(Solved) Please help, I might have accidently killed my first batch.

[ForestAlice]

This is also my first post on BYC, so if I make any mistakes please bear with me. (this one is actually a double of the other forum post ^^; wish i knew how to delete one, but people have noticed both. lol Solved!!)

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...?

 

[sourland]

Everything should be fine. In general slightly low temperature can slow down incubation and somewhat delay hatch - but not ruin it. Try to get temps up a bit, but keep an eye on things so that they do not go too high. High temperature can cause real problems. Good luck, and I think your eggs will hatch if they were viable to begin with.

 

[MrsBrooke]

A broody hen will get off the nest each day to relieve herself, flap a bit, preen some, eat a bite, and then return to the nest. I try to mimic as close to "nature" as I can get with my incubator, and I have removed the lid and let some "fresh air" in for 15 mins at a time during the first 18 days.

My hatching ratio has always been above 85% (I can only fit 9 eggs at a time), so I feel like something must be working okay with that.

Take a BIG breath and unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth (says the Yoga teacher in me). Your eggs will most likely be just fine. You are doing a GREAT job, and I can tell they are about to come into a world of love and TLC.

MrsB

 

[sourland]

Give us an update when the hatch is complete - good update.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Give us an update when the hatch is complete - good update.

X2!!!

And pics of your babies, too, please!

MrsB

 

[ForestAlice]

Give us an update when the hatch is complete - good update.

Sure thing ^^ I keep hearing lots of little peeps >w<))

X2!!!

And pics of your babies, too, please!

MrsB

Heck yea!! <3 Expect tons, they're so precious already and I haven't even seen them out of their eggs yet >w<))

 

[MrsBrooke]

Awesome!

MrsB

 

[ForestAlice]

UPDATE: (& QUESTIONS

First little chickie's out! <3

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 out?

 

[MrsBrooke]

Wait until they are mostly dry to put them in the brooder.

By this time, though, I bet they're already running around and peeping!!

Pics, pleeeeease!!!

MrsB

 

[sourland]

Okay, how many did you get?