Lock down or wait till day 18

[ferventkids]

Hello ! We are new to hatching this is first time. We are on day 16. We had 12 eggs and after candeling we have 7 with moving babys one small eggs looks like not as far along as the other 6 . 6 eggs look already crowded with not any room left in the egg. We got our eggs from a local feed store who took pity on my boys after we received eggs from the mail that arrived 2wks late. She said that she picked up the eggs the morning we got them but were wondering if they where already developing before we got them. So question is should we just keep on turning them till day 18. I really dont want to lose them.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Can you get a picture of the eggs so that we can see how far along they are? I would think that on day 16 there might still be some room.

I would keep turning until day 18, since we can only assume that she collected that day and you picked them up.

 

[ferventkids]

Ill try to get a photo its really hard cause there very dark brown eggs except for the little white one. What would happen if they get turned to long would they still be ok? Were so hoping we have the 7 hatch.

 

[Elite Silkies]

They need the 3 days to position themselves and get ready to pip. So, it could hurt them yes, but I would lock down on day 18, and I am sure you'll be fine. Day 16, the egg should look pretty full.

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Well, I'll ad my 2 cents here also.
I believe that you can't turn them too much, but you can mess up by NOT turning them enough.
If you are not sure....I'd turn them.
That's what I would do and have done, and I get very, very good hatches all the time.
Sometimes when some chicks hatches and the other eggs are not yet hatched, the chicks are sooo very rough on the other eggs, rolling them, crashing into them, etc, you can't believe how they ever would hatch...but they do!
As long as they were alive the last time you checked them, I'd bet money they will be OK and hatch for you.
Cheryl

 

[FenDruadin]

Until that first pip occurs, the lower humidity will not harm them, and being in a turner won't harm them until they hatch out (when they could get trapped). So I would agree and wait until Day 18. Also, with experience, you can tell when they've pipped through the internal membrane by candling--you'll see the shadow of a little beak/bill poking into the air cell. Once that happens in half or more of my eggs, I go ahead and lock them down no matter what day it is.

If you *do* get a pip before they are locked down, be sure to raise that humidity just as fast as you can, because you do risk getting the little one stuck from the dryness. But you're probably fine--they really do tend to look like they're filling the whole thing toward the end.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[ferventkids]

Thank you so much for all your help! BYC web site has been a huge blessing to us we've spent many hours reseaching so much imfo. Having never hatched eggs before its been quite the experience. Were down to 4days to hatch so excited hoping it all goes well.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Here's for a good hatch!