Please help! Do I need to put coconut oil on pip?

[HeatherKellyB]

Hi! Sorry, I've been so busy today. I think the worst I've ever had is 2 saddled out of a shipment. Mine are usually pretty intact. I would still just set them all as is. I've never washed any of mine. I had one duck egg that a friend brought me fron his hens nest (she abandoned it during a storm) that was so caked in mud. I picked a bit of mud off with my fingernail, but it was uselessly stuck on. I just left it. About a week later it started hatching! I had to help it hatch since the mud was too thick, but other than that it was fine. I just put a super poopy and dirty quail egg on lockdown. I don't know how it got so dirty, but it's the best looking development wise. I never worry about dirty eggs. They usually end up being my toughest and healthiest birds honestly. I would just set them. Can you post a pic of the dirty ones? If you've been "washing" the eggs, that could be part of your problem too. It rubs the dirt in through the pores, and can cause them to die from bacteria contamination further into the incubation period.

I haven't been washing any of the eggs I've received. I don't handle them with unwashed hands though. Sometimes I put on a medical glove to handle. I just scratch off whatever I'm able to get off. I've not had a lot of dirty eggs.
That's really interesting about the air cells. I figured this was normal for shipped eggs. Out of probably 30 eggs, all but maybe 10, have had completely detached rolling air cells and tiny bubbles that move alongside the detached air any and every way the egg moves. This could probably be a part of my issue too, maybe. I nearly fainted at the amount of eggs with intact air cells out of the 8 Spitz eggs. Most are slightly saddled, but this is a HUGE improvement from the normal here. What are your thoughts about this? That's why I was so adamant about keeping them upright. With so many factors against the eggs, it's no wonder I've only hatched 4 eggs (the showgirl I should include on that count because I truly feel like she could have made it if I had intervened before I did, whether it meant taking Fancy out so the egg wasn't rolled around all over the incubator or just assisting with the zip) actually 5 if I include the showgirl that almost made it.

 

[MGG]

I haven't been washing any of the eggs I've received. I don't handle them with unwashed hands though. Sometimes I put on a medical glove to handle. I just scratch off whatever I'm able to get off. I've not had a lot of dirty eggs.
That's really interesting about the air cells. I figured this was normal for shipped eggs. Out of probably 30 eggs, all but maybe 10, have had completely detached rolling air cells and tiny bubbles that move alongside the detached air any and every way the egg moves. This could probably be a part of my issue too, maybe. I nearly fainted at the amount of eggs with intact air cells out of the 8 Spitz eggs. Most are slightly saddled, but this is a HUGE improvement from the normal here. What are your thoughts about this? That's why I was so adamant about keeping them upright. With so many factors against the eggs, it's no wonder I've only hatched 4 eggs (the showgirl I should include on that count because I truly feel like she could have made it if I had intervened before I did, whether it meant taking Fancy out so the egg wasn't rolled around all over the incubator or just assisting with the zip) actually 5 if I include the showgirl that almost made it.

Oh, ok. That's good. That's pretty odd (I think anyway) that so many of your air cells have been bad. Saddled ones are fine usually, I wouldn't worry about those at all. I'm just suspicious of incubating them upright. I think it's too far from how they are normally incubated. I know incubating artificially is a far cry from natural incubation, but I like to stick as close as possible. Are your spitz eggs in? I think the Showgirl probably could have made it too. It's just how hatching goes though. It's hard to be there constantly, and it's tough to tell if assisting will do more harm than good. I really hope your hatch rates improve. I know how devastating it is to tenderly care for them for 21 days, and her attached to each egg (is that just me??? Lol) and then only have a couple hatch. That happened to me once, and I know it's tough. Don't give up!
Did you calibrate your thermometers? Were any of them off? If so, that could provide a vital clue.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I found someone that's about 15 minutes from me that has showgirls and silkies hatching. Some hatched last night and throughout today. I'm planning on getting some chicks so Fancy Nancy isn't all alone. I'll have to find out if she sells hatching eggs while I'm there. Fancy is eating and drinking but she's lonely.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Oh, ok. That's good. That's pretty odd (I think anyway) that so many of your air cells have been bad. Saddled ones are fine usually, I wouldn't worry about those at all. I'm just suspicious of incubating them upright. I think it's too far from how they are normally incubated. I know incubating artificially is a far cry from natural incubation, but I like to stick as close as possible. Are your spitz eggs in? I think the Showgirl probably could have made it too. It's just how hatching goes though. It's hard to be there constantly, and it's tough to tell if assisting will do more harm than good. I really hope your hatch rates improve. I know how devastating it is to tenderly care for them for 21 days, and her attached to each egg (is that just me??? Lol) and then only have a couple hatch. That happened to me once, and I know it's tough. Don't give up!
Did you calibrate your thermometers? Were any of them off? If so, that could provide a vital clue.

Let me start by saying thank you so much. You're such a blessing to me and I am truly grateful for you!
The Spitz eggs are set and they've been turning in the automatic turner all day. I still can't stay away but I'm not opening the incubator to turn eggs anymore, so that's got to be a positive thing. I set 7 out of the 8 eggs received. I don't know why I bothered setting the detached air cell egg, but I did just to see how it does. I know that I could have put some wax on the cracked egg, but I have too many things to worry about already. I felt like it'd probably be in my and my eggs best interest to just leave that one out. I still have it so if it has a good chance at hatching, I get some wax melted to pour on it and set it tonight. I have tried mending a cracked egg before but of course the egg never started developing.

