Trying not to panic..........but.

[Lil'ChickFarm]

This is my second time trying to incubate chicks. My first one only two out of 23 made it. However I did some things wrong that time.
This time I tried to do it by the book in the dry incubation instructions. However at 18 days, I put them in an egg carton to hatch and I just read that you are supposed to cut the bottom out and I didn't.
My humidity didn't stay up well either, so I stuck a sponge in there. Now it is 65 percent humidity. Before it would go up as high as 70 and drop back down in a few hours to 45. That was with water in the bottom.
My temps are 100 to 101.
It is day 22 today and nothing is moving, peeping or pipped. They are silkies. I wanted my silkies soooooo bad and I can't get silkie eggs around here. I had purchased these on ebay. I candled them and all were growing ok. I had six that were fully dark at 18.
I have had no trouble hatching conures, bearded dragons, button quail etc. WHY are these guys so hard?? I wanted my silkies so bad.

 

[saladin]

Alot depends on your incubator. When hatching in a egg carton the bottoms are cut-out because of air-flow.

I've never used the dry incubation method because it just seemed way to complicated to me. I like things simple.

Shipped eggs are a crap shoot. Personally, I always use a broody hen with shipped eggs. There are to many things that go wrong with artifical incubation to entrust shipped eggs to an incubator. If I don't have a broody hen I don't get shipped eggs. If a hen cannot hatch them then I know it was the post office or the breeder who is at fault and not me. As it stands, you can't be for sure who to blame. lol.

Better success to you next time.

 

[magicpigeon]

x2 Saladin. Also keep in mind silkie eggs tend to be more fragile than normal, I'm a silkie breeder I would know

I wish you better luck for future hatches

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

Day 23, no smells from the eggs, humidity at 65 percent and temp 100 almost 101.
Eggs sitting quietly.
I might have to find some live chicks when one day I can afford to have them shipped in. I really wanted some silkies.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

I'm sorry your eggs haven't hatched yet. I have heard of some eggs hatching really late. I hope this is one of those times.

 

[joe17]

Lil'ChickFarm :

This is my second time trying to incubate chicks. My first one only two out of 23 made it. However I did some things wrong that time.
This time I tried to do it by the book in the dry incubation instructions. However at 18 days, I put them in an egg carton to hatch and I just read that you are supposed to cut the bottom out and I didn't.
My humidity didn't stay up well either, so I stuck a sponge in there. Now it is 65 percent humidity. Before it would go up as high as 70 and drop back down in a few hours to 45. That was with water in the bottom.
My temps are 100 to 101.
It is day 22 today and nothing is moving, peeping or pipped. They are silkies. I wanted my silkies soooooo bad and I can't get silkie eggs around here. I had purchased these on ebay. I candled them and all were growing ok. I had six that were fully dark at 18.
I have had no trouble hatching conures, bearded dragons, button quail etc. WHY are these guys so hard?? I wanted my silkies so bad.

I have forgot to cut the bottom of the paper egg cartons to and that doesnt really affect the hatch rate. Depending on your incubator, you can put a little hole in the top and pour water through there with a straw on to a sponge.
I have tried hatching shipped silkie eggs with no success. I dont know if silkie eggs are just more fragile compared to other chicken eggs or what. Shipped eggs no matter what the breed are hard to hatch anyway. How did you get the eggs shipped to you? Some breeders have more successful methods of shipping. You can try to buy eggs from a more reputable breeder. Your best bet is to buy a few chicks.​

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

Quote:
I have forgot to cut the bottom of the paper egg cartons to and that doesnt really affect the hatch rate. Depending on your incubator, you can put a little hole in the top and pour water through there with a straw on to a sponge.
I have tried hatching shipped silkie eggs with no success. I dont know if silkie eggs are just more fragile compared to other chicken eggs or what. Shipped eggs no matter what the breed are hard to hatch anyway. How did you get the eggs shipped to you? Some breeders have more successful methods of shipping. You can try to buy eggs from a more reputable breeder. Your best bet is to buy a few chicks.

I got these from a guy on ebay. The eggs did form though. I watched them grow inside.
There is no bad smells coming from them at all and today is day 23. Is there any hope?
I do put water on a sponge now and it is staying at 65 percent. I am using a syringe with a tube on it, through the plug hole. I am not removing these eggs yet. I am still holding on to hope.

 

[liz allen]

Try holding one to your ear to see if you can hear it tapping or peeping. I had some pekins that were late day 23 was going to throw them but heard tapping inside. I candled the egg to see where air sack was and gently chipped the shell away. It turned out the membranes had dried out and they were stuck fast.
After checking out how to help an egg hatch on the net i managed to hatch the 3 safely and they are all going strong 2 weeks later.

 

[blkwdw]

you might want to try the float test... I know how you are feeling..out of 18 silkie eggs ( picked up locally) it looks like there is one that is going to make it...(due to hatch 07/17) 1 died early and the rest never developed.. ? not fertile.
Good Luck

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

I just made a new post. They are all shrink wrapped and dead. I am heart sick right now.