I keep my incubator in the bedroom, the only room in the house the cats are not allowed. Naturally when I accidentally leave the door open, it is an instant target for feline exploration. Then they must knock the incubator off the table... on day 19...
Out of 24 eggs, I had 4 that were not cracked or smashed. I have no idea how long they had been uncovered, but the thermometer said 78 degrees in a roughly 70 degree room, so I had a sliver of hope for the 4 eggs. I stuck them back in, taped up the giant crack in the incubator foam
and hoped for the best. I usually wait until day 23 or 24 to call it quits but I decided the waiting game was over today, on day 21, when nothing has happened yet. I candled them one by one and they were all quitters, except the last one that started peeping at me.
That was at 9 this morning, and it was definitely pipped internally. It is now 5:30 in the afternoon, and still no external pip, but still peeping.
I usually do not intervene at all, but from all the other eggs breaking there is a small amount of yolk dried to the shell and I am wondering if that is making it too hard for the chick to break through? Should I try and clean it off? Should I make a small hole for the chick? Maybe the fall and the temperature/humidity changes from it made the chick weak? What would you guys do? I would hate for this fighter to lose this far into the battle.
Out of 24 eggs, I had 4 that were not cracked or smashed. I have no idea how long they had been uncovered, but the thermometer said 78 degrees in a roughly 70 degree room, so I had a sliver of hope for the 4 eggs. I stuck them back in, taped up the giant crack in the incubator foam
I usually do not intervene at all, but from all the other eggs breaking there is a small amount of yolk dried to the shell and I am wondering if that is making it too hard for the chick to break through? Should I try and clean it off? Should I make a small hole for the chick? Maybe the fall and the temperature/humidity changes from it made the chick weak? What would you guys do? I would hate for this fighter to lose this far into the battle.
