Incubators Anonymous

[DMRippy]

I'm worried about my eggs...this is the first time I've used this new incubator I have, and it's been going fine up until the last few days! But the it's hatch day and the air cell is still very small and I can't hear peeping. I candled just to make sure they were still alive (bad idea I know, I just had to check if they were still going!) and they are still kicking but none have broke the air cell. Will they drown? Should I start trying to help them out if they've not pipped by the end of the day? I'm so worried, I'd hate to loose chicks so close to hatching ):

Leave them alone. My guess is the humidity was too high though the first 18 days. I am not sure there is much you can do.... but DON'T Intervene..... they might die for sure. Maybe someone else will chime in to help more. I have not had this issue so not sure what you can do now.

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I think I will try using the needlepoint cloth to make baskets/dividers. Pipe cleaners should help make it sturdier and if the chicks can't see anything on the other side maybe they won't try to jump over.

I have never had a problem, but I have a TOP on them too. You can make cubes out of the needle point canvas. I use zip ties as hinges and you could use pipe cleaners to close them.

 

[DMRippy]

Has anyone bought an automatic egg turner and than installed in a homemade incubator ?

I am sure LOTS of people have. You would just need to make sure that the bator is made to fit the turner.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I am down to 3 of the 8 shipped orp eggs , some others started but died, Im pretty sure the air cells are the problem , they are wierd like they are smaller on the top then extend out bigger on two sides kinda like a figure eight and some of them move when I turn the eggs to candle them. Anyone have any success with hatching shipped eggs with really messed up air cells ? I really had high hopes for these I really love orps, I put them in my brinsea mini and coudnt figure out how to get them all in there standing up so I had to lay them on there sides.

 

[oldorchardfarms]

I am down to 3 of the 8 shipped orp eggs , some others started but died, Im pretty sure the air cells are the problem , they are wierd like they are smaller on the top then extend out bigger on two sides kinda like a figure eight and some of them move when I turn the eggs to candle them. Anyone have any success with hatching shipped eggs with really messed up air cells ? I really had high hopes for these I really love orps, I put them in my brinsea mini and coudnt figure out how to get them all in there standing up so I had to lay them on there sides.

 

[oldorchardfarms]

The best way to hatch them is on there side.where you went wrong is turning the eggs.we recommend not to turn shipped eggs the first 10 days of incubation. it allows the air sac time to heal and improves your hatchability of the egg.and its very important to let the eggs rest at least 24-48 hrs at room temp before setting. I have been hatching eggs for 30 years if you do these simple steps you will be pleased with the outcome. incubation is a art and you need to learn your best method on cheap eggs before buying expensive eggs.we get a lot of first timers and happy to help anyone.Greg

 

[Haloclimb]

Leave them alone. My guess is the humidity was too high though the first 18 days. I am not sure there is much you can do.... but DON'T Intervene..... they might die for sure. Maybe someone else will chime in to help more. I have not had this issue so not sure what you can do now.

I'm thinking it was the humidity as well, but I literally did nothing but add a cup of water at the start of their incubation and then nothing else...I might just try a dry hatch next time, see if that gives better results :/

 

[Overoberyl]

I'm thinking it was the humidity as well, but I literally did nothing but add a cup of water at the start of their incubation and then nothing else...I might just try a dry hatch next time, see if that gives better results :/

I no longer add any water until lockdown, and have had my best results since making that change.

If you are really concerned you can either make a hole with a needle at the top of the egg so that if the chick has pipped internally it won't suffocate, or you can make an external pip for them. Either way you have to first accept the fact that if you do anything at all, the chick might die. Accept that up front and then decided if the risk is worth it. The tricky thing with helping esp if the humidity has been really high during incubation is that there is likely to be a lot of goo in the egg, which will be difficult to deal with once the chick is exposed to air and isn't necessarily ready to hatch. They can become glued in there very easily in that situation. I prefer to help rather than seeing them die from never pipping internally or externally, which I have seen a lot with shipped eggs. However once you do, you have to be prepared to attend to the incubator every few minutes until they are out, otherwise they could easily become stuck and die.

 

[Overoberyl]

I am down to 3 of the 8 shipped orp eggs , some others started but died, Im pretty sure the air cells are the problem , they are wierd like they are smaller on the top then extend out bigger on two sides kinda like a figure eight and some of them move when I turn the eggs to candle them. Anyone have any success with hatching shipped eggs with really messed up air cells ? I really had high hopes for these I really love orps, I put them in my brinsea mini and coudnt figure out how to get them all in there standing up so I had to lay them on there sides.

I've had varying success with damaged air cells. I always candle the eggs before putting them in the bator, that way I know up front what the air cells look like. As was said in a previous post, if they look wonky I don't turn them for at least 7 days. Sometimes they will hatch but I've found that the chick is more likely to be upside down or out of position and have trouble so you have to just keep a close eye on them if any make it to lockdown. Usually if the air cells are bad, there will be other damage and they either won't start or will be early quitters. Just one of the perils of shipping

Oh and just wanted to add, if there is any chance of the air cell re-forming, they have to be standing upright. No chance whatsoever if they are on their sides, as the air bubble will settle in the wrong place and the membrane may reattach in the wrong place. I'm not sure if you can use a cut-out egg carton with just a few spaces to put them in so they are standing vertical but might be worth a try. That is what I do with mine, I have a row of stationary egg-carton cutouts on the side next to my auto turner which are reserved for bad air cell eggs.

 

[Haloclimb]

No luck with the eggs ): We just tried to help the second chick out, and when I opened up the shell it was compeletly shrinkwrapped. I tried to open up a small opening in the membrane for it to breathe, but I must have nicked a vein because it started bleeding ): And quite a bit. Poor thing ):
I'm surprised it was still alive though-I had actually taken it out to do an eggtopsy and saw it moving weakly, so that was a shock!

At the very least, we tried our best, and that's all you can do in a situation like this. More to the point, we learned it was definitely a problem of too little humidity in that last legs of incubating-a problem we can resolve for next time!

EDIT: Scratch that post! 7 hours later and the chick is still alive! I'm sticking to peeling back the membrane with the blunt end of a needle and a damp swab (q-tip to you americans!)
The chick is very appreciative when I damp the membrane! It actually started cheeping and wriggling about. I've uncovered a bit more of the head but I'm going to leave it be again for a while.
Fingers crossed that all goes well and it makes it out okay