Waiting on a few last eggs...

[seberger22]

Alrighty! I've got 5 chicks that have hatched out of my incubator (they're in the brooder now), but I'm still waiting on 5 eggs. It's day 23.
My incubator is in my classroom, so I'll be gone over the weekend. Should I leave the eggs in the bator or should I take them out? I still have some duck eggs in there that aren't due for another couple of weeks, so I really don't want an eggsplosion!
I candled the 5 remaining eggs this morning, and they all looked like they had chicks in there (the ones that are light enough to candle anyway). I didn't see any internal pips. No noise when I tapped on them. Some of the air cells look a little wonky..like they're dipping too far down the side. Not sure what's normal at this stage. One of the eggs looks porous (it has looked porous the whole time). Two are sort of small and dark, so it's hard to candle.
So really the big question is...is it safe to leave those eggs in there until Monday morning (day 26)? Or should I just count my losses and take them out? (I'd hate to get rid of viable chicks, but I really don't want an eggspolsion because of my duck eggs!)

 

[Ridgerunner]

When did those first eggs hatch? Last night of a few days ago? If they are in the brooder it may have been a while. I've had some hatches drag on into the third day, in an incubator and under a broody hen, but I've also had a lot of hatches over with 24 hours of the first chick hatch. If you have gone more than 24 hours without activity the hatch is probably over.

How dirty are those remaining eggs? Often when chicks hatch they make a real mess of other eggs by sliming them or pooping on them. That can let bacteria inside the eggs. Once bacteria gets inside it can multiply very rapidly as the egg provides the perfect food and incubating temperature is the ideal temperature for bacterial growth.

Normally around three to four days after hatch the mess the chicks left behind starts to really stink if you leave it in. The poop and slime along with the high moisture can really stink after a few days.

If I were in your situation I'd clean that incubator as well as I could. You don't want to return to a really stinky classroom Monday. If I did not see some activity by the end of the day I'd toss them unless those other eggs just hatched.

I don't know how dirty those turkey eggs are. When i hatch chickens and turkeys together I start the turkey eggs early so they hatch at the same time.

Good luck!

 

[seberger22]

When did those first eggs hatch? Last night of a few days ago? If they are in the brooder it may have been a while. I've had some hatches drag on into the third day, in an incubator and under a broody hen, but I've also had a lot of hatches over with 24 hours of the first chick hatch. If you have gone more than 24 hours without activity the hatch is probably over.

How dirty are those remaining eggs? Often when chicks hatch they make a real mess of other eggs by sliming them or pooping on them. That can let bacteria inside the eggs. Once bacteria gets inside it can multiply very rapidly as the egg provides the perfect food and incubating temperature is the ideal temperature for bacterial growth.

Normally around three to four days after hatch the mess the chicks left behind starts to really stink if you leave it in. The poop and slime along with the high moisture can really stink after a few days.

If I were in your situation I'd clean that incubator as well as I could. You don't want to return to a really stinky classroom Monday. If I did not see some activity by the end of the day I'd toss them unless those other eggs just hatched.

I don't know how dirty those turkey eggs are. When i hatch chickens and turkeys together I start the turkey eggs early so they hatch at the same time.

Good luck!

The last hatch was yesterday morning (it was assisted--a malposition that had pipped Wednesday morning)...so the last unassisted hatching activity was Wednesday afternoon.
A couple of the remaining eggs are dirty, but the others not so much.
I did clean the incubator as best I could this morning since the duck eggs are still incubating. There is some dirtiness on the duck eggs, but I candled them this morning and they all still seem to be developing. In future, I will start the ducks earlier--didn't have that option this year!