Need help with eggs hatching under heat lamp? Does anyone have suggestions for keeping the temperatu

[HannahZuni]

Do you have an lce box or a styrofoam box? Something that can hold heat and humidity well?

 

[JedJackson]

Actually, they do kind of need high humidity in order to hatch. Otherwise they will shrink wrap and die.

Yes, and they need even higher humidity than normal the three days before the eggs hatch for that exact reason. What I would do is fire up the incubator, fill the water receptacles and put a clean, moistened wash cloth or an extra dish of water into there. In the meantime you could get a bowl or pan, put a screen or wire over it, and set the eggs on that under the lamp until the temperature in the incubator is right. But it may be too late in which case you've done all you could and have grown wiser in the process.

 

[Abriana]

I put them on a wet rag. I am going to try to find a styrofoam box.

 

[Abriana]

I do not have a styrofoam box. I am going to try and put them back under her. And the hen buries them in shavings when she scratches. Will they hatch? She keeps getting up off them too.

 

[Abriana]

I can't tell with the second egg if it's still viable. How does this one look? Does this look good?

 

[Perry17]

How are they now? Any changes? When learning to incubate, I went through plenty mess ups until I have finally gotten to the point where I can successfully hatch, and know where I messed up if they don't. Lots of trial and error, so dont feel bad if they end up not hatching.

Most times hens will stay until they all eggs are ready. But when I have a chick hatch early and the mom tries to leave the nest, I usually take the chick from the mom before she gets up. She will be mad for a while, but wont notice once she is back on her eggs. It is way easier to raise a chick then try to hatch abandoned eggs. Then when the others hatch, I give the chick back to its mama.

If you take the eggs out from under the mom, you would still need to replicate the humidity needed for them to hatch. Like when incubating, you raise the humidity and put it on lock down the last few days until all chicks are hatched. The mama hen usually will do that for you, but I have found that removing the lid, even when they start hatching will make it harder for them to hatch and that will cause shrink wrapped chicks, or they wont even pip. But too much humidity will drown them. They are extremely fragile the last few days before they hatch, and you have to find the perfect balance depending on tons of other factors.

The candled eggs look good, they both look fully formed and ready to hatch. But with my experience, even with an incubator at this point will be difficult to get the last two to hatch. After the stress of mama leaving them and not being in a set up hatcher for that long. Most of my incubation deaths happen on hatch day and lock down, the tiniest mistake of humidity will cause them not to hatch.

Even a plastic tupperware container with some air holes on the sides might work for now if you are still using the heat lamp, and the hen still wont mess with them. You are doing great with the wet cloth, I would lightly wrap the eggs in a warm wet cloth that has been squeezed out well. Leave a little tent on top so its not touching the egg, it might constrict or suffocate them if they try to pip. If you find somewhere to put them that can trap humidity cooler/tupperware, the lamp might be fine if you can get around the right temp. I have found the temp doesnt matter that much during hatching as long as they aren't over heated or too cold. Anywhere in the 90s should be fine. But the main thing is humidity.

Good luck with them! It breaks my heart when I have hatch problems, when they make it this far through incubation I start to get attached. Excited for an update, hoping everything will turn out good in the end.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I can't tell with the second egg if it's still viable. How does this one look? Does this look good?View attachment 1138797View attachment 1138798

Perry17 has given good advice if you don't have an incubator.

In my opinion, the egg looks like it is no longer living. The shell is quite porous and the color and appearance of the membrane is indicative of a dead embryo. However, I could be incorrect, please use your own judgement because I'm only going by your picture...I can't see the egg in person for myself.

If it were my egg I'd assume it was dead. I'd guess it died before it absorbed all the liquid...so if you do decide to open it up...please be careful not to pierce the membrane until you're ready, it may contain liquid.

My guess is your dutch bantam possibly left the eggs because they were no longer viable.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

My title is a bit weird sorry, I meant to say does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the temp at 98/99

using a heat lamp as you are is not steady enough and they eggs will shrink wrap as there is no way to keep the humidity up

Hi! I am not expert at hatching, and this year was my first. I really don't know what to say, do they have any kind of moisture? Sorry, I guess I still qualify as a newbie to hatching

good questions!!

When they are getting ready to hatch they don't need moisture it can actually dry out the membrane and shrink wrap the chick. Lol, don't worry, I was once a newbie too!

this is incorrect, you need to increase humidity at the end to help soften the egg shell and to keep the membranes moist and pliable so that the chick can get out

I am also a newbie at hatching, just hatch 8 chicks this spring, I would say grab your incubator and put some water in it and put the temp at 105 and leave it closed for about 2 hours. This will let the water get in the air and put some moisture. You can leave the eggs under the heat lamp till the incubator is ready, but once the bator is ready lower the temp to 98 and put the eggs in. Also an important note do not forget to rotate them with clean hands till lockdown. People have different thoughts on lockdown so look at multiple posts. Keep us posted on how it goes

that temperature would kill an embryo within an hour

I put them on a wet rag. I am going to try to find a styrofoam box.

a wet rag will be cold, though i think you are trying your best a wet rag wont help them

Perry17 has given good advice if you don't have an incubator.

In my opinion, the egg looks like it is no longer living. The shell is quite porous and the color and appearance of the membrane is indicative of a dead embryo. However, I could be incorrect, please use your own judgement because I'm only going by your picture...I can't see the egg in person for myself.

If it were my egg I'd assume it was dead. I'd guess it died before it absorbed all the liquid...so if you do decide to open it up...please be careful not to pierce the membrane until you're ready, it may contain liquid.

My guess is your dutch bantam possibly left the eggs because they were no longer viable.

i am in agreement with Wicked and think that the embryo is gone and that is why the broody left the nest. Hens are amazing and can tell which eggs are bad and will usually kick them out of the nest.

 

[OsceolaMomma]

How do I give them humidity?

I am NOoo expert either just wonder if you can create a dome/cover and put some type of wet sponge or wet rag or something like that you do need humidity come hatching time bc it’s true the membrane will rubber band them in.