Makes my back hurt just looking at it. :/
Thanks you guys, it was the one egg that almost made it that had a good size air cell, but it was also a pretty small egg. But im getting confused lately because I have been told all week by others that they hatch their silkies with huge air cells, like half the egg all the time just fine and consider it normal.. So now I am wondering if its a good thing or not. I always thought it meant they were loosing too much moisture and might shrink wrap and thats why I helped the last one because I figured it would die anyway and wanted to give it a chance and it looked so squished. Another friend who's been having no luck with shipped eggs, finally hatched her best hatch yesterday and like I said she hatched hers completely dry, no water at all and then put the humidity 70-80 at lockdown. All 8 of hers pipped and hatched right out at the same time except one who never turned and died. She really feels like the completely dry hatch is the way to go for her. The one that died, i thought had a more normal looking air cell but like I said it still appeared to have "room" right above its body, so I thought it was slow but maybe it was too much moisure that didnt dry out in time. Its so hard to know. I leave one plug out during incubation and then opened both at lockdown, but I think where I went wrong was too much open at lockdown because I cut out two smaller holes to act as the second hole I was suppose to open. I couldnt use the regular second hole because the fan is under it and blows the humidity out so I blocked that one and made my own. But I did two smaller ones, so it was making it 3 holes total at lockdown which I thought would mean more oxygen and be a good thing. I used a container full of water and a sponge, and another sponge on the other end but had to keep adding water to keep it wet so I think it was leaving through the holes too much. It still read that it was in the 70's but it very little to no condensation at the top of the bator so I really feel like it probably wasent getting enough even though it read that it was. Everyone elses pictures shows foggy windows at the top and mine never was. So I think I had too much air flow at lockdown. So this time I will block up the extra hole, so that its just the two that it was suppose to be. I found a way to make the temp more constant this time (wrapping a blanket just along the sides of the bator and pressing up againt a wall. I havent seen it fluctuate once yet. I havnt had a problem getting the babies to grow, its getting them to hatch that im struggling with. So I am just trying to figure out where im going wrong so I can get it right this time.
I never never use the plugs. They are in a drawer. If the moisture gets too high, and you see condensation on the window, what do you think the little ones are breathing in once they pip internally and start breathing. I know someone that has openly admitted that he opens his bator during lock down, when ever he wants..has great hatches. Again, we can't get mama hen's perfect temps, or humidity, but she is not always staying put on those eggs,and she is still turning them during .. ahem..lock down. I only go 60 to 62% on the humidity during lock down. No higher. I also candle towards the end to see where they are on the end of day 19 or 20. If I see one pipped internally and nothing has happened on the outside shell by the end of that day..then I'm helping. Have done this for years. I started getting really good hatches. That's me. I'm not afraid to do this now. Have done for years. I did give it a try last yr..to wait with the silkies. Didn't work. Started helping again. Babies! They grow up fine and dandy. Again, works for me, and I'm sure plenty with others out there. Buff Orpingtons..I do believe that Brad got one of these? A couple of years back?
This is Dixie..
I love the still air bators too..and I hand turn. I don't like the turners! I only use those if I have to. [/quote Cute babies! I wish I knew what keeps going wrong then :s I am going to watch this last batch very closely and help as you do if needed. I am determined to get some to hatch why don't you like to use the turner?? I have used it every time and love it. I would get way to side tracked throughout the day with kids to remember to turn if by hand so I let it do it for me.
How and why? How in the world does this poor chicken stay on it's feet..upright...and why do they breed them like this? Poor little chicken.
I was most worried about getting the Marans to hatch because I had a buyer wanting them so I went with no water. The silkie air cells were over half the egg though, they looked dreadful, I think they just got so tight in there and ran out of room and liquid. 
