

I marked them at 7/2 and 7/4 so they've only been in the incubator for a 2 and 3 respectively. I candled the 7/2 and didn't see development but I know it's still early at 3 days. Thank you!

 

[SilverBirds]

I marked them at 7/2 and 7/4 so they've only been in the incubator for a 2 and 4 respectively. I candled the 7/2 and didn't see development but I know it's still early at 3 days. Thank you!

I'd incubate them till day 10 and recandle. If you don't see any development by then they can be tossed.

 

[gemmat820]

I'd incubate them till day 10 and recandle. If you don't see any development by then they can be tossed.

Okay, thank you! We were using our neighbors incubator and finally bought our own when the kids expressed interest in seeing them hatch.

 

[Huntmaster]

I marked them at 7/2 and 7/4 so they've only been in the incubator for a 2 and 3 respectively. I candled the 7/2 and didn't see development but I know it's still early at 3 days. Thank you!

One thing I would recommend from reading your post. Is to collect eggs you want to incubate and put them all in incubator at same time. This way they all hatch together and is a much better process than what is called a staggered hatch. Staggered hatches are difficult to pull off unless you have 2 incubators, 1 for incubating and another for hatching. Even then its best to stagger sets of eggs for incubating by a week so you can clean and have hatching incubator ready for next set of eggs for hatching.

 

[gemmat820]

One thing I would recommend from reading your post. Is to collect eggs you want to incubate and put them all in incubator at same time. This way they all hatch together and is a much better process than what is called a staggered hatch. Staggered hatches are difficult to pull off unless you have 2 incubators, 1 for incubating and another for hatching. Even then its best to stagger sets of eggs for incubating by a week so you can clean and have hatching incubator ready for next set of eggs for hatching.

I will look into this. The only reason we haven't done it is because we only appear to have two chickens laying fertile eggs and we don't get more than six eggs, total, a day even on a good day. I think what I'll do for now is leave the three in the incubator alone for now and just start collecting eggs daily again.

 

[NatJ]

I will look into this. The only reason we haven't done it is because we only appear to have two chickens laying fertile eggs and we don't get more than six eggs, total, a day even on a good day. I think what I'll do for now is leave the three in the incubator alone for now and just start collecting eggs daily again.

You can collect eggs every day for up to a week, and just store them in your house at room temperature. Then put them all in the incubator at the same time, and they should all hatch 21 days later. (21 days for chicken eggs, a different length of time for duck eggs.)

 

[gemmat820]

Amazing! I didn't know this, again I'm a newb. I just presumed the timeline was finite! Thank you!