Two lockdown mistakes - critical or not?

[Maria G]

I made to stupid mistakes this lockdown:

1) I forgot to turn off the cooling
2) the incubator is also quite full - there is hardly any space between the eggs.

The hatching is due in 24 hours. I have turned off cooling, but I don't know if I should move some of the eggs to another incubator to make more room for each egg.

Any advice or comforting words?

M.

 

[goodb]

1 - I have no idea what "cooling" is for incubating. Are these fowl eggs? If the temperature stays close to normal you will be fine.
2 - Think of how the eggs are under momma hen when she sits on them. They'll be fine.

Ensure the humidity inside is around 70% for the first hatch. Best wishes and post pictures.

 

[lazy gardener]

Any pips yet? If not, you should be fine. If you keep the humidity up, you should be able to sneak those shells and early hatchers out without compromising the rest of the hatch, as long as you are quick about it. When I have a stuffed bator, I try to remove shells occasionally, as it's possible for a shell to cup over a recently pipped egg and seal the pip.

 

[Maria G]

Oh, thanks!

Very comforting indeed The cooling is a feature to mimic the natural cooling of the eggs when mother hen leaving the nest each day to get food. But I think it is supposed to be switched off at lockdown. I have a humidity pump, so the humidity is quickly brought back up if I open it, so I think I will sneak out the shells and hatchlings a few times during hatching. No pipping yet...

I have had three completely unsuccessful hatches in a row due to faulty temp readings, so I am desperate to get everything right this time.

Thank you so much for your advice.

 

[goodb]

If things don't go well (which I know they will!) and you are near north central Indiana I'll have some extras popping out on the 4th you can have..

 

[Maria G]

I'm in Norway, so its kind of a long trip to get to Indiana, but it is very kind of you to offer

I am trying to build a group of Hedemora chickens for breeding - hopefully I will get a nice addition to my 3 hens (and 3 roosters!)

M.

 

[goodb]

You are right. Those would be very expensive chicks indeed. Best wishes again for your hatch and don't forget pictures.