In the final stretch and have majorly messed up. Please Help.

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
Calm down willya! I REALLY don't think you've done any damage to them. And when some of them most likely don't make it out, it won't be your fault and it won't necessarily be because of something you did. Even with the best quality eggs, the fanciest bator and years of hatching experience, most people won't get 100% hatches even half of the time. So get ready to not be beating yourself up about it, okay?

Here's an idea: You know that three days for lockdown isn't carved in stone, right? You just stop turning them to allow the chick to move into position for hatching. So if you go into lockdown a day early with a few of your eggs it most likely won't do any harm to the chicks in there. So if you wanted to be opening your hatcher less often, when you have some eggs due for lockdowwn, you could put the next day's lockdown eggs into the hatcher a day early at the same time. That way you'll only be opening the hatcher once every 48 hours. And that time interval would work for taking the hatched chicks out too.

 

[Pasha1]

Quote:
Calm down willya! I REALLY don't think you've done any damage to them. And when some of them most likely don't make it out, it won't be your fault and it won't necessarily be because of something you did. Even with the best quality eggs, the fanciest bator and years of hatching experience, most people won't get 100% hatches even half of the time. So get ready to not be beating yourself up about it, okay?

Here's an idea: You know that three days for lockdown isn't carved in stone, right? You just stop turning them to allow the chick to move into position for hatching. So if you go into lockdown a day early with a few of your eggs it most likely won't do any harm to the chicks in there. So if you wanted to be opening your hatcher less often, when you have some eggs due for lockdowwn, you could put the next day's lockdown eggs into the hatcher a day early at the same time. That way you'll only be opening the hatcher every 48 hours. And that time interval would work for taking the hatched chicks out too.

Thanks. Not really beating myself up anymore. Do wish I had done more research in the beginning and wouldn't have made those mistakes. That post was in response to a post where the person said breathe about 50 times and apparently a poor attempt at humor.

Have calmed down loads since last night. Didn't even lose sleep. Moved the bator to the bathroom and will run the shower to bring up humidity for my swaps. Once they start hatching I won't open up till they are out of the shell if I can help it. I know all of them won't make it out of the shells but sadly nothing will prepare me for that. I cry for at least a day if I run over a squirrel. lol

I found alot of posts here where conditions weren't perfect and the chicks still made it (as best as can be expected). Before I found this site all the other sites... including the chicken books I own... paint a picture that if the temp changes 1 degree below or above 101.5 for a still air and the humidity isn't exactly 65% that chicks will die. Most authors use capital bold letters to say things like "YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS DURING YOUR HATCH" if you don't follow this criteria exactly or something to that effect. As a first timer and already having done things to prevent myself from following the criteria exactly it is scary.

So my plan is to see what happens and hope for the best. If it is a very poor hatch I can't guarantee I won't feel partially responsible.

 

[Gypsy07]

My sister bumped a squirrel with her car once and grabbed it and tried to give it mouth to mouth before racing it to the nearest vet. Who of course just looked at her blankly and said "Um, yeah, it's dead..." LOL!!!

 

[Pasha1]

Lol Wow. I haven't tried that. Not sure I could. lol Hysterical.

 

[Pasha1]

I opened the incubator to put in my next batch of eggs. Well 2 eggs lol. Success!!!!!! At least I think so. Bathroom humidity helped. I also plugged my vents for 5 minutes and brought the internal humidity up to 69%. Was quick as could be. Humidity dipped to 64% but went back to 66% within 2 seconds. Hopefully this won't interfere too much. But there are gonna be fluctuations... Right? I hate not knowing. They need to hurry up and hatch.

 

[Pasha1]

3 are moving. Not alot but you can definately see the eggs shake! Unbelievable.

 

[Gypsy07]

Wow. Sounds like you could expect a pip any time now! What day are the shaking ones on?

 

[Pasha1]

Quote:
Day 19? I set them 2/27 I don't know if I should count 2/27? If I am supposed to count that as day one then it's day 20. They went into the hatcher yesterday.

Oh question.... Do I really need both air vents open? With one open humidity holds at 68% with two open it fluctuates between 61-64%. I closed it and just have the one open and figure if they hatch the humidity will rise a bit and I can unplug it. Yesterday all seemed fine. Reads 101.8/65% now with one vent open and has remained there for the last hour

 

[youngbiddy]

You want slightly lower temps for hatching, the chicks can stifle if they're too hot.

 

[Pasha1]

great. all I can find for still air was 101-102. should i do 100-101? at a loss. lol