The Waiting is the Hardest Part...

[CindyinSD]

One other thing you can do should you decide to candle. Listen to the eggs. You can often hear little peeps if they’ve broken through to the air cell—unless they’re sleeping. And likely you woke them with the bright lights and movement. Anyway it’s reassuring and kind of sweet to hear them.

 

[HookLineSilkie]

One other thing you can do should you decide to candle. Listen to the eggs. You can often hear little peeps if they’ve broken through to the air cell—unless they’re sleeping. And likely you woke them with the bright lights and movement. Anyway it’s reassuring and kind of sweet to hear them.

I am sitting, staring at the eggs! Where’s the popcorn?! I can’t wait to hear/see them! It really feels like Christmas Eve! I just don’t know if Christmas morning is coming or if it’ll all go down in flames!! Why are they so still?? I think I see small movements but they are now on the sticky shelving pad and might not move as easily as before when they were on the hard plastic...

 

[CindyinSD]

I can identify with that. I would listen to the folks warning of too high humidity, though. I live in a dry place, I listened, it worked for me. I still have the roosters.

 

[HookLineSilkie]

I can identify with that. I would listen to the folks warning of too high humidity, though. I live in a dry place, I listened, it worked for me. I still have the roosters.

Hahaha!
What humidity do you set your incubator to during lockdown?

 

[FortCluck]

Even my first hatch I only went 7-10-14-18. Now I may only do 7 & 18.

On my first hatch I candled every 3 days. My second hatch I'm doing now, I've only candled twice and they're 9 days away from hatching. I candled mainly just to take out infertile ones.

 

[FortCluck]

So today is day 2 of lockdown... You're getting closer!

 

[aart]

Hey, I didn’t say I was sane! Funny thing is my one and only hen went broody for the first time today so I guess she’s taking over for a while...

Is this your first hatch?
...and you've got another bator going... and now a broody?
Hope you've got space for all the chicks, and plans for all the males.
Best of cLuck!

 

[HookLineSilkie]

Is this your first hatch?
...and you've got another bator going... and now a broody?
Hope you've got space for all the chicks, and plans for all the males.
Best of cLuck!

Yes, first go around. There’s always room! I’m going to be known in town as the lonely chicken woman - if these eggs even hatch! I’m just winging it over here!

 

[HookLineSilkie]

So today is day 2 of lockdown... You're getting closer!

Up early staring away!!!

 

[cmom]

I haven't read every post in this thread yet. If the humidity is too high during incubation, condensation can build up in the air cell and when the chicks pip the air cell they can drown. I'm sure many people will disagree with me but that has happened to me in the past. Good luck and have fun...