What do I do tonight? (Time sensitive)

[seeingidog67]

We had 16 eggs in my classroom. They were candled at day 12 and looked great. We saw lots of movement. On day 20 we heard cheeping. Day 21 faint cheeping. Today is day 22. Until today they've been on lockdown but I did open it today.

I wanted to perform the water test on them to see if any of them still had any possibility. I perform the water test and every single one of them passed the test even though I know a couple of them can't be good at this point. The very last one I went to pick up I realized had an external pip. Upon studying it, I realized the opening was not in the air sac but in the center of the egg and the chick was dead. It was starting to dry out so it might have pipped the night before. The pip was on the bottom of the egg, so I couldn't see it from the top of the incubator.

It didn't absorb the yolk fully either.

The rest of the eggs, though they pass the water test, are silent and not moving. I'm leaving them for the night.

It's probably over, right? Why did this happen? I have a picture of the dead one if that's helpful.

 

[cherrynberry]

We had 16 eggs in my classroom. They were candled at day 12 and looked great. We saw lots of movement. On day 20 we heard cheeping. Day 21 faint cheeping. Today is day 22. Until today they've been on lockdown but I did open it today.

I wanted to perform the water test on them to see if any of them still had any possibility. I perform the water test and every single one of them passed the test even though I know a couple of them can't be good at this point. The very last one I went to pick up I realized had an external pip. Upon studying it, I realized the opening was not in the air sac but in the center of the egg and the chick was dead. It was starting to dry out so it might have pipped the night before. The pip was on the bottom of the egg, so I couldn't see it from the top of the incubator.

It didn't absorb the yolk fully either.

The rest of the eggs, though they pass the water test, are silent and not moving. I'm leaving them for the night.

It's probably over, right? Why did this happen? I have a picture of the dead one if that's helpful.

 

[cherrynberry]

I would continue, you may still get a few hatch. I am not sure what happened though...the the humidity and temperture stay steady?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I would also leave it. Turning, humidity, and temperature could’ve been an issue.

Did you calibrate your thermometer(s) and hygrometer(s)?

Do you know if you’re incubator is still air or forced air?

At what temperature and humidity did you keep it at?

 

[PRchick]

Water test is not a good idea. Why haven't you candled them again? Taking them out for a water test would have taken the same time and if they hadn't pipped would not have hurt them in any way.

 

[seeingidog67]

Water test is not a good idea. Why haven't you candled them again? Taking them out for a water test would have taken the same time and if they hadn't pipped would not have hurt them in any way.

My process was this. I took them all out and closed the bator as quickly as I could. Picked one up, candled it. If I didn't see movement or internal pip I water tested it in 100° water. Back in bator as quickly as I could.

The one I think had internal pip did not go in the water. They were only in water for ~1 -2 seconds each.

Sorry if that was wrong. It's only my second time hatching. I'm a city girl teaching in a rural school so I am very inexperienced

 

[seeingidog67]

I would also leave it. Turning, humidity, and temperature could’ve been an issue.

Did you calibrate your thermometer(s) and hygrometer(s)?

Do you know if you’re incubator is still air or forced air?

At what temperature and humidity did you keep it at?

Thanks I will leave them and check in the morning.

It's a still air bator. 99.5-100.5° and 40-50% humidity. Lockdown I upped the humidity to 65%

 

[seeingidog67]

I would continue, you may still get a few hatch. I am not sure what happened though...the the humidity and temperture stay steady?

Yes except one day I came in and it was 102° but we candled after that and they still looked good. I am buying a newer incubator for the next round because this one has seen better days.

 

[PRchick]

My process was this. I took them all out and closed the bator as quickly as I could. Picked one up, candled it. If I didn't see movement or internal pip I water tested it in 100° water. Back in bator as quickly as I could.

The one I think had internal pip did not go in the water. They were only in water for ~1 -2 seconds each.

Sorry if that was wrong. It's only my second time hatching. I'm a city girl teaching in a rural school so I am very inexperienced

Sorry, you didn't say you had candled. I have heard people on this forum say that the water test can actually do more harm than good. I personally just candle. Now the temp getting to 102 degrees, may be part of the problem, depending on how long the temperature was that high. It may not have affected them right away, but it may have affected them later.

I hope that some still hatch, and yes, a better incubator will help and also adding a calibrated thermometer and hygrometer will help a lot too. Even expensive incubators cannot be trusted to read the correct temperature and humidity.