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

[RubyNala97]

UPDATE:
Still no peeps or pips from anyone yet. It's day 20 and the temperature changed again last night, but it wasn't as low and my dad was able to catch it early. And like you all said, things will be fine with a temperature change. I haven't candled in fear of disrupting one, so I don't really have a clue if I've hurt them or not with letting the temperature slip. All I can do now is wait and not touch anything, which I can do.
 
Though I am starting to worry a little because no one has made any noise. I've been peeping at them every day since I set them, as crazy as that sounds ^w^ But I really do love birds, ahaha... I feel like I shouldn't expect any pips yet, but I'll definitely let you guys know if no one pips tomorrow. I thought I saw something this morning, but I was using my phone's flashlight to look into the incubator, so it cast a shadow on a bump. It wasn't a pip, though. Hmm. 

Anyways, thank you guys for all of your help! <3 I hope you'll follow me on my hatching journey as a first time chicken mom! I'll update as things progress. ^w^)/

Do you have a forced air incubator? I forgot if you did. If you haven't candled then you may have internal pips! I can rarely hear them chirping over the motor of the fan in the incubator. I can't wait to see your babies!

Hey, thank you!! I've heard quite a bit on calibrating thermometers, but I didn't really have time to do it. I put my trust into the one that came with the incubator. 
If you have the time, I'm sure others would appreciate a video like that ^w^) I'm not going to be incubating again any time soon though, if these babies hatch. 
But yeah, totally go for it! I'd post it on youtube too, there's a lot of chicken videos there and I haven't seen many on calibrating thermometers, which really is important!! 
Thank you so much!

It's really important to not trust the thermometer that comes in the incubator. Especially if you can't calibrate it to check if it's accurate. You can buy a separate thermometer, calibrate it for accuracy and then check it against what the thermometer in the incubator is reading. Here's the video!
http://www.thermoworks.com/blog/2010/10/making-a-proper-ice-bath/

 

[AmyLynn2374]

HAPPY UPDATE:

I candled two babies as carefully as I could. I saw a cute little beak in the air cell, and it could have been my nose, but I might have even heard a little peep in there! <3

I'm so happy! And I'm sure that the chickies are happy too. <3 Thank you guys for all of your help! ^w^)

I'll post pictures on my profile when they hatch. I wish you all the best with your flocks!

Great news!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

The little chickies seem to be doing good. I filled both troughs 1 and 2 in the bottom of my Hova Bator on day 18, haven't touched it since. Though on one of the blue eggs, there's a light glossy layer of what seems to be water. I have not touched it. What could it be? Is the egg sweating?

Heres a picture of the lightly wet egg.



Also- The temperature reads about 102. I've heard that for a still air incubator, that's good and it keeps it even. Though I'm not entirely sure, because the chickies are peeping quite a bit. Could they be over heating? Am I just worrying to much?


Here's an update on the three that have pipped.



Thanks, everyone <3 I really hope I'm doing everything right.

101-102 is standard for still air. You can drop a degree if you are more comfortable. There are many hatchers that drop a degree at hatch anyway. Peeping is good!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

UPDATE: (& QUESTIONS

First little chickie's out! <3 I'll post pictures when she's fluffy.

When can I put her into the brooder? There are still about 15 that have yet to hatch. There are also 2 infertile eggs that I have marked that I used to hold up the thermometer on egg level. Should I take those two out?

When to move chicks is a personal decision. If you have your humidity up in your incubator and it recovers easily and your brooder is set up and warmed at one end, then you should be able to move them when you are comfortable. Some people wait until the end of the hatch to move chicks. Some wait until they are fluffed up and dry. I move mine as they become active and start running around in the bator.

Now, it is true that the sounds of the previously hatched chicks will help motivate the others. I use a video of chicks chirping played by the bator periodically during pipping and constantly if I have a zipper. My bator is also w/in feet of my brooder so they can hear them as well.

Whether you take the unviable ones out is your call. As long as they are not stinking or leaking, it doesn't matter.

 

[ForestAlice]

OMG!!! That is so funny!!! So great too!! Congrats!! I'm so happy for you!

I know, right? The whole house is laughing!

Thanks for all your help! Pictures of the beauties will be up on my profile ^w^)/

 

[ForestAlice]

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!

 

[ForestAlice]

Okay!! Thank you! I'll keep my eyes on them!
And definitely, I'll be posting in bulk!

 

[ForestAlice]

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.

 

[ForestAlice]

Here's a pic of the babies right now. I'm hoping that it'll warm up soon...
The blue and green ones are Ameraucana and the brown ones are Rhode Island Reds mixed with Leghorns.
One of them has chicken poopies on it, but it's fertile so I'm not entirely sure of what to do. Though I'm sure they'll be okay, cause the farmer we got them from wouldn't have given it to us if he didn't think it was clean enough to hatch.
The temperature is rising very slowly, but surely. Right now it's at 97.9. Things are going to be okay ^w^)

 

[ForestAlice]

UPDATE:
Still no peeps or pips from anyone yet. It's day 20 and the temperature changed again last night, but it wasn't as low and my dad was able to catch it early. And like you all said, things will be fine with a temperature change. I haven't candled in fear of disrupting one, so I don't really have a clue if I've hurt them or not with letting the temperature slip. All I can do now is wait and not touch anything, which I can do.

Though I am starting to worry a little because no one has made any noise. I've been peeping at them every day since I set them, as crazy as that sounds ^w^ But I really do love birds, ahaha... I feel like I shouldn't expect any pips yet, but I'll definitely let you guys know if no one pips tomorrow. I thought I saw something this morning, but I was using my phone's flashlight to look into the incubator, so it cast a shadow on a bump. It wasn't a pip, though. Hmm.

Anyways, thank you guys for all of your help! <3 I hope you'll follow me on my hatching journey as a first time chicken mom! I'll update as things progress. ^w^)/