Losing My Mind With Hatch 2!

[brandini73]

We were given a LG 9300 still air & turner for Christmas & had our first hatch last month. I didn't do any research prior to starting & just followed the incubator instructions. I ended up with 50% of my fertile eggs hatching...1 on day 19, 3 on day 20 and 1 on day 21.

I was determined to try again & do better. I joined this group & did tons of research. I bought a fan kit to convert it to forced air, a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer and have been incubating dry (will add water today for lock down). I started 37 eggs late on 4/3/15. The temperatures have been all over the place since the beginning! I'm still in disbelief that in that tiny styrofoam box with a fan running there can be such a variation from corner to corner. So, I've done the best I could with stabilizing, but I know it's been far from ideal. Anyway, on day 10 I pulled 14 clears (my rooster is apparently not attracted to my Polish Cresteds or my EE) & 4 quitters. At that time I tried to arrange the eggs into better & more stable temperature areas, but the hot/corners would magically change to the opposite. Last night (a day earlier than last time), I took them out of the turner & candled. I removed one egg that I was pretty sure was clear last time, but left just in case as it's a darker egg. The remaining 18 have such a huge variation in development it's crazy, but I saw plenty of movement to know that almost all are alive. Obviously the developmental variations are because of the temperature issues...I went with my gut & switched the heater back out to the still air thinking there must be something wrong with the fan unit (wish I would have done that sooner) & hoping that I'll have some tough little survivors in the batch that will make it down the stretch with a more stable atmosphere. As for the chicks that seem way behind but are still alive, I'm thinking pull the eggs on day 23 & let them die peacefully in the shells (if they're still alive). I know chicks can hatch late & be ok, but aren't the odds way against it in this case? I think I'd rather have them die in the shell than out...or worse have to cull them. Is there a better way to handle that issue? This is my primary source of anguish right now.

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I'd leave the slower chicks and let nature take it's course. Can you move those laggers to the warmer spots in the bator? How are the air cells on those slower eggs?

 

[WalnutHill]

x2. I'd give them a chance.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Personally, I'd leave the slower chicks and let nature take it's course. Can you move those laggers to the warmer spots in the bator? How are the air cells on those slower eggs?

xs 2(now xs3 lol) If they are not ment to make it, they won't. If they are that far behind chances are they will die in their shell anyways, and you won't have to have that on your shoulders.

You could cut the heat at day 23 and still have chicks hatch as long as they are left in the shells.

 

[scflock]

We were given a LG 9300 still air & turner for Christmas & had our first hatch last month. I didn't do any research prior to starting & just followed the incubator instructions. I ended up with 50% of my fertile eggs hatching...1 on day 19, 3 on day 20 and 1 on day 21.

I was determined to try again & do better. I joined this group & did tons of research. I bought a fan kit to convert it to forced air, a Brinsea Spot Check thermometer and have been incubating dry (will add water today for lock down). I started 37 eggs late on 4/3/15. The temperatures have been all over the place since the beginning! I'm still in disbelief that in that tiny styrofoam box with a fan running there can be such a variation from corner to corner. So, I've done the best I could with stabilizing, but I know it's been far from ideal. Anyway, on day 10 I pulled 14 clears (my rooster is apparently not attracted to my Polish Cresteds or my EE) & 4 quitters. At that time I tried to arrange the eggs into better & more stable temperature areas, but the hot/corners would magically change to the opposite. Last night (a day earlier than last time), I took them out of the turner & candled. I removed one egg that I was pretty sure was clear last time, but left just in case as it's a darker egg. The remaining 18 have such a huge variation in development it's crazy, but I saw plenty of movement to know that almost all are alive. Obviously the developmental variations are because of the temperature issues...I went with my gut & switched the heater back out to the still air thinking there must be something wrong with the fan unit (wish I would have done that sooner) & hoping that I'll have some tough little survivors in the batch that will make it down the stretch with a more stable atmosphere. As for the chicks that seem way behind but are still alive, I'm thinking pull the eggs on day 23 & let them die peacefully in the shells (if they're still alive). I know chicks can hatch late & be ok, but aren't the odds way against it in this case? I think I'd rather have them die in the shell than out...or worse have to cull them. Is there a better way to handle that issue? This is my primary source of anguish right now.

My first incubation experience was awful, and that is exactly what happened to me. Late hatchers on days 23&24. A couple hatched with problems, and I helped a couple and that made it even worse. I had to cull all 4 of them between 4 and 6 days old. I never want to do that again. I shut down on day 23 now, no matter what is happening

 

[brandini73]

We have our first pip this evening! It's amazing how that relieves so much of the stress! We're on day 19 & it's a little Cochin egg, so I think a little early is not unusual, but maybe I'm wrong & it was in a too warm spot.