The 8th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!

[ronott1]

No.

. Day 23 and no signs at all. No pipping, shaking or peeping. It's looking like I did something wrong. So sad. They looked good before lock down.

I am so sorry!

They may still hatch. Check for signs of life. Candle them and look for heads in the air cell. You can also tap the shell and listen for peeps.

The most common cause of late hatching and dead in shell at 23 days but fully developed is temperatures too low. Consider raising the temperature of your incubator a degree next hatch and get a thermometer that reads in tenths and is listed as fast adjusting. Also look for an accuracy rating of +- 1-3. The lower the accuracy number the better.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

I know the quality of this picture is awful, but I was running out the door when I took it. I've been worried about my humidity level. It's Day 19, how is that air cell looking?

Thanks!

 

[kmet101]

If there are any viable chicks, will taking them out to candle them kill them? Also, my biggest issue is that my incubator seems to have a rather large range of temps instead of keeping it constant. It seemed to range from 97-102. Is it worse to have it too high or to have it too low? I'm using a hovabator I believe.

 

[LadyCluck77]

I know the quality of this picture is awful, but I was running out the door when I took it. I've been worried about my humidity level. It's Day 19, how is that air cell looking?

Thanks!

Mine look similar to that as well. It should be okay I believe. My humidity has been tricky this time as well.
At day 18 I usually go into lockdown. I have an incubator like yours, I highly recommend the turner plate be removed completely for lockdown.
(Just set the eggs aside on a towel and take the whole plate right out) then put them back and fill the center with water, and replace the lid dome.

 

[ronott1]

If there are any viable chicks, will taking them out to candle them kill them? Also, my biggest issue is that my incubator seems to have a rather large range of temps instead of keeping it constant. It seemed to range from 97-102. Is it worse to have it too high or to have it too low? I'm using a hovabator I believe.

If you are going to be hatching a lot of chicks, save up for a better incubator.

Adding heat syncs, like bricks or bags of water can help even out the temps. Also, controlling the Temperature in the room with the incubator helps. Keep the bator away from drafts and windows. Sunlight should not shine on it. It the winter, I add a heater with a thermostat to keep the temperature close to 70F in the room. Incubators often have trouble adjusting if there is more than a 10 degree temperature change.

Candling will not hurt the chicks if they are alive at day 23. If there were pips, low humidity can be a problem though. It does not sound like you have pips though.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

Mine look similar to that as well. It should be okay I believe. My humidity has been tricky this time as well.
At day 18 I usually go into lockdown. I have an incubator like yours, I highly recommend the turner plate be removed completely for lockdown.
(Just set the eggs aside on a towel and take the whole plate right out) then put them back and fill the center with water, and replace the lid dome.

This is my second time hatching chicks, the first time I just didn't know enough to pay close attention to the air cell. I'm going to put the bator into lockdown tonight, I just didn't want to up my humidity until I was sure the air cells were large enough.

Getting excited!

 

[kmet101]

If you are going to be hatching a lot of chicks, save up for a better incubator.

Adding heat syncs, like bricks or bags of water can help even out the temps. Also, controlling the Temperature in the room with the incubator helps. Keep the bator away from drafts and windows. Sunlight should not shine on it. It the winter, I add a heater with a thermostat to keep the temperature close to 70F in the room. Incubators often have trouble adjusting if there is more than a 10 degree temperature change.

Candling will not hurt the chicks if they are alive at day 23. If there were pips, low humidity can be a problem though. It does not sound like you have pips though.

This information helps me so much! I haven't seen this information anywhere in my studies. I have my incubator right next to a window, where the sun shines in and I switched from heater to air conditioner recently. This makes total logical sense to me now that you say it. Thank you so much for this information. I will candle them tonight and see if I can see anything. They were pretty dark when I locked them down, do I just look for movement when I candle?

 

[ronott1]

This information helps me so much! I haven't seen this information anywhere in my studies. I have my incubator right next to a window, where the sun shines in and I switched from heater to air conditioner recently. This makes total logical sense to me now that you say it. Thank you so much for this information. I will candle them tonight and see if I can see anything. They were pretty dark when I locked them down, do I just look for movement when I candle?

If they are dark, put the egg up to your ear, tap the shell and Peep at it. If there is a chick alive in there they will often cheep back at you. If so, give them another day and then carefully open the shells. If you do not see any heads in the air cell and do not hear any peeps, carefully open up the eggs starting at the big end at the air cell.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

If they are dark, put the egg up to your ear, tap the shell and Peep at it. If there is a chick alive in there they will often cheep back at you. If so, give them another day and then carefully open the shells. If you do not see any heads in the air cell and do not hear any peeps, carefully open up the eggs starting at the big end at the air cell.

The first time I hatched I played a YouTube video of a hen clucking to her chicks next to the incubator. The egg would rock and roll when I did it!

 

[kmet101]

If they are dark, put the egg up to your ear, tap the shell and Peep at it. If there is a chick alive in there they will often cheep back at you. If so, give them another day and then carefully open the shells. If you do not see any heads in the air cell and do not hear any peeps, carefully open up the eggs starting at the big end at the air cell.

I am getting so much great information here, thank you so much! I will let you know what I find tonight