JR in MS

[juice296]

Help..Help... This is my second effort at hatching eggs. The first batch only tried 6, and after 24 days "helped" them out. All were alive, but I guess not ready to hatch. Looked like they still had a small sac attached to them. Now I have 18 and the 21st day was Wednesday. Helped one out today but it looks iffy?? Do I let them go on their own or crack shell for them? I have noticed that the shells are very hard when feeding them 14% feed. Maybe this is too much. I've been reading up on incubation of eggs and I don't want to mess these up... Have the thermometer, egg turner, etc. temp has stayed at 99.5 the whole time and have kept up with supply water so humidity is good. Any suggestions.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, you learned the first time that "helping" them really wasn't the best plan... I'd just leave them and see what happens. If you open them too soon, you will kill them for sure. They will pip when they're ready to hatch. Not before. Could it be that your thermometer is off a bit, and the temperature has been lower than you think? If so, that will delay your hatch.

 

[ozexpat]

Help..Help... This is my second effort at hatching eggs. The first batch only tried 6, and after 24 days "helped" them out. All were alive, but I guess not ready to hatch. Looked like they still had a small sac attached to them. Now I have 18 and the 21st day was Wednesday. Helped one out today but it looks iffy?? Do I let them go on their own or crack shell for them? I have noticed that the shells are very hard when feeding them 14% feed. Maybe this is too much. I've been reading up on incubation of eggs and I don't want to mess these up... Have the thermometer, egg turner, etc. temp has stayed at 99.5 the whole time and have kept up with supply water so humidity is good. Any suggestions.

your hatches bear the symptoms of low temperatures. have you calibrated the thermometer? is the bator fan forced?

 

[juice296]

Thanks for the info. Did not calibrate the thermometer but will do so. I made the assumption that it was correct. Do I just get another one and check the reading on it???

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[ozexpat]

Thanks for the info. Did not calibrate the thermometer but will do so. I made the assumption that it was correct. Do I just get another one and check the reading on it??

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/130840/calibrating-thermometers-the-easy-way

there is a lot of useful info here - no need to go blind on anything. do a search or ask anytime

the hatching 101 article by sally sunshine in my signature is a god send