Should I be stressing at this point? Bator temps fell on day 19!

[CityGirlintheCountry]

So tomorrow (Saturday) is my official due date. Three nights ago the house temps dropped waaayyyyy down and the bator temp went to 97 from the 100 it is supposed to be. I turned the house heat on (yes, yes, I'm running the heat in the house to keep the bator temps constant

)
So chick #1 hatched out overnight last night (early). Chick #2 hatched today. There are no pips or anything from the others. When I candled on day 17 all of them left in there showed veining and dark forms. Actually all were full of chick.

Am I stressing unnecessarily? In the past they have all hatched within 24 hours of the first one hatching. Did I kill them all off with the temp dip the other night? It took forever to get it back up to the right temp (at least 24 hours to get it stabilized back up.) Are they all dead or just behind now? If they are behind, why did the first two make it out?

ARRGGGGG!! Every time I get to hatch day I swear I'm never going to do it again!

 

[FenDruadin]

I don't have any experience to share, just guesses. I would say that 97 is not so low that it would hurt them--some say you're supposed to turn the temp down to 98 at hatching time, because at that point they're generating some of their own heat.

However, it may have slowed them down some, and that may be why you're seeing such a stretch between hatches.

Like I said, I'm just guessing. But I would definitely give them more time!

 

[magsrags]

Oh sit tight......it might just be OK. I've had that happen and they took over 48 hours to all get to piping/zipping out. I was beside myself......

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[Akane]

97 is fine. Eggs will continue to develop down to 96F for awhile. Yours are done growing and just need to position to get out of the egg. They are even hardier to temps then. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to take them out of the bator the same day they hatch. Just make sure your humidity doesn't drop with the temp. Colder air holds less water and humidity is very important to successfully hatching.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I got the temps and humidity back up. It was the house temp dropping by 6 degrees at night that dropped the bator temps. Now that the heat is keeping it constant at night I'm having an easier time keeping the temp back up at 100. Humidity is in the high 70s/low 80s.

Okay, I'll save the stressing for tomorrow and Sunday. The two that are out are fluffing up nicely and are peeping up a storm. I'll likely have to take them out at some point tomorrow. One hatched out in teh wee hours this morning and she'll be getting hungry and thirsty by late tomorrow.

Hatching is so stressful!

 

[mulia24]

ups, as mine has fluctuated much even since first day till the last day and some of them (30%) made it.

guess yours too will made it but with not too high rate (maybe).

keep my finger crossed to your hatching.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Still no sign of life in the remaining eggs. I pulled the two out and put them in the brooder. Temps and humidity are still okay, but nothing is happening with the remaining eggs.

 

[mulia24]

keep waiting till 24th days.

 

[Tennessee Ridge Farm]

Yes your worry is unnecessary... 100 down to 97 is no big deal, just keep the humidity right. in real life the hen will leave the nest for a short time to eat and drink.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay... now I'm really stressing. Still nothing from the remaining 8 eggs. No pips, no peeps, no nothing. The first two hatched out 24-36 hours ago. Is there any chance that these will hatch this late after the first two? Are all of them dead? They all were viable on lockdown day. Nothing has been off other than the low temps. Arg.
I've never had this long a lag between first and last. Is there anything I can do other than sit on my hands and fret?