~ Silkie Hatch-a-Long August 2015 (SHIPPED EGGS GONE WRONG!!) ~

[RubyNala97]

That's horrible!  Every hatcher's worst nightmare. 

I have hope for you though! Once that happened to me and I had 10 button quail eggs on day 8. I drove them to my grandma's house that was an hour away and plugged the incubator in there. 8 eggs still hatched!

Don't give up!

Really?? Thank you! That makes me feel better. It's only a five minute trip. So I hope some still hatch. I'll candle tonight to see how much damage has been done. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[WVduckchick]

Really?? Thank you! That makes me feel better. It's only a five minute trip. So I hope some still hatch. I'll candle tonight to see how much damage has been done. Thanks for the encouragement!

Are you going to bring them back home to hatch?
I'm so hopeful for you. You gotta know the ones that make it will be awesome chicks, after all they have been through!

 

[darkbluespace]

I'm so stressed out!! I had the incubator lid off last night and I was candling. I was almost on the last egg and the power went out! I don't have a generator or any backup. So I called my electric company and they told me their was an auto accident that knocked down a pole and that it would be out for several hours. So I panicked. I wrapped each egg, loosely in a paper towel and put them in a styro carton. And drove them and the incubator to my grandma's house that lives only a couple miles away. Of course the power came back on a few hours later. If I would have waited it out, it would have been out all night. Now I have to go back to her house and pick them up. This hatch was just never meant to be! I'm getting a small generator before spring hatches! Is there any hope left for these guys? I drove with them on my lap, very slow...

Oh what a night! I have had the power go out mid-incubation and when I had day old chicks before. I know how stressful that can be. I ended up putting hot water in big zip lock bags in the bator and that kept the temps pretty high till power came back on (It takes a while for the water in the hot water heater to cool down once the power goes out). I bet the short drive didn't harm them though!
I'm still hopeful for you!!

 

[GitaBooks]

I agree with the others, some of the eggs should hatch. I've had eggs go a few hours without any heat and many of them still hatched, granted a little later then usual.

Best of luck!

 

[RubyNala97]

Are you going to bring them back home to hatch?
I'm so hopeful for you. You gotta know the ones that make it will be awesome chicks, after all they have been through!

Yes, I went and picked them up a little while ago. I brought a box and tons of bubble wrap. I put paper towels in the incubator around the eggs, then I put the incubator in a shallow box with bubble wrap all around it. Honestly, they didn't even move around at all. And it was a 2 min trip home because no roads were closed. But last night I was in the dark with tired, cranky kids/baby, so I just put them in an egg carton on my lap. I'll know tonight...as soon as it's dark I'll candle and see what's going on!!

Oh what a night!  I have had the power go out mid-incubation and when I had day old chicks before. I know how stressful that can be.  I ended up putting hot water in big zip lock bags in the bator and that kept the temps pretty high till power came back on (It takes a while for the water in the hot water heater to cool down once the power goes out).  I bet the short drive didn't harm them though!
I'm still hopeful for you!!  

Thank you!! I wanted to fill the hot water bag but I have electric hot water heater and it takes forever for the water to turn hot & it wasn't happening. Then I covered the incubators with towels but read not to do that because they will be oxygen deprived. I just panicked!!

I agree with the others, some of the eggs should hatch. I've had eggs go a few hours without any heat and many of them still hatched, granted a little later then usual.

Best of luck!

Thank you so much!! It helps to hear that and have support!!

 

[Naliez]

Okay, so if you have a late quitter, will there always be a blood ring? How do I know he's dead before lockdown?

 

[Naliez]

I'm so stressed out!! I had the incubator lid off last night and I was candling. I was almost on the last egg and the power went out! I don't have a generator or any backup. So I called my electric company and they told me their was an auto accident that knocked down a pole and that it would be out for several hours. So I panicked. I wrapped each egg, loosely in a paper towel and put them in a styro carton. And drove them and the incubator to my grandma's house that lives only a couple miles away. Of course the power came back on a few hours later. If I would have waited it out, it would have been out all night. Now I have to go back to her house and pick them up. This hatch was just never meant to be! I'm getting a small generator before spring hatches! Is there any hope left for these guys? I drove with them on my lap, very slow...

Don't give up! I Wish you best of luck!

 

[Griffin Nest]

Okay, so if you have a late quitter, will there always be a blood ring? How do I know he's dead before lockdown?

There's only a blood ring with early quitters. Late quitters look like black swishy blobs with no visible veining.

 

[Griffin Nest]

All of these air cell horror stories are getting me worried about my eggs! My air cells are super crazy, I hope none of them get stuck. Only 2 of the 6 eggs have normal cells.

I've had trouble with this in the past, so this time I kept humidity high during the entire incubation. For some reason dry incubation always gives me horrible results. Too many chicks need to be helped when I dry incubate. This time the humidity was 50%-60% and during lockdown its 70%-80%. Hopefully the extra water helps the chicks even though their air cells are crazy.

 

[RubyNala97]

Okay, so if you have a late quitter, will there always be a blood ring? How do I know he's dead before lockdown?

I try to check each egg for movement. I will candle the egg and stay very still until I at least see some tiny movement before lockdown.

There's only a blood ring with early quitters. Late quitters look like black swishy blobs with no visible veining.

X2

All of these air cell horror stories are getting me worried about my eggs! My air cells are super crazy, I hope none of them get stuck. Only 2 of the 6 eggs have normal cells.

I've had trouble with this in the past, so this time I kept humidity high during the entire incubation. For some reason dry incubation always gives me horrible results. Too many chicks need to be helped when I dry incubate. This time the humidity was 50%-60% and during lockdown its 70%-80%. Hopefully the extra water helps the chicks even though their air cells are crazy.

I know!! I'm worried about the air cells too. I'm curious to see how the higher humidity worked out for your hatch. So tomorrow is day 20, right?? Maybe pips by tomorrow for you!!