(SOLVED) Please help, I might have accidentally killed my first batch.

[ForestAlice]

This is also my first post on BYC, so if I make any mistakes please bear with me.

It's day 19 with my chicken eggs and I had realized that last night it was colder than usual, but I thought nothing of it because the incubator was always fine until this point. I went down to check on my babies this morning and the temp read 96. I panicked. I'm close to tears, eating my feelings, choking on air, it sucks. I've come this far and filled every day with love only to make one little mistake and possibly kill them all. I turned the thermostat in my house up to 72 as it had gone down to 61 last night which was ridiculous in itself. I also, in my panic, turned up the temp in the incubator up a HAIR. Only because the temp has dropped in there since I added lots of water yesterday to prepare them for their hatch. (Yesterday I also added a thin kitchen mat so that they wont slip, but I don't think that would alter the temperature.) Everything seemed completely fine.

Because they're in lockdown, I can't candle them to check on them.

I'll try to peep at them to see if they reply, but... Do you all think that they'll be okay...?

 

[casportpony]

This is also my first post on BYC, so if I make any mistakes please bear with me.

It's day 19 with my chicken eggs and I had realized that last night it was colder than usual, but I thought nothing of it because the incubator was always fine until this point. I went down to check on my babies this morning and the temp read 96. I panicked. I'm close to tears, eating my feelings, choking on air, it sucks. I've come this far and filled every day with love only to make one little mistake and possibly kill them all. I turned the thermostat in my house up to 72 as it had gone down to 61 last night which was ridiculous in itself. I also, in my panic, turned up the temp in the incubator up a HAIR. Only because the temp has dropped in there since I added lots of water yesterday to prepare them for their hatch. (Yesterday I also added a thin kitchen mat so that they wont slip, but I don't think that would alter the temperature.) Everything seemed completely fine.

Because they're in lockdown, I can't candle them to check on them.

I'll try to peep at them to see if they reply, but... Do you all think that they'll be okay...? 

Welcome to BYC! I think you need to meet @AmyLynn2374.

-Kathy

 

[AmyLynn2374]

This is also my first post on BYC, so if I make any mistakes please bear with me.

It's day 19 with my chicken eggs and I had realized that last night it was colder than usual, but I thought nothing of it because the incubator was always fine until this point. I went down to check on my babies this morning and the temp read 96. I panicked. I'm close to tears, eating my feelings, choking on air, it sucks. I've come this far and filled every day with love only to make one little mistake and possibly kill them all. I turned the thermostat in my house up to 72 as it had gone down to 61 last night which was ridiculous in itself. I also, in my panic, turned up the temp in the incubator up a HAIR. Only because the temp has dropped in there since I added lots of water yesterday to prepare them for their hatch. (Yesterday I also added a thin kitchen mat so that they wont slip, but I don't think that would alter the temperature.) Everything seemed completely fine.

Because they're in lockdown, I can't candle them to check on them.

I'll try to peep at them to see if they reply, but... Do you all think that they'll be okay...?

Hey there!!

At day 19 your chicks are producing their own body heat, so 96 isn't so bad. I had a broody get off her eggs in October on their 19th day of incubation and I thought they were goners! They were cold!!!! Well, they warmed back up and hatched perfectly fine. My first hatch ever, my thermometer was off the whole incubation- 6 degrees cold and I still had one hatch. So I wouldn't get too upset. I think whatever was going to hatch before your temp drop, will most likely still hatch...

And I'll tell you a secret too, if it'll make you feel better, once they are warmed back up, you can candle if you want, especially if there are no pips. Many of us are hands on hatchers and don't believe in all that -don't open the bator stuff. You can actually find us over on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help/ But I wouldn't worry too much. And

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Oh, and keep a close eye on the bator after any adjustments, even a hair, cause with some bators (like mine) even a hair can make quite a change.

 

[WVduckchick]

Agreed! No big worries! But great job on paying close attention to what's going on!

Please update, would love to see the cuties when they arrive!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The temp is still a little under 98, but I guess I could take one out to see if they're okay. Would it be alright if I did before it gets back up to 100?
And yes, I've had my share of panic over these babies! xD Reassurance will be very very nice.

I'd let it warm up a little more, make sure that it's warmed up inside, because the outside air warms quicker than the egg does, but you can candle when you want. Just if you candle now and dont see a lot, don't get to upset, give it some more time to warm and try again.

 

[RubyNala97]

I'm happy to hear that you got some good advice and everything is headed back in the right direction. People loose power all the time (it's definitely happened to me) and the eggs cool for awhile and then hatch fine! I just wanted to add that you should make sure you have a thermometer in there that you can calibrate yourself to make sure it's accurate. You might already know this. But if you want I can post a video on how you can properly calibrate a thermometer.

 

[BertandMary]

Yup you will be fine. Just did o

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you thank you thank you!!

You made me feel so much better!! I really appreciate it!! And I'll definitely keep an eye on the temperature. Thanks for telling me that I can candle them, too. I was really really worried, and being able to see them move to make sure that they're okay will make everything better!
If you'd like I could update when they hatch. Thanks again!

We definitely want to see updates! And lots of pictures!! Let us know what you think after taking a peek. Sometimes we just need that reassurance so we don't have a mental break down.

 

[BertandMary]

A little cooling is far better than overheating. You should be fine and have already gotten good advice. Luckily the eggs are a bit more forgiving in the last week.