My bantams haven’t hatched at day 21!

[L12837H]

I put bantam eggs on March 2nd 2021 and today is day 21st. They haven’t hatched and I haven’t heard them or seen them move. I candled them on day 16 and I could see they were alive but I don’t know anymore.
How much longer should I wait before taking them out and giving up on them? Please someone help me! This is my first time hatching bantams and I’m really scared, I really want them to hatch and survive.

 

[JaeG]

There's no harm in candling them now - just try and keep them in the same position they are lying in inside the incubator. As long as none have pipped externally it's fine to open the incubator. At least then you'll know what's going on.

21 days is just an average and a slightly low temperature will delay a hatch. My bantam eggs take just as long as my big eggs to hatch so they don't always hatch out earlier.

 

[DucksAreBest]

Hello, welcome to BackYard Chickens. Thank you for joining our community. I agree with @JaeG.

 

[L12837H]

There's no harm in candling them now - just try and keep them in the same position they are lying in inside the incubator. As long as none have pipped externally it's fine to open the incubator. At least then you'll know what's going on.

21 days is just an average and a slightly low temperature will delay a hatch. My bantam eggs take just as long as my big eggs to hatch so they don't always hatch out earlier.

Ohh ok thank you so much! Your reply calmed me down a bit!

How long did your bantam eggs take to hatch?

I also have standard eggs with the bantams, is it bad I put all of them on lockdown on day 16

 

[L12837H]

Hello, welcome to BackYard Chickens. Thank you for joining our community. I agree with @JaeG.

Thank you!

 

[JaeG]

Ohh ok thank you so much! Your reply calmed me down a bit!

How long did your bantam eggs take to hatch?

I also have standard eggs with the bantams, is it bad I put all of them on lockdown on day 16

It's fine to put them in lockdown on day 16. It's the first two weeks of incubation where it's really important to turn them and after that it's less critical to turn them, and by day 16 you wouldn't need to.

I run my incubator a little warmer than recommended and most hatch on day 21. I get the odd early bird (usually just one who likes to be first and then has to wait around for friends to catch up).

 

[L12837H]

It's fine to put them in lockdown on day 16. It's the first two weeks of incubation where it's really important to turn them and after that it's less critical to turn them, and by day 16 you wouldn't need to.

I run my incubator a little warmer than recommended and most hatch on day 21. I get the odd early bird (usually just one who likes to be first and then has to wait around for friends to catch up).

What temperature do you put it at? Cause after lots of reading, it said that the recommended temperature for bantams is 99.5, I didn’t trust it that much but I still did it anyway. What do you recommend?

 

[JaeG]

What temperature do you put it at? Cause after lots of reading, it said that the recommended temperature for bantams is 99.5, I didn’t trust it that much but I still did it anyway. What do you recommend?

My incubator is a cheap one but I've always had great hatches in it. I set it to 38C which is 100.4F according to the temperature conversion calculator online and mine is a forced air incubator. It fluctuates a bit but that's always worked for me.

One thing you should have is an independent, calibrated thermometer as often the incubators aren't accurate in their measurements. Mine has a temperature dial but I don't trust it - I use my thermometer. Here's an article on how to calibrate a thermometer: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

Measure the temperature at the level the top of the yolk would be sitting at (which will be different depending on if you incubate upright or on their sides).

It does take a few hatches to work out what works for your set-up (which is always a good excuse to hatch more eggs ).

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC, so glad you joined the flock

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Good luck with your hatch!