 

[Isaac 0]

I found someone that's about 15 minutes from me that has showgirls and silkies hatching. Some hatched last night and throughout today. I'm planning on getting some chicks so Fancy Nancy isn't all alone. I'll have to find out if she sells hatching eggs while I'm there. Fancy is eating and drinking but she's lonely.
View attachment 2223065

What a sweetie!

I always seem to end up with one duckling/chick that hatches earlier than the rest, but recently I've been putting a stuffed animal toy in with them, and they just snuggle right up to it. So you may give that a try, until you get her another friend. Some people will also use mirrors, or I have been known to play bird sounds on my phone by their brooder.

 

[MGG]

I found someone that's about 15 minutes from me that has showgirls and silkies hatching. Some hatched last night and throughout today. I'm planning on getting some chicks so Fancy Nancy isn't all alone. I'll have to find out if she sells hatching eggs while I'm there. Fancy is eating and drinking but she's lonely.
View attachment 2223065

That's great! Fancy will love her new friends. Be sure to post pics when you get them!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I did calibrate my thermometers and the one I thought would be accurate (it's a glass tube) wouldn't go below 34°, no matter what.I had another reptile thermometer/hygrometer and I wasn't able to get it below 34° either. The new thermoworks thermometer was perfect! I have 2 accurite therms/hygrometers that I believe to be accurate. I tested one of them so I still need to test the other. I ended up having incubator problems last night/early this morning and was up until 4:30 this morning trying to figure it out. It's new, so I contacted the company. I've had it for 17 days and had issues in the beginning then it did great and now it's gone crazy. I lost some eggs, so I was on the verge of giving up. Fancy Nancy reminded me how rewarding this can be and I feel so much better with all of the help you've given @MGG so I'm not giving up. I am truly grateful for you

 

[MGG]

Let me start by saying thank you so much. You're such a blessing to me and I am truly grateful for you!
The Spitz eggs are set and they've been turning in the automatic turner all day. I still can't stay away but I'm not opening the incubator to turn eggs anymore, so that's got to be a positive thing. I set 7 out of the 8 eggs received. I don't know why I bothered setting the detached air cell egg, but I did just to see how it does. I know that I could have put some wax on the cracked egg, but I have too many things to worry about already. I felt like it'd probably be in my and my eggs best interest to just leave that one out. I still have it so if it has a good chance at hatching, I get some wax melted to pour on it and set it tonight. I have tried mending a cracked egg before but of course the egg never started developing.

Aw, thanks! ❤
I used some natural nail polish on one of my quail eggs that was cracked (shipped) and it hatched! So I personally would try it. You have nothing to lose at least. Did you already use the wax? I've never had good luck with wax. But the nail polish worked really well! If you use it use it sparingly though, don't use too much. I do love the turner, it works so well. Fingers crossed!

 

[MGG]

I did calibrate my thermometers and the one I thought would be accurate (it's a glass tube) wouldn't go below 34°, no matter what.I had another reptile thermometer/hygrometer and I wasn't able to get it below 34° either. The new thermoworks thermometer was perfect! I have 2 accurite therms/hygrometers that I believe to be accurate. I tested one of them so I still need to test the other. I ended up having incubator problems last night/early this morning and was up until 4:30 this morning trying to figure it out. It's new, so I contacted the company. I've had it for 17 days and had issues in the beginning then it did great and now it's gone crazy. I lost some eggs, so I was on the verge of giving up. Fancy Nancy reminded me how rewarding this can be and I feel so much better with all of the help you've given @MGG so I'm not giving up. I am truly grateful for you

I'm glad you were able to calibrate them. It will make a difference I think. If your temp was off by two degrees that could have been affecting things. 2 degrees is a lot in incubation. Hopefully this go around is better! What was wrong with your incubator? That's weird. It is rewarding! Don't give up! I have faith in you and that we can get this all sorted out. It will get better!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

What a sweetie!

I always seem to end up with one duckling/chick that hatches earlier than the rest, but recently I've been putting a stuffed animal toy in with them, and they just snuggle right up to it. So you may give that a try, until you get her another friend. Some people will also use mirrors, or I have been known to play bird sounds on my phone by their brooder.

Thank you! I am seriously impressed with this chick. She (hoping to push all the feminine vibes on this chick) is lonely but she's handling it really well. I am often a human version of the "mama heating pad" as I get a heating pad and tent it over my chest and stomach. Fancy uses that anytime she needs warming and just walks all over me, especially loving to get under my chin, and cuddle up to my neck. In her brooder, she's got her heat plate, and I double knotted a kitchen "flour sack" towel. I was hoping the knots would feel similar to the body of another chick. She's also got a tiny little whale stuffie about her size, but seems to prefer her "rag doll". I wanted to add a mirror but I tend to overthink everything and worried about it falling over. I know that she'll not get excited to see my hand and happily snuggle into it once she has friends tomorrow, but I want her to be happy all the time, not just the time we can spend with her. I can't be the only one that is crazy over a chick whenever it's an "only chick"