They're starting to hatch!!!!! (Update: Dead in their shells)

[Squishypuff]

Ok, my eggs have been in the bator for 18 days. Since I put them in at night, I'm thinking Day 18 actually starts around midnight tonight, technically. I have 6 or so eggs that have actually developed, and I'm praying they hatch. I killed the other 14 eggs somehow. Anyway, I need some info. I'm hatching Silkies in an LG still air. I've kept the temp between 99.5 and 101. Humidity has been 30-40, though right now it's more like 50.

I need the humidity at around 60-70% right?

Do I need to put in the red plugs in the top?

Should I just lie the eggs on the wire bottom, leave them in the turner (but turn it off), or something else?

How often will I need to put in water?

And the BIG question. I know that all these eggs have been in for 18 days- BUT, two of the eggs came from a friend who reached under a broody hen and handed me the eggs. They're a few days ahead on everything, development wise. Anything different I need to do for them?

I am so nervous, and so desperate for at least one of these eggs to hatch. I don't want to screw up. I've got 5 eggs I know 100% are alive- those contain 2 buff Silkies, and 4 either Silkies or Showgirls. Please let me know any tips that could help me. I know not to open the bator during lockdown, but beyond that... My nervousness is erasing all the info I got while reading threads on here!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd leave at least one plug out. They need the air exchange so they can get oxygen to breathe.

You can leave them in the turner and turn it off or lay them flat on the wire. People do it both ways. You can cut the bottom off an egg carton so they can get air and put them in that. I lay them on the wire since the turner is so hard to clean after hatch, plus I worry some about them getting their feet stuck in the cracks and tight spaces.

I'd try to raise the humidity. I'm not familiar with your incubator, but there are a few different ways to do that. Humidity is controlled by surface area. Depth of water in the reservoirs does not affect humidity, just how fast the water runs out. You can fill all reservoirs or put more containers of water in there. If you do, make sure a chick cannot fall in and drown. Maybe cover it with wire. You can add sponges, paper towels, or something like that so it acts like a wick and creates more surface area. The risk with those is that they tend to dry out so you need to watch them.

The way I add water to an incubator during lockdown is to use some of those straws with the accordian joint and put two or three of those together. Put it through a vent opening and use a syringe (I got one at Tractor Supply) to put water where you want it. It may take a bit of adjustment and practice, but I can hit all reservoirs in mine.

I would not do anything different for those eggs. I think that is something you will just have to watch and see what happens.

Good luck! It is an exciting, nerve-wracking time, but oh, so much fun when they do hatch.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

I just had my first hatch and I don't know all the answers as we used a homemade incubator and two light bulbs, one on each side.

I was climbing the walls the last few days also. I kept coming onto here and looking up EVERYTHING! I was so confused by the end that my brain hurt. Now, I wish I had relaxed more and enjoyed it. I have 24 eggs coming so I get another chance to try to be a little less stressed.

This is what I did. Mine is a still air and I also kept my temp between 99.5 and 101, most of the time. My humidity was between 30 and 35, most of the time, and then at lockdown I bumped it up originally to around 70 but settled for between 65 and 70, most of the time!

I hand turned mine but I think that you probably should take them out of the turner. I have some holes in the side of my incubator and when I needed to bump up the humidity I would just stuff a warm wet cloth through the hole just leaving enough sticking out to be able to remove the cloth when I needed to either rewet it or take it away completely to reduce the humidity.

You have to remember that mine is a homemade incubator and what worked for me may not work for you as mine is set up differently. What ever you chose to do I hope that you have a great hatch and lots of new baby chicks!

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Oh forgot to say that once we noticed them starting to pip my husband and I took turns bawk bawk bawk baawking at them.

 

[Squishypuff]

thank you everyone!! I'm going to candle one last time and chuck the eggs that I've kept hoping will turn into something... Then set up the water and lock 'em down. I am so excited. Please pray that I get even just one chick for my first time.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. I take the turner out of the incubator and candle the eggs as I put them back in on the wire. I put a wet sponge in the incubator to help bring up the humidity.

 

[Squishypuff]

How wet- are we talking a saturated sponge?

 

[Squishypuff]

OMG my eggs are rocking back and forth!!! I am sooo excited!

 

[Moonkit]

I hope you'll post pics of the cute little fuzzbutts when they make it out of their shells.

 

[Squishypuff]

Well, maybe I was imagining things. I'm pretty sure I saw that egg rock all day long, with breaks in between. I KNOW I head tapping, and I think I heard peeping. But all the eggs look exactly the same. I think I need to stop looking!