Incubation Question

[CBrumit]

We placed 100 eggs to hatch. We didn't candle them at any time. Set them in a cardboard box with a pan of water and two 40 watt bulbs spaced evenly apart. Two unused brand new fragrance fans were used to circulate the air over a pan of water. The room temperature fluctuated which caused the box temperature to fluctuate as well. We measured the temperature and humidity in the box. Because the temperature dipped below 100 degrees on three occasions, we had a 50% hatch rate. We expected those results. We kept the hens and ate the roos.

If you want to incubate eggs with little or no cost, set double the number you want to hatch. Do not mess with the ones that do not hatch. Birds that don't hatch themselves usually don't do well. Just throw away the unhatched eggs.

We did it this way to give our children the experience and allow them to be actively involved in turning the eggs every day. Now that the kids are moved out, I'll use an automatic incubator from now on. I might set some eggs in a box for my grandchildren to raise.

 

[Luvanimals101]

Okay, so here we are on the 21st day. My foster sister told me while she was in our room she heard both of them chirp. I don't know whether or not she actually did but when I went in there, I held her egg up to my ear and I can hear little ripping noises. The other one who she said chirped the loudest, you can't hear anything and once candling both of them, we found that hers has a dark spot on the air pocket (guessing it is the head) then, we candled mine and it does not have anything in the air pocket, down lower, where the body is, there is a gap about the size of a quarter that looks like another, misshaped, air pocket. I don't know if this means they are alive or not? If they are, when should we expect to have two little baby chickens??

 

[bobbi-j]

I would guess within the next 24 - 48 hours, but it would be best if you just leave them alone until they hatch, or 3 or 4 days go by and you have determined that they won't. The less you handle them, the better.

 

[Luvanimals101]

So they ARE alive??

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't know - I can't see or hear them from here....

I guess I should have said, "IF they are chirping, it's best to leave them alone for the next few days to see if they hatch." If you have heard a chirp, then yes - the egg is alive. Dead chicks don't chirp. So, be patient and wait. If you hear chirping, good! If you don't, then wait a few more days to see if anything happens. If nothing has happened by day 25, it's a pretty safe bet that your eggs will not hatch. I know that *some* do, but since the incubation period is around 21 days, most don't by day 25. Good luck!

 

[Luvanimals101]

Thanks, they aren't making any noise now. I heard one of them make a teeny tiny squeaking noise but I don't know if it was a chirp or not, it was very faint.

 

[Animal lover342]

They should hatch within the next 24 hours if you hear chirping. Sometimes they don't make any chirping until they start pipping through the egg. Hope everything goes well

 

[Luvanimals101]

Okay, thanks so much

 

[adrianapost]

Hello I have a question! I started my incubator 2 days ago and let it run a full 20 hours to make sure everything was stable. It was at 99.5 degrees the whole time until I put the eggs in. Now its almost at 102 and ive turned my thermometer meter almost a full 360 to decrease and its not decreasing.. the manual says not to mess with the thermometer alot while eggs are in but is 102 degrees ok? Cant seem to fix it. Last time I hatched I didnt have a problem. Although I did let my neighbor borrow it hmmm

 

[midget_farms]

102 is hot, but shouldn't kill them - if you get into 103 open the bator & let them cool off some.

A still air incubator can run safely at 101* so 102 will have them hatch early but again - shouldn't kill them. Dont let it get any hotter though