Not sure what's gone wrong... A few questions...

[Jrose]

This is my first time trying to incubate. I've got a LG9200 with no add-ons. Just a still-air styrofoam incubator.

Tomorrow is lockdown. I've got 15 eggs in. I candled them at day 7 and everyone had veins. It was very difficult as the shells are dark and my flashlight was crappy. I JUST got a high-enough powered light to penetrate the shells today. So I candled tonight.

- 5 of the eggs have no apparent veins, and the air pockets are on the fat end of the shell. Oddly these eggs were cooler than the others. I'm assuming these are bad? Should I toss them? What caused the air pocket to be on that end? They're all pointy-end-down in cartons, I raise one side then the other and gently roll the eggs towards the decline in their slots.
- 3 other eggs had small air pockets that weren't smooth. The line of clarity was jagged and uneven. All three are my three smallest eggs in there. I see veins, but didn't detect obvious movement. Are these bad? Should I remove them?

The others looked as I think they should with lots of movement.
I've had CRAZY temp fluctuations in the incubator. If my house increases or decreases in temp even just a tiny bit the bator get way out of whack. I've got it wrapped in a thick towel in a quiet corner of the non-drafty bathroom to try and stabilize it. We had a few freakishly warm days and my house was warmer than usual (no AC to regulate), and I checked the incubator- it was at 106! No idea how long it'd been that way! I just kept turning it down and down and down and fought with it for several days. I just got it evened out again on Thursday. So happy to see half the batch is still with me...

Another question: I put the eggs in at 9pm originally. Does lockdown tomorrow 'officially' start at 9pm tomorrow? Or do I start the morning not touching the incubator? Or does it matter? Should I be on the safe side since temps have been whacky and not touch it again?

 

[chickster5003]

Start lockdown @ 9 and could you take pictures of what you are talking about?

 

[Silkie-Feet]

Since you are already at lock down, I would leave all of the eggs. 18 days in, what will 3 more hurt? I remove my clears around day 10... If they're not stinking by now they should cause no issue. As to the eggs with air cells on the opposite end, that isn't an issue as long as you have the air cell facing up for the chick to orient. It may cause issues in zipping though as it is more difficult for the chick to maneuver in the smaller side; keep an eye on those. I would begin lockdown whenever possible, as your temp spike will likely have them to hatch early. An early lockdown is better than a late one. Good luck on your hatch, keep us updated!

 

[Jrose]

<<Air at fat end

<<< lumpy air line

<<dark shell, but air at fat end, no veins

<<< lumpy air line, lots of movement.

 

[Jrose]

Since you are already at lock down, I would leave all of the eggs. 18 days in, what will 3 more hurt? I remove my clears around day 10... If they're not stinking by now they should cause no issue. As to the eggs with air cells on the opposite end, that isn't an issue as long as you have the air cell facing up for the chick to orient. It may cause issues in zipping though as it is more difficult for the chick to maneuver in the smaller side; keep an eye on those. I would begin lockdown whenever possible, as your temp spike will likely have them to hatch early. An early lockdown is better than a late one. Good luck on your hatch, keep us updated!

That's reassuring, though I don't want to get my hopes up! No, no smell at all. I've read they can emit 'toxic fumes' though?

I may do lockdown starting tonight or first thing in the morning. Those temp spikes make me nervous...

 

[chickster5003]

Ok put them in the incubator and lockdown , the "lump" is the chick. All eggs look fine to me!

 

[Jrose]

Ok put them in the incubator and lockdown , the "lump" is the chick. All eggs look fine to me!

My heart just lept!

Still, I'll remind myself to be cautious...


Should I orient the fat-end-air-pocket eggs with the fat end up then? Or should I take the eggs out of the cartons and lay them on the grate?

SO NERVOUS.

 

[chickster5003]

Does the "lump"on the air cell move? What day are you on? Also during incubator were they in a egg carton?

 

[Jrose]

Does the "lump"on the air cell move? What day are you on? Also during incubator were they in a egg carton?

When I first candled, I didn't notice movement in the 'lumpy' ones. But re-candling they're just a-dancin' away in there. So yes, I'm probably seeing the chick, you're right.

I put 10 eggs in 9pm Feb 25th, and 5 more around noon the next day (got too eager and snatched what I could from the nest boxes Read later that this isn't a good idea). I'm on day 17 today, tomorrow will be day 18, counting the 26th as day 1. I read that the day after putting them in the incubator is "day 1", when you officially start the countdown.

EDIT: Oh, and I opted for the egg carton within the first week- handing turning on the hard metal grate was frustrating. I elevate one end, alternating 3 times a day.

 

[chickster5003]

One day will be fine, is there a slant in the air cell yet? If not than I would wait until tomorrow to lock them down.