Well, after all the drama and mess of the first week after I set my eggs I have 39 eggs that have made it this far! I was so amazed at day 14 to see so many 'ok'. I had temps fluctuating from 100 down to 86!!!! I was tearing my hair out believe me! I was so freaked out about the temps that I didn't even think about the humidity, fortunately it is pretty humid here is SC. While my temps are pretty stable now they were low and unstable for a week. But tomorrow is day 18 and I am SO hoping that we are going to get a good hatch. You can be saying lots of prayers for these little fuzz butts and for my nerves! It was so much easier when my little hen did the job for me - but she is picky about when she'll go broody and certainly will not do it just for me!!
I am going to assume that I may have a delayed hatch since everything was so up and down for the first while. I have a friend on stand by for hatching day (she homeschools and wants her kids in on the fun) and I guess we'll see what happens. I had 50 eggs in the bator to start off with ( 9 next to the turner!)... at day 7 I pulled 3 - 1 infertile, 1 bloodring and 1 that I messed up and it was a viable embryo. I learned my lesson on that one!!! Then next candling I pulled out 8 (much easier to see at that stage especially with the welsummer eggs!) I had 1 died, 2 bloodrings and the rest were infertile! So, really I have had amazingly good results despite crazy temps. Since I replaced the part the temps have been lovely and stable, what a relief! So please hang in there with me guys, this has been a real nail biter and I am bracing myself for the final days here!
