Set eggs 3/5. Looking for others to hatch with!

[wholewheatchicken]

Here is Baby #1 giving comfort to newly born Baby #3. #3 is fluffing up really great and getting around. I could have just gotten a Kodac pic of all three of them huddled together on top of the egg crate, but DH wouldn't let me get the camera.....said the flash isn't good for a baby's eyes. I was won since I said this was my show and I wanted pictures of it, but by that time they had moved.....

The silkies are really making progress. Hoping for some new pips on RIR eggs! Everything is going great still.

 

[dixie&trixie]

Still nothing...Im getting discouraged. What can I do? Can I candle the eggs to see if anything is going on? Need help fellow BYCer's!!

 

[CALI CHICK]

CONGRATULATIONS, KIM

I knew you were going to have some babies. I'm proud of you for not giving up...and now you probably really have the "bator bug"!

I'm supposed to lockdown today, but I haven't decided if I want to use cartons or not. I actually have a carton ready with air holes cut out for ventilation if I DO go that route. Remember I'm the one that doesn't like change and since I laid the eggs on their sides last time...I'm wanting to do it the same.

On the other hand, they've been in a turner the whole time so maybe it'd be better to keep them in the upright position. Then I see how succesful you and Peach2U were with the eggcartons and I just don't know.....
Eggcartons? OR lay on sides? Eggcartons? OR lay on sides?...............................................

Here is Baby #1 giving comfort to newly born Baby #3. #3 is fluffing up really great and getting around. I could have just gotten a Kodac pic of all three of them huddled together on top of the egg crate, but DH wouldn't let me get the camera.....said the flash isn't good for a baby's eyes. I was won since I said this was my show and I wanted pictures of it, but by that time they had moved.....

The silkies are really making progress. Hoping for some new pips on RIR eggs! Everything is going great still.

 

[wholewheatchicken]

Still nothing...Im getting discouraged. What can I do? Can I candle the eggs to see if anything is going on? Need help fellow BYCer's!!

You can candle. Go into the darkest room you have with the brightest flashlight you have. Sometimes they just don't make it under a broody. I have lost four chicks in the last week that the mommas had. The last hen I had hatched four chicks of eight living. If there are no viable eggs, you can either buy some chicks to put under her and she may take them, just something you will have to try, or she may sit again and you can buy eggs to put under her. I would try to get something local rather than shipped because I don't think a broody has much success with shipped eggs.....too many issues with the eggs getting bumped around.
Let me know if you see anything and good luck.....I know exactly how you feel. I've been there. I was so sad last week to have lost the two chicks. They were just a few days from being born. The two I lost yesterday, one probably would have been born within the next 24 hours based on what I saw......

 

[wholewheatchicken]

CONGRATULATIONS, KIM

I knew you were going to have some babies. I'm proud of you for not giving up...and now you probably really have the "bator bug"!

I'm supposed to lockdown today, but I haven't decided if I want to use cartons or not. I actually have a carton ready with air holes cut out for ventilation if I DO go that route. Remember I'm the one that doesn't like change and since I laid the eggs on their sides last time...I'm wanting to do it the same.

On the other hand, they've been in a turner the whole time so maybe it'd be better to keep them in the upright position. Then I see how succesful you and Peach2U were with the eggcartons and I just don't know.....
Eggcartons? OR lay on sides? Eggcartons? OR lay on sides?...............................................

I'm really liking the crates a lot....A LOT. The chicks can't move the eggs out of position and they are having a very easy time getting out of the egg and moving. I've read if the egg is bumped out of position by the newly hatched chick, the chick that is trying to hatch has to then reposition in the egg and it loses a lot of energy and may die from trying to hatch and the pip can't be facedown either. Everyone is having an easy time pipping and zipping. I see no drawback to the egg crates. I will definitely continue to use them. I think it keeps everything very stable in there because the babies keep messing with the eggs that have pipps and zipping and they would really be doing a job on the guys trying to get out.
Let me know what you decide....I'm curious which route you are going to take.

 

[dixie&trixie]

What should I be looking for when I candle? My eggs came from my own hens. Im so disappointed

 

[JulieNKC]

Good luck! Is that a shipped egg or from your flock? If they are shipped, how did you incubate? I've got shipped eggs in the bator and the air cells are messed up on them and I am trying incubation in egg crates to keep the air cell oriented. Any advice for shipped eggs?
Someone had a question a few posts ago about if they should turn up temps on still air for lockdown. Do you have any advice for them?

I leave the temp at 100.5-101.5 the whole incubation. They are shipped, I incubated them on their sides because I'm used to incubating ducks, and waited a day before turning them. I have put them in a carton for hatching though. I haven't ever hatched chickens from shipped eggs, just quail and ducks so I'm not sure how the hatching goes with the air cells being messed up.

 

[JulieNKC]

What should I be looking for when I candle? My eggs came from my own hens. Im so disappointed

What day? Usually by day 18 on all I can see is veins maybe along the top, and sometimes movement, but not always.

 

[bobbi-j]

What should I be looking for when I candle? My eggs came from my own hens. Im so disappointed

This is a very good resource. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs The pictures are very clear. I learned this year to candle from both ends at the same time. You can see so much more that way! Don't give up - keep trying, and you will learn what works best for you. It's an ongoing learning prociess. You will have failure, you will have success, you will have mediocre hatches. There are so many variables that can throw things off.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

My eggs are dead. I looked at the temperature (still using the thermometer that you point at the eggs) and it said 104. I got worried and turned it way down, then candled them. The temperature was not accurate enough. The temperature was not at 104, it was 120. Feeling so stupid right now.