Need advice.....gonna cry!!

[Gypsy07]

One degree here or there makes ALL the difference. But it's not even just one degree we're talking about here. 99.5 is two full degrees lower than it should be for a still air bator, and that's IF the measurement's coming from the tops of the eggs. If the thermometer has been at a different height, the temps at the centre of the eggs could have been as much as 3 or 4 degrees off. Which means that they could still be viable, but just VERY late due to the low temps.

Being very optimistic, I would say that the one you opened could possibly have died cause it just wasn't fully developed yet. if I were you, I think I'd leave the others in for another day anyway. I mean, what have you got to lose at this point? I don't think they'll all hatch out healthy on day 26, nothing like it. But if you're lucky you might get a few pipping the shells, and you might have to assist them to hatch...

Anyway, I'd say the problem was definitely your temps, not the shipped eggs or your humidity or anything else. Shipped eggs ARE a gamble, but if you've opened two eggs and found fully developed chicks, the shipping obviously wasn't all that rough on the eggs. Shipping trauma usually causes eggs to either not develop at all or to die in the first week. If they make it as far as lockdown then die, it's very unlikely that it's the shipping that's to blame.

Don't give up - figure out what went wrong and sort it for the next hatch. Sooner or later you'll get it figured out...

 

[ASweetHeart]

I chose Silkies cause I think they are pretty

Not too picky. I have a variety of chickens. Not sure where Wilkes is, I'm in Haywood County.
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[ASweetHeart]

I am using a little giant incubator. I tried my friend's hovabator that she never used, it seemed to make huge temp jumps so I gave up on it.

Is there a certain type of thermometer thingy you guys can recommend for accuracy?

Want to try to build a fan for my next attempt.

Thanks again 4 advice.

 

[nurse_turtle]

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OMG I despise the LG still air. But that's only personal preference. It is easy to wire a cheap computer fan to an old cell phone or other charger. A fan kit can run about $30 and an old adapter could be free or $1 at the local Goodwill. A cheap computer fan for around $3-5. a pair of scissors and electrical tape, mount the fan to the lid and poof! you have your new circulated air incubator. Also, I use a homemade egg thermometer for mine. I make a small hole in a store bought egg and blow out the contents, rinse and repeat. I fill the egg with water, insert the digital temp probe, seal the hole with tape, candle wax, etc. and place it on the egg rack with the rest. That way I know the temp I'm seeing is the temp inside of each egg at that level. Incubating doesn't have to be complicated, just consistent. You're gonna get it.

** Also, we are ~2 hours apart. I would be willing to meet you halfway with some fertile hatching eggs when you're ready to try again. Also, check with the NC feed here. You probably have someone 4 miles away who could help.

 

[1muttsfan]

You may want to check out some of the LG threads, there are some people who swear by them but they can be tricky and their advice may help a lot. I agree with the temp comment, if it is still air the temp measured at the Top of the eggs should be a little higher.

 

[WhiteCochinLover]

IDK what to tell you it does get very frustrating!!!!!! but I think ones I wait for 31 days... and they still hatched... also my mom cracked one open and we thought it was dead but it was alive and now he is a 6 month old roo...

 

[sager:)silkies]

This is also my first time but I'm not using shiped eggs I'm using my own and my hen is sitting On them and they all look like there doin good i checked all ten and there black some u could see veining in some spots others u could see movement the rest just saw blackness wid a air sac but the other ppl are right hatch non shipped eggs good luck to